Jomolhari / Chomo Lhari (ཇོ་མོ་ལྷ་རི, jo mo lha ri, 绰莫拉日峰, Chuòmòlārì Fēng)
Known as “the bride of Kangchenjunga,” Jomolhari is sacred to Tibetan Buddhists who believe it is the home of Jomo, one of the Five Tsheringma Sisters who are protector goddesses of Tibet and Bhutan. The name of the mountain translates to “Mountain of the Goddess.”
Mount Jomolhari lies on the border of Tibet’s Yadong County and in the capital of Bhutan, Thimpu, located in the Paro district of Bhutan. The closest peak to Jomolhari is Jichu Drake to the northeast. Bhutan’s nearby Jigme Dorji National Park offers scenic Jomolhari treks full of diverse vegetation and wildlife.
Countries: Bhutan, China
State/Province: Paro, Tibet Autonomous Region
Mountain Range: Jomolhari Himalaya
Parents: Himalaya
Elevation: 24,035 feet / 7,326 meters
Prominence: 6,814 feet / 2,077 meters
First Ascent: May 21, 1937 by a British expedition led by Freddie Spencer Chapman
Fun Fact: Jomolhari is the 78th highest mountain peak in the world.
Plant Life: Jomolhari’s Druk Path Trek is rich with 46 species of rhododendrons, magnolias, orchids, blue poppies, junipers, and over 300 types of medicinal plants. Bhutan’s Jomolhari Trek is a little more difficult than the Druk Path Trek and also boasts of lush rhododendrons, as well as birches, firs, blue pines, maples, cedars, oaks, larches, and ferns.
Animal Life: Take the Jomolhari Trek in Jigme Dorji National Park and you might get a glimpse of incredible local wildlife including 36 species of mammals like the Bengal tiger, snow leopard, musk deer, blue goats, Himalayan blue sheep (bharal), and Asiatic wild dog.
Bird Life: In nearby Jigme Dorji National Park you will find 328 species of birds, including the Wood Snipe, Yellow Wagtail, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Spotted Bush Warbler, Desert Wheatear, and rare and threatened species like the Chestnut-breasted Partridge and Wood Snipe, which are two vulnerable species in the park, and six near-threatened species: the Bearded Vulture, Himalayan Vulture, River Lapwing, Satyr Tragopan, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, and Ward’s Trogon.
Sources:
- Wikipedia: Jomolhari
- Trekking Bhutan: Flora And Fauna – Druk Path Trek, Dagala, Jomolhari
- The Wildlife Diaries: 15 Amazing Bhutan Animals and all 10 of the Kingdom’s National Parks
- Follow Alice: Bhutan’s Jomolhari trek route
- ScienceDirect: Bird diversity and conservation threats in Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan
- Google Maps
Links:
- Himalaya Discovery Adventures: Jomolhari Trek – 12 Days
