The Snowman Trek begins exactly as the Jomolhari Trek does: from Shana near Paro, climbing through forest to Jomolhari Base Camp at Jangothang (4,040m), beneath the sacred peak of Mount Jomolhari. From there, where most trekkers turn back or loop toward Soi Yaksa, the Snowman Trek continues onward — to Lingshi, then through Chebisa, Shomuthang, and Robluthang before crossing Sinche La at approximately 5,005 metres, the gateway into Laya district.

Laya itself, at roughly 3,880 metres, is home to the Layap people — semi-nomadic yak herders distinguished by their vertical-striped yak-hair clothing and the distinctive conical bamboo hat (the tsipee charko tradition shared with the Brokpa, though styled differently) worn by Layap women, who also favour long hair and substantial turquoise and jade jewellery. Their physical features and language carry stronger Tibetan and Mongolian influence than the Bhutanese populations of the central valleys, reflecting the genuine cultural distinctiveness of this isolated district. After a rest day exploring Laya, the trail continues over a sequence of passes — Tsimola (around 4,700–4,780m), Gangla Karchung La (variously recorded between 5,100m and 5,230m, depending on the exact route taken) — into the remote Lunana region proper, beginning at the village of Woche.

Lunana is where the trek’s genuine remoteness becomes unmistakable. The trail passes through Thega, Lhedi, and Choejong — the largest village in Lunana, with a 17th-century dzong worth a brief stop — before reaching Thanza (around 4,000–4,050m), the gateway to the trek’s most demanding stretch: a rest day, then the crossing toward Tshorim Lake (around 4,975–5,125m) and Gophu La Pass (5,230m), descending to Gangkar Puensum Base Camp near the Sha Chu river, within sight of the world’s highest unclimbed mountain.