The Lower Chamkar Chhu flows through Jakar and ends in one of the more beautiful canyons in Bhutan. There are multiple put-ins and take-outs upstream that allow you to make this a shorter or longer section. Just downstrem of Jakar the road leaves the river and the canyon starts to gorge up with fun Class III rapids in a small gorge.
Kayaking the Chamkar Chhu in Bhutan
The take-out for this run is the tricky part. There is a small eddy behind a rock on the left side that you must catch to reach the step take-out trail. Below here the river gets much more difficult with little access. It’s a steep 10-15 minute walk up the canyon to reach a parking area in a pine forest.
Trip Highlights
Mile 0: Put-in at the confluence with a small creek that enters from the river right (Dhur Chhu). The river begins right away with some Class II-III rapids.
Put-in at the confluence of the Chamkar Chhu and Dhur Chhu
Mile 1: Just downstream of a driving bridge is a flat rock on the right that makes a good put-in or take-out.
Mile 3.3: The Bumthang airstrip begins on the left.
Mile 5: River access at the driving bridge in Jakar. There are a few other places to access the river below here if you’re looking for a shorter warm-up.
Mile 7.7: After a nice warm up the river begins to gorge up and you'll Paddle First Rapid (III). Below here are plenty of fun Class III rapids.
First Rapid in the Chamkar Chhu Gorge
Mile 9.5: Take-out behind a rock on river left just upstream from the Tang Chhu. You don't want to miss this eddy since the rapids below are much more difficult and there is no river access. There is a steep carry up Hari's Trail on the left bank to a parking lot.
Take-out eddy for the Lower Chamkar Chhu
If a tributary (Tang Chhu) enters from the left then you've passed the normal take-out. You should take-out before the rapids get more difficult and the canyon gets narrower.
