Dagala Gewog

Dagala Gewog (also rendered Darkarla Gewog) is one of eight gewogs in Thimphu District, Bhutan, situated to the northeast of Mewang Gewog. Named after the Dagala Range, the gewog spans 85 square kilometres across alpine and sub-alpine terrain at elevations ranging from roughly 2,870 metres to 4,980 metres. It has five chiwogs, approximately 178 households, and a population of around 814 people — making it one of the least densely populated administrative units in Thimphu District. Yak and cattle herding are the economic backbone of the community.^[1]

Geography and Environment

The Dagala Range rises southwest of the Thimphu Valley, forming a barrier between the Wang Chhu basin and the drainage systems flowing south toward Dagana District. The landscape moves from conifer forest at lower elevations through rhododendron shrubberies to alpine grasslands and bare rock at the highest points. The region contains numerous high-altitude lakes, the most well-known cluster being the Dagala Thousand Lakes — a collection variously estimated at over one hundred small tarns, of which roughly ten are large enough to be visible from trekking routes. Named lakes include Relitsho, Hentsho, Setsho, Jagetsho, and Usho Tsho.^[2]

Historically, the Dagala area lay along a trade route linking Thimphu to Dagana. The route traversed the high passes and grasslands that yak herders still use seasonally. The remoteness and altitude of the area have preserved its ecology: a 2016 study published in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine identified 100 species of high-altitude medicinal plants in the Dagala region, drawn from 39 families and 80 genera. Of these, 68 species grow between 4,000 and 4,999 metres. Sixteen species were found to have economic importance with potential for commercial collection for use in traditional Bhutanese medicine (Sowa Rigpa) at the Menjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals facility.^[3]

Yak Herding and Livelihoods

The gewog's vast rangelands support a livestock-based economy dominated by yak rearing. The Dagala Yak Cooperative, a community-based organisation under the Bhutan Yak Federation, comprises 39 yak-rearing households with a combined herd of approximately 2,400 yaks. Most families keep a minimum of 50 animals. A 2015 survey found that yaks accounted for 70.9 per cent of livestock holdings in the gewog, followed by poultry (12.7 per cent), improved cattle (10.9 per cent), and sheep (5.5 per cent).^[4]

The Bhutan Foundation has supported livelihood diversification for Dagala's yak herders, including cheese-making training aimed at adding value to yak milk. Yak butter and dried cheese (chugo) are traditional products traded in Thimphu. Ecotourism — principally trekking — provides a supplementary income source, though the number of visitors passing through is limited compared to mainstream trekking routes like the Snowman Trek.

Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek

The Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek is a moderate five- to six-day trek that passes through the gewog's alpine landscape, reaching a maximum altitude of approximately 4,520 metres at the Labatama campsite (around 4,300 metres). The trek is best undertaken in spring (April to June) or autumn (September to November) when the weather is stable and the alpine meadows are at their most colourful. Trekkers camp near several named lakes and pass through yak-herder camps. The trek was historically less frequented than Paro-based routes but has gained popularity as an alternative offering relative solitude and distinctive high-altitude lake scenery.

Conservation

The Dagala region's biodiversity has attracted scientific interest, particularly for its medicinal plant resources and alpine ecosystems. The area is not within a formal protected area but adjoins the buffer zones of Jigme Dorji National Park. Climate change poses a longer-term threat: warming temperatures may shift vegetation zones upward, potentially reducing habitat for cold-adapted plant species and affecting the viability of yak herding at current elevations.

References

1. Dagala Gewog — Thimphu Dzongkhag Administration
2. Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek — Visit Bhutan
3. Wangchuk, P. et al. "Medicinal plants of Dagala region in Bhutan." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2016.
4. Empowering Dagala's Yak Herders — Bhutan Foundation