Exotic BHUTANESE STREET FOOD + Driving Through the Himalayas to Haa Valley | Bhutan

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My seventh day in Bhutan was the beginning of yet another incredible adventure in the western region of the country. Come along with me as I enjoy some exotic Bhutanese street food on my way through the Himalayas to Haa Valley in western Bhutan!
My day began in the capital city of Thimphu. My friend and guide from MyBhutan, Tsheten, and I set off toward Haa Valley with our driver Nidup. The valley had been closed to Westerners until 2002.
We followed the main highway to a hut-like shop that was like part convenience store, part restaurant. There, they had the outer skin of the yak, tripe, lungs, beef sausage, pork sausage, veal, and more. It was spicy, non-veg organ meat!
I started with some ngaja, or milk tea, while Tsheten and Nidup got the suja, or butter tea. Then, I dove into the most exotic breakfast I’ve ever eaten! I had beef lungs, tripe (beef stomach), two pork blood sausages, and ezay.
The pork blood sausage was super spicy and tasted like morcilla! It was nice, juicy, and dense. Then, I dug into the lungs, which was good! It had a similar consistency to kidneys. It was so soft and full of numbing spices. I loved the spice level. It was so good!
Next was the tripe. It was really tasty but a little tough. Then, I added more ezay to it. It tasted like a medium or overcooked flank steak! There was a fleshy side and a more gelatinous side.
The ezay wasn’t too spicy. It was more like a chili paste. It was made with chili powder, onion, tomato, and oil. The sausage was one of my favorite morcillas ever! Overall, the spice level was maybe a 7 out of 10. Then, I finished with some porridge made from boiled rice, paneer, and chili powder. I could feel the chilies in it!
From there, we left the stand and hit the road again. Outside of Paro, we passed through a small village called Shaba and passed some fields where they grow potatoes, chilies, and other vegetables. There was also rice fields, lots of houses, and some stupas.
We were making our way up the mountain. We passed some domesticated horses on the road. Then, we reached a viewpoint where we could get an amazing view of Paro.
The road was the windiest one I’d ever been on.
Then, we saw a cat leopard and then we began passing slushy patches of snow. I wanted to have a snowball fight! They use lots of salt on the road because of the snow, which mades the road bad. It got super bumpy and muddy with potholes. It was like a Bhutanese massage!
We stopped for a second so we could have a snowball fight! Afterward, with my hands frozen, we hopped back in the car and passed lots of yaks. To our right, we could see the second-highest mountain in Bhutan, which is 7,340 meters above sea level.
Then, we made it to the highest pass in Bhutan, Chele La. It’s 3,988 meters above sea level. The views were incredible! There were prayer flags everywhere and some prayer wheels. I could feel the altitude; it was hard for me to catch my breath. I definitely recommend wearing winter clothes there!
From there, we had less than an hour ride to get down. The road was literally cut into the mountain. I hadn’t felt the altitude like this in a long time.
We stopped at another viewpoint to see Haa Valley in all its glory. There was a military base and a town there. It’s a long valley surrounded by mountains. I could see a monastery with a red roof to the left.
We made it to the bottom of the mountain. There weren’t that many people in the town. We’d finally arrived in Haa Valley. I couldn’t wait to explore it!
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About Me:
My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 12 years, I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,100 destinations in 77 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my KZbin channel, travel blog, and social media sites.
I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local history and culture.
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