In Bhutan, rivers are more than scenery. They irrigate the fields, shape the valleys and, in local belief, are home to spirits and deities
In Bhutan, rivers are more than scenery. They irrigate the fields, shape the valleys and, in local belief, are home to spirits and deities. Follow them, says fishing guide Tandin Dorji, and "you really begin to notice how everything connects.”
That idea runs through COMO Uma Bhutan’s new fly-fishing itinerary, the Southern Waters Quest, which is operated in partnership with Dorji’s company, Druk Rafting. After four nights at COMO Uma Paro and two at COMO Uma Punakha, the route drops south from the Himalayan passes into hot, bamboo-thick forest along the Sankosh river (also called Puna Tsang Chuu), a part of Bhutan few visitors ever see. Hornbills and langurs line the banks; elephants are possible, and tigers live in the forest, though sightings are extremely rare.
The quarry is golden mahseer, an endangered migratory fish that has near-mythic status among fly anglers. Often called the ‘tiger of the water’, these fish are powerful, elusive and notoriously difficult to hook. They are endangered across much of their range, with Bhutan's rivers among their last strongholds. The fishing is seasonal, with the best windows falling between March and June and again from September to November, when river levels, water temperature and the fish’s migrations align.
Encountering one of these “strong wild fish”, says Dorji, can change the character of a day in an instant. Once hooked, a golden mahseer often surges downstream, using the full force of the river against the angler before it can finally be guided into calmer water.
Between these bursts of adrenaline, a quieter rhythm takes hold as guests fish for the more commonly seen chocolate mahseer and trout. Fishing along the Sankosh "feels quite different from fishing in Bhutan's smaller mountain streams,” Dorji explains. “It’s wider and flows through remote forests, so there are stretches where you really feel far away from everything."
Four camps — Kalikhola, Oxbow Bend, Red Stone and Karmaling — mark the river journey. Well-appointed tents, freshly prepared meals and solar lighting provide simple comforts without separating guests from their surroundings. Dorji’s favourite is Oxbow Bend. “It doesn’t really feel like just another campsite; it feels like you have your own little corner of the Bhutanese wilderness.”
Days alternate between rafting and wading. Both approaches can produce golden mahseer, but they change the pace of the fishing. The raft allows the team to cover far more river and reach stretches that would be difficult to access on foot. Wading means stopping at a promising pool, eddy or seam and fishing it more methodically, adjusting the angle and presentation of each cast. “Everything becomes slower and more focused,” says Dorji.
Reading the water is a skill built over years: "We look at deep pools, eddies, rocks and especially where faster water meets slower water. Golden mahseer often like the stronger currents, while chocolate mahseer may be found in quieter pools or around rocks."
Every fish caught is released, a practice that Dorji ties to Buddhist teaching. "We are taught to respect all forms of life and to avoid taking a life unnecessarily," he says. "It becomes less about what you take from the river and more about the experience you have with it."
For more information on the ten-night Southern Waters Quest itinerary, please visit comohotels.com/bhutan/como-uma-paro or contact [email protected].
