Itinerary
Day 01 : Paro
After clearing customs and immigration you will meet your Bhutanese leader and drive a short distance via the main street of Paro to our accommodation. At some stage in the afternoon we will visit the main part of town, and visit the National Museum. It will depend on our time of arrival into Paro, and when trek preparations are completed. Overnight: Hotel
Day 02 : Hike from Tsendona to Damchona – 10 miles (16 km); 7 hours; 2900ft (884m) elevation gain, 1047ft (319m) elevation loss
A 10-minute drive brings you to the beginning of your Trans Bhutan Trail hike. This part of the trail connects three villages: Tsendona, where the trail begins before gently rising through rice fields; Dopshari, where you will stop for lunch; and Damchona, where you will camp overnight. Along the trail, you can take in beautiful views of the Paro Valley and its sights, as well as Kungkarpo, a sacred site for “sky burial.” Keep an eye out for mountain bikers, as this section also serves as a cycling trail – and for planes, too, as they bank overhead alongside the mountain on their final descent into Paro.
Lunch will be set up at Tshering Farm House in Dopshari, where you’ll enjoy organic and traditional Bhutanese foods as well as a beautiful view of rice fields. After lunch, the trail climbs up slowly through the pine trees toward the campsite at Damchona, where apples rather than rice are the local crop, and locals rear cattle and horses. During monsoon season (June–August), count on meeting people foraging for wild chanterelle mushrooms. Upon your arrival at camp, you will be served a hot towel to clean up, followed by hot tea and dinner. When night falls and as the campfire crackles, your tour guide and trail ambassador will narrate the history of the trail.
Day 03 : Hike from Damchona to Tsaluna – 10.75 miles (17.25 km); 6 hours; 2526ft (770m) elevation gain, 2664ft (812m) elevation loss
After breakfast at camp, you’ll continue on the trail from Damchona to Tsaluna village. The trail’s rise is gradual and the path will be clear of debris thanks to the dozens of horses plying the route each day during trekking season. Tall trees and coniferous forests line the path until Jela Pass (11,575ft/3528m), where you can hoist lungdhar (prayer flags) while saying the prayer “Lha-geh lo” (“May the gods be victorious”). After Jela Pass, the trail drops gently through clusters of rhododendrons. After about 1.25 miles (2km), you will reach an open area that’s a good spot for a picnic, with views toward Pumola and other mountain ridges – and the next section of the trail.
From there, you’ll walk through a settlement called Jadingkha, then through groves of beautiful pine and oak trees until Tsaluna. Along the trail you will hear the calls of such birds as the Himalayan monal, satyr tragopan, fire-tailed myzornis and hoopoe. (Expect a bit of mud, too, as cattle rearing is prevalent in this area.) You’ll be welcomed at your campsite, surrounded by pine trees, with warm evening tea and snacks. With locals, you can try your hand at archery (Bhutan’s national sport) in the ancient manner, using a bow made of bamboo. Your trail ambassador will join you for dinner, and provide a seal to authenticate your completion of this section of the trail. Then, next to the campfire, watch (or even help) the trekking cook prepare your Bhutanese dinner, which might include red rice, ema datsi (chili with cheese), suja (butter tea), momo (steamed dumplings), buckwheat noodles and other tasty dishes.
Day 04 : Hike from Tsaluna to “Buddha Point” – 12.2 miles (19.65km); 9 hours; 3930ft (1198m) elevation gain, 4308ft (1313m) elevation loss
Wake up to the sounds of birds chirping in the pine trees. You’ll start your day with a warm bedside tea served by the trekking crew, before packing up and taking breakfast. From the campsite, the trail ascends gradually, then drops into a steep slope lined with dense oaks. There is hardly any view on this trail – only the sounds of streams and birds. After 3 or 4 hours of walking, you will reach Pumola, where you can rest and relax near a huge stupa. Next, you’ll ascend another steep slope for another 90 minutes up to the peak of Pumola, known locally as Thaptsakha and the highest point on the Trans Bhutan Trail. Along this section, amazing views of mountain ranges, monasteries and the Thimpu Valley will open up along a route that was onced used by messengers traveling between Paro and Thimpu. (Adventurous visitors can retrace that 29-mile/48km route via the Druk Path Trek.) You will have lunch at the peak of Pumola and also offer incense as a way to pay homage to our local deities.
After lunch, the trail descends through a magical landscape of open pastures where yaks graze; stop by a yak-herder’s camp to get a taste of nomadic life. As you get closer to the next section of the trail, you will get a closer view of Thimphu Valley and its famous Buddha statue. This section of the trail will end near this gigantic, 177ft(54m)-tall monument, and you won’t want to miss out on a photo opp in front of it. After so much walking, take a car to your hotel for a hot shower. Feel free to call it a night – or set out to explore small but lively Thimpu on foot.
Day 05 : Hike from Dochula to Simtokha – 9.3 miles (15km); 7 hours; 3235ft (986m) elevation gain, 1729ft (527m) elevation loss
After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll drive through from Thimphu to Punakha through the Dochula Pass – a must-visit stop for travelers. Here, colorful prayer flags line the road, with amazing, panoramic views of the snow-covered Himalayas forming a majestic backdrop against 108 chortens (Buddhist shines). After taking photos and hearing stories from your guide, you’ll get out your hiking gear and prepare for your last day on the Trans Bhutan Trail.
The first hour will take you through beautiful rhododendrons and huge hemlock trees, before you drop down through a pine forest and some settlements along the way. (During the growing season from May to July, you will see farmers working their organic fields.) You’ll enjoy lunch below Hongtsho, sampling apples from local orchards as dessert. As you wind your way on to Simtokha, you will cross the same river seven different times. At the end of the hike, a trail ambassador will be waiting for you with tea, snacks and a signature for your Trail Passport to certify your completion of this leg of the journey. After driving back to Paro, you’ll check in at Ugyen Farm House, where you can experience a hot-stone bath and enjoy scrumptious local Bhutanese food. A cultural program featuring mask dances, traditional folk dances and an archery demonstration concludes a full day.
Day 06 : Tiger’s Nest hike – 7.5 miles (12km); 7 hours; 2625ft (800m) elevation gain, 394ft (120m) elevation loss
No first-time trip to Bhutan would be complete without a visit to the Tiger’s Nest. Built on a cliff some 9840ft (3000m) above sea level, this extraordinary monastery is one of the most memorable holy sites in the world. Hikers can reach the site via a trail with a natural clay surface, one wide enough for people to walk comfortably. (Note that the trail can become dusty on dry days, and muddy and slippery on wet ones, especially on segments frequented by horses.)
After breakfast with suja (butter tea), you’ll head from the farm house to the Tiger’s Nest “base camp,” where you can use the facilities and buy walking sticks for your hike. (Horses and ponies are available for hire for those unable to hike.) After a 2-hour ascent, you can stop for a bit at the rest area, which has a cafeteria offering tea and food – as well as a view up to the monastery. From the cafeteria, a direct-ascent trail joins the main path after a few hundred meters, saving you backtracking. The main trail continues upward steadily, with a few shortcuts offering a (steep and often slippery) way to save some time; you’ll have excellent views of the monastery throughout.
The path then enters forest again until you reach the traverse trail, which will lead you on a gentle ascent. Along the way you will pass an area where bigger groups sometimes stop for lunch, and the temple at which the former Je Khenpo (head lama) of the Bhutanese Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism was born. Finally, you will reach the viewpoint, where the majestic sight of Tiger’s Nest monastery will open just in front of you. Though most people stop here for photographs, the best photo spot is about 164ft (50m) farther down, beside a short prayer wheel.
Start descending by the steep concrete stairs down – very carefully, and holding on to the banister, as a misstep could be fatal. Even during the busiest part of the day from 10am to 1pm, when the stairs get jammed with tourists and Bhutanese pilgrims, remember to behave with respect since you are on sacred ground. After losing some 328ft (100m) of altitude, the stairway will lead into the gap between two cliffs below an impressive waterfall. After crossing the bridge, continue up the stairway to the right. This is the last 263ft (80m) of altitude gain before you reach your goal: the entrance to the monastery itself.
Please bear in mind that before you enter, your guide will need to clear you with the guards, and you’ll need to leave your belongings in the lockers; no phones or cameras are allowed inside. What is to be seen and experienced in the monastery is beyond the scope of this article, and we will happily leave the backstory to your competent guide. We will simply reveal that while you sweated and panted on your hike up, the Guru Padmasambhava, the saint who established this place in 8th century, was brought here on the back of a flying tigress who turned out to be his spiritual consort and wife in different form (hence “Tiger’s Nest”). After your temple visit, follow the same way back down. Your lunch will be served at the cafeteria against a view of the temple and amid the sound of birdsong.
After your hike, spend a few hours exploring Paro town and picking up some local products as gifts or souvenirs of Bhutan before heading to your hotel. Since this will be your last day in the country, you can have a relaxing massage and enjoy your night in comfort.
Day 07 : departure
Depart for your respective countries
What’s included
- Bhutan Royalties, tourists fees, Visa fees and taxes.
- Accommodations in listed or similar hotels (pleasant hotels 3 star) during the tour.
- All meals, including evening tea/coffee etc through-out the trip.
- All land transfers, sightseeing with entrance fees
- Bottled water in the vehicle and other camp services.
What’s not included
- Luxury hotel upgrades available at additional cost.
- Travel insurance
- Expenses of personal nature
- Drinks like beer, whisky, coke, fanta and Mineral water
- Telephone and internet