12 Days Drukyul Hiking Tour

As your flight nears Bhutan, you can enjoy amazing views of the Himalayas including the sacred Jumolhari and Jichu Drake peaks. At the airport, you will be greeted by a representative from Bhutan Travel Guru and take you to your hotel. After lunch, visit the Rinpung Dzong meaning “fortress of the heap of jewels”. It has a long and fascinating history. Along the wooden galleries lining the courtyard of the Rinpung Dzong are fine wall paintings illustrating Buddhist lore. You will walk downhill till the road point crossing the wooden bridge. Your vehicle will be waiting here to take you to Paro town. Walking through the market and meeting with the people will be an enjoyable experience.

Morning, drive up to Chele La Pass through mixed forests offering panoramic views of the snow-capped Himalayas. Enjoy a hike of approximately 3 hours up along the meadow to Kung Karpo La (4100m) enjoying breathtaking views on a clear day of the snowcapped mountains along the ridge that divides Paro and Haa valley. The short steep descent from the top will take you to the nunnery of Kila Gompa. Here the nuns live a life of contemplation and seclusion, with daily prayer and spiritual practice. The walk down from here to the road will take about an hour. From here, you will drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.

In the morning you will drive to Begana from where the road branches right and climbs a short distance to a parking lot. The hike to Tango Goemba climbs a height of 280m and takes about half an hour if you take the steeper shortcut and about an hour if you take the longer route, which has more gradual ascents. The “Divine Madman” built the monastery in the 15th century and now serves as center of study for monks, and it affords a great view of the Thimphu Valley. Descend back to the parking lot where your car will be waiting. Little beyond the turn-off to Tango Goemba, the road ends at Dodina. The 45 minutes hike to Cheri Goemba starts from here. Cross the wooden bridge and then climb steeply to the monastery. En route, there are chances to spot the mountain goats. The monastery serves as important meditation retreats for 30 or so monks. Drive back to Thimphu.

After breakfast, you will drive to Dochula La (3,100 meters), where on a clear day you can get spectacular views of the Himalayas. You will begin 2 hours hike to Lungchuzekha Monastery from 108 chortens (stupas). The trail passes through rhododendron forests. Walking along the high ridges dotted with colorful Buddhist prayer flags offers us stunning views of Himalayas, plus incredible vistas into the valleys below the pass. Hike back to Dochula. After lunch, drive downhill through the forests of rhododendron, fir and hemlock. You will arrive at Punakha after traversing through rice field and along the bank of River. After arrival, visit Punakha Dzong, the most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan.

In the morning drive to Yabesa village and hike through rice fields up to Khamsum Yueley Namgyal Chorten, built by Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck. Perched high on a hill on the bank of the river, the Chorten houses paintings belonging to Nyingmapa Traditions. The views of the valley and the surrounding snow-capped mountains are stunning. You can linger here for some times relaxing and simply appreciating the harmonious beauty of the location. Later in the afternoon, you will drive to Lobesa and hike through rice paddies up to the Chimi Lhakhang Temple. This temple is dedicated to the great Yogi in the 14th century known as Drukpa Kuenley, or the “Divine Madman,” who is believed to bless women who seek fertility.

Today, drive to Phobjikha, which is considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan. The road climbs steadily, passing through semi-tropical vegetation before arriving in an alpine environment, home to rhododendrons and dwarf bamboo. Just few miles before Pele La (Pass 3300m), you will take the road leading to Phobjikha Valley over Lawala pass (3200m). Gangtey Monastery majestically sits on a small ridge in the centre of the valley. After visiting the Monastery, you can walk through the villages in the valley to get insight into the rural lifestyle. The area is also the winter home (late October to February) of the rare and endangered black-necked cranes that migrate from Tibet to escape harsh winter conditions.

Following breakfast, you will start your hike from Gangtey to Longtey Village. The initial hike is all ascents through long and beautiful stretch of meadows and farms. From Kayche La ((3700m) which is marked with some prayer flags, you will gradually descend to Longtey Village through thickets of dwarf bamboos, birch, rhododendron, hemlock and fir. You will have a picnic lunch at road point where your car will be waiting. After lunch, you will drive to Trongsa, the ancestral home of the royal family. On arrival, you can visit Trongsa Dzong, the masterpiece of Bhutanese architecture. In the evening, you can browse through Trongsa Town.

Today, you’ll proceed to Bumthang, the religious heartland of the nation, with lush valleys and hilly forests. Along the way you will stop at a yathra (textile weaving) factory at Chumey, where the yathra are designed with patterns unique to Bumthang, and you can even watch some of the weavers at their looms. Check into hotel on arrival. After lunch, you can you explore Chamkhar Town and interact with the locals.

Today you will walk through Chokhor valley in Bumthang. The best walk is between Kurjey and Tamshing Goenba via Dozam. If you wish, visit the Kurje Lhakhang, one of the most sacred places, because Guru Rinpoche left his body imprint on the cave when he was meditating. From north of Kurjey Lhakhang, you will walk couple of hundred meters to east and cross a footbridge, then uphill to a trail on the opposite side. After some time, you will reach Dorjibi village. You can spend some time visiting farmhouses and meeting families. The lunch will be served in one of the farmhouses. After lunch, you can follow the east-bank trail south for 30 minutes to Tamshing Goemba. You will also have a chance to meditate in Tamshing Lhakhang, a treasure house of interesting religious Buddhist paintings. Your car will be waiting here to transfer you to hotel.

After breakfast, you will drive to airport for your flight to Paro. After lunch, you can visit Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest and most sacred temple in the country. You will then see people playing traditional Archery game.

After an early breakfast, you will hike to the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery, clinging on a rock cliff 900 meters above the valley floor. According to the legend, it is believed that Guru Rimpoche, the 8th century Spiritual Master flew to this location on the back of a tigress to subdue the demons of Paro Valley. The guru then meditated in the holy cave that is the site of the monastery today.

After breakfast, you will drive to the airport for departure. Our representative will bid you farewell.