Druk Path Trek

Day 1: Arrive Paro. If the weather is clear you can have a glimpse of Kangchenjunga, Mt Everest and Chomolhari, Bhutan’s sacred mountain. Once you land please proceed to VISA counter to complete your formalities.

Your guide will meet you outside the terminal and you will proceed to your hotel. If you have the time after tea/coffee, your guide will take you for some sightseeing.

• Day 2:  After breakfast hike to the Tiger’s Nest or Taktsang monastery, which was built on the cliffs. The entire hike (to and fro) will take about 3 hours of average walking speed from Ramthangkha (the terminating point of the motorable road)

  Taktsang monastery is one of the most venerated pilgrim sites of Bhutan. The monastic complex clings to the rock towering 900 m above the valley. Taktsang is located at 2950 m above the sea level.

  In accordance with the prophecy of Guru Rinpoche, Khandro Yeshi Tshogyal, the consort of Guru Rinpoche, meditated at Taktsang, transforming herself into a tigress to protect herself from harmful humans and wild animals. People who happened to be in the vicinity of Taktsang in those days had seen a real tigress residing in the cave. The cave thus came to be known as “Taktsang” meaning “the tigress’s lair”. The image of the wrathful Guru Dorje Droloe one of his eight manifestations mounting the tigress, as we witness today inside the temple is the form of a tigress in our impure perception but in reality the tigress is the form assumed of Khandro Yeshi Tshogyal. The monastery was built in the year 1692 with the command of the fourth desi (secular ruler of Bhutan) Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgye. Today his reincarnation is residing in the Tango monastery.

  After visiting the temple hike back and lunch will be served in the restaurant. After lunch you can either visit the Paro town to explore the Bhutanese stores or relax at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the same hotel.

• Day 3: Paro – Jili Dzong (Distance seven km, four to five hours, 1,090m ascent, camp altitude 3,480m).

  The first day is a long day, as you have to climb more than 1,000m elevation. You start from the Ta Dzong (National Museum) in Paro. The trek follows a gravel road past a few farms for about 30 minutes and then climbs up a steep ridge before leading through blue pine and fir forests to Damche Gom. Once you reach the ridge below Jili Dzong you descend about 100m to the campsite below Jili Dzong.

• Day 4: Jili Dzong – Jangchulakha (Distance 10 km, four to five hours, 310m ascent, 50m descent, camp altitude 3,770m).

  You begin with a climb for about an hour and a half and then ascend gradually up. The trail takes you through thick alpine forest and dwarf rhododendron tress. You may see yaks and yak herders around your campsite.

• Day 5: Jangchulakha – Jimilang Tsho (Distance 11 km, four hours, 230m descent, 330m ascent, camp altitude – 3,870m).

  The trail follows the ridge and on a clear day the view of the mountains and valley are beautiful. The campsite is close to the Jimilang Tsho Lake. The lake is known for its giant sized trout.

• Day 6: Jimilang Tsho – Simkota Tsho (Distance 11 km, four to five hours, camp altitude 4,040m).

  The trail traverses through dwarf Rhodedendron tress and Janetsho Lake and passes by yak herder camps. It is a short climb along the side of the ridge and then a short, steep descent to camp which is near Simkota lake famous for its trout.  .

• Day 6: Simkota Tsho – Phajoding – Thimphu (Distance 15 km, five to six hours, 130m ascent, 1130 m descent).

  The trek begins with a gradual climb. If the weather permits, you will have a spectacular view of Mount Gangkar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan and other Himalayan peaks. From this pass, the trek takes you downhill to Phajodhing and fter passing Phadjoding monastery, the trek to Thimphu (Mothitang) is all the way downhill through a forested area of mostly blue pine.7

• Day 8: Depart from Thimphu