Bhutan Druk Path
itinerary
13 days
ITINERARY
6 days
TREKKING
4,210m
ALTITUDE
Dates
2025 & 2026
Trek & Explore the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan
Challenge yourself on this unique trek through the pristine and unspoilt Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. This 13- day varied adventure includes 6 testing trekking days, and thrilling explorations of the most noteable sites of this incredible, remote and unique
destination. Witness the mighty peaks of the Eastern Himalayas, experience the authentic Buddhist culture, and
conclude with the opportunity to explore the capital Thimpu, and enjoy a traditional Bhutanese celebratory meal.
Day 1 Departure UK
- Inflight
- Dinner inflight
The team will meet at the airport, at the check in zone, 3 hours before departure. Please look out for our trip Leader & Medic in a red ‘Action Challenge’ t-shirt. You don’t need to worry about your tickets as the Action Challenge team will have these ready to give you at the airport. You will just need your passport to hand. Your flight departure details will be confirmed 4-3 months prior to your challenge. They will likely be flying from either London Heathrow or London Gatwick.
Day 2 Arrive In Kathmandu
- Hotel
- Breakfast & Dinner
Upon arrival in Kathmandu Nepal, we will have arranged transfers to the hotel. You will then have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy this incredible city. We will then re-group in the evening for a Kathmandu evening meal and a briefing from our Action Challenge Leader and local guide.
Depending on the arrival time, you may have the opportunity to explore Kathmandu for a couple of hours to soak in the atmosphere of this vibrant city!
Day 3 Fly To Paro, Bhutan
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Following a hotel breakfast, we will begin the day by embarking on a transfer for the flight to Paro, the country’s main airport. Hopefully, the view from our window of the plane will give us a perfect snapshot of the scenic views of the Himalaya, including Everest, the unique Bhutanese foothills and the thrilling landing.
Top Tip: Try to sit on the left hand side of the plane for the optimum views. You will be met on arrival by your Bhutanese guide and then transferred to your hotel.
As we enter the afternoon, we will take a short drive out from Paro to begin our walk up to the cliff temples at Dzong Drakha. This is a beautiful cluster of 16th century cliff temples set above the small village of Bondhey, overlooking the Paro Valley. We will then stop and take a break at a suitable time, to enjoy the views and recuperate over lunch, before continuing with our walk. It is worth acknowledging that this walk will take little more than a couple of hours, however it is extremely significant, as it’s a good leg stretch and provides acclimatisation.
As the sun sets, we will arrive back to our hotel for the night. Here we will enjoy a warming dinner before getting a good night sleep ahead of our trek tomorrow.
Day 4 Trekking Day 1
- PARO TO TAKTSANG MONASTERY
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 4+ hrs
- 6km
- 3,110m
Post breakfast, we will make the short drive beyond Paro Town to the trailhead for the walk up to the famous Tiger’s Nest, Taktsang Monastery. The monastery is perched 600m up on a cliff overlooking the valley and was said to be where the legendary Indian saint, Guru Padma Sambhava, flew from Tibet on the back of a tiger to defeat five demons, who were opposing the spread of Buddhism in Bhutan. It’s a steep uphill walk through woods, of about 1½-2 hours, to reach a Teahouse (an ascent of 340m) with viewpoints of Taktsang, and those that prefer not to climb any further can relax here whilst others continue on. If there is a particular religious gathering or VIP visit in progress, we will not be able to enter the monastery. As we continue our ascent for a further half an hour, we will reach a viewpoint directly across from Taktsang. This will also be when we will stop for some lunch, before our walk continues into the afternoon.
For those who are able, the final section of the walk will take you steeply down 100m into the gorge that separates us from the monastery and then climbs back up again to reach the monastery gate. We will descend back to the valley floor and then drive back to Paro. The full walk to Taktsang and back will involve approximately 740m of ascent. As evening approaches, we will return to our hotel, where the communal stove and heaters will keep us warm before dinner and an early night.
Day 5 Trekking Day 2
- PARO TO JILI DZONG
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5+ hrs
- 11km
- 3,450m
The Druk Path route is part of the original mule track that linked Thimphu Valley with Paro Valley, and ultimately connected Bhutan to the Indian border. The walk is always done from Paro to Thimphu, as baggage horses are only available in Paro. It is a much more exciting way of reaching Bhutan’s capital and after five days’ trekking the sense of anticipation is immense.
Following a hotel breakfast, the trek will commence appropriately behind Paro Dzong itself. Starting from the watchtower, the path winds slowly upward, through the forest, towards the ridgeline of the Himalayan foothills above. The views below of the highly cultivated Paro Valley, the Queen Mother’s Winter Palace, and Paro dzong itself are astounding. We will then pass through a myriad of scenery, firstly pine, then bamboo, followed by birch and finally beautiful rhododendron.
Lunch will be besides a Mani Wall, a wall of stone ornately carved with Buddhist mantra and symbols dating back centuries. You will see plenty of interesting flora and fauna throughout the day and many interesting birds. As evening approaches we will arrive at our Camping site, warm up over a wholesome dinner and get some much needed sleep.
Day 6 Trekking Day 3
- DILI JZONG TO JANGCHULHAKHA
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5 hrs
- 10km
- 3,770m
The day will commence with another hearty breakfast, before we begin the first short 20 minute hike from the camp to the dzong. This is a large monastery and is supposedly haunted. It also contains a hugely impressive statue of Padma Sambhava, birds nesting in the narrow slits and old Mongol helmets and shields hanging on the walls. The building was, until recently deserted, but has now undergone a major renovation and is in use again. The monastery sits astride a ridge, which affords dramatic views of the valleys on both sides and the Himalaya to the north. The views are incredible, and include the second highest mountain in Bhutan, Mt. Chomolhari, 7,314m. This jaw-dropping backdrop makes it the perfect location for lunch.
As we continue along the path in the afternoon, we will begin our descent into the forest. Occasionally, you may meet local yak herdsmen and take in wonderful views of mountains, including another large peak called Kangcheeta. To the south, the Dagala range dominates the skyline. Below Mt. Kangcheeta there is a temple, Tshomphu Monastery, where an idol is supposed to float in the air. Finally, we will pass through a number of yak herder clearings, and as night looms, we will arrive at our Camping site, for a well-deserved evening meal and rest.
Day 7 Trekking Day 4
- TREK TO JANA TSHO VIA JIMI LANGTSHO
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 7 hrs
- 9km
- 3,956m
Following a group breakfast in the camp, we will continue our ascent until we reach the ridge, and then traverse along it. This will provide us with the most magnificent views. Eventually, we will cross a small pass and circle round, until we are directly above the Jimi Langtsho Lake. This is a large enchanting lake, stocked with trout, with a large Chorten (religious monument) built at one end. We will then stop and take a break at a suitable time, to enjoy the views and recuperate over lunch, before continuing with our afternoon trek.
Our trail will subsequently zigzag down to the lakeside, which is thick with rhododendron and hemmed in by rocky bluffs. The path will then lead up from the lake and along treacherous cliff paths, we will need to tread carefully but the adrenaline rush will be worth every second.
Eventually, the path will lead us around a succession of ridges until opening up to a second lake, Jana Tsho. Also, this will be the location where we set up in our Camp for the evening. As a group, we will enjoy a warming dinner and get an early night before another strenuous day of trekking tomorrow.
Day 8 Trekking Day 5
- TREK TO PHADJODING ACROSS THE SIMKOTA LAKE
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 6 hrs
- 10km
- 4,210m
The day will once again commence with breakfast to fuel us for the challenging day ahead. This is the day we will be crossing the highest pass, the Simkota La (also known as Phume La) 4,210m/13,812ft. From the lake, a wide stone path between rhododendrons will lead us to traversing a basin, which contains the 3rd lake. Two other lakes are above and out of sight, one male, one female and collectively they are called Dungkar Tsho.
The path will from now on be a mixture of small passes and mountain tracks, some of which wander underneath cliffs. If we’re lucky, we may meet monks on their way from Thimphu to visit the sacred lake of Jimi Langtsho, where they meditate for a few days before returning. Back in the olden days, they would use the rocky mountain next to the highest pass, Thujedraj, for sky burials. Lower down there is one smaller pass with a chorten which looks directly down onto Thimphu. We will stop here at a suitable time for a rest and lunch. After lunch, the path will continue to zigzag down to Phadjoding for a further 2 and a 1/2 hours. As we enter the afternoon, we will have the opportunity for another rest stop and wash, before we explore the nearby Temples. High up on the cliff behind Phadjoding is a famous hermit temple, built many hundreds of years ago and still used today. After this incredible experience, we will go to our Camping site for the night and enjoy dinner and rest.
Day 9 Trekking Day 6
- TREK TO END OF TRAIL & TRANSFER TO THIMPHU
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 2 hrs
- 6km
Today, following breakfast we will resume our trek for two or three hours to reach the road, descending, steeply at times, through the forest, on a well-worn path. It will be worth getting up early for the clear views of the Eastern Himalaya. The scenery is breath-taking. Seen clearly on the horizon behind the temples is the highest mountain in Bhutan, Gangkar Punsum, at 7,550m now the highest unclimbed peak in the world.
There are several paths leading down to Thimphu; perhaps the best is the one leading to the Radio Station, which takes about 3 hours. Quite often the valley below may be filled with cloud, with just the mountains poking up into the clear air. We will then meet our vehicle at the road head for the short transfer to a hotel in town.
This afternoon, there’s time to explore a little of Thimphu at leisure, you can enjoy an authentic lunch, or your guide will be happy to take you to visit a few of the principal sights, including the late King’s Memorial Chorten, the Takin Reserve (home to Bhutan’s national animal) or the Textile Museum. As the evening approaches, we will settle into our hotel, for the evening for dinner and an early night.
Day 10 Sightseeing
- DRIVE TO PUNAKHA VIA DRUKPA KUNLEY’S TEMPLE
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 1,250m
There will be time this morning to visit some more of the famous sights of Bhutan’s capital. Possible options include the indigenous hospital, specialising in herbal medicine, the School of Painting, and Changangkha Lhakhang. All of which will be unique and riveting experiences!
Leaving Thimphu the road climbs via a series of zigzags over the Dochu La Pass, 3,140m/10,302ft. On a clear day panoramic views can be had of the eastern Himalaya, including Bhutan’s highest mountain, Gangkar Punsum, 7,550m. With this beautiful view to admire, we will take this opportunity to enjoy some lunch and a rest stop, before continuing with our exciting day. Along the route, we will have a chance to explore the Chimi Lhakhang temple by completing a short circular walk. The road then drops down through the forest, finally emerging into the cultivated Punakha Valley.
Here, we will check into our hotel, and the night will then conclude with a delicious group dinner.
Day 11 Sightseeing
- SIGHTSEEING IN PUNAKHA VALLEY. RETURN TO PARO
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we will make the short 10 minute drive up through Punakha to visit Punakha Dzong, one of Bhutan’s most celebrated sights. The main monastery/fortress in Punakha was the power base for the old system of reincarnate rulers. The remains of the original ruler of Bhutan, Nawang Namgyal, are kept in a small room at the top of the highest tower; only the king and the head of the monastic order are allowed to enter this room. Provided the head of the monastic order and his monks are in Thimphu it should be possible to view the inner courtyards of Punakha Dzong. In 1994 there was a major flood in the town as a glacial lake burst up in the Himalaya, causing tremendous havoc in the town and damage to the dzong, which has now been beautifully restored.
After visiting the dzong, our transport will meet us for the return journey westward to Paro, taking lunch along the way. En-route for Paro, we will hopefully stop once more at the Dochu La Pass for another chance, weather permitting, to take in the vista of the eastern Himalayan peaks. A stunning view, that we will want to take pictures of and revel in the beauty! In the evening we will enjoy a group celebratory dinner at our hotel for the evening.
Day 12 Return Kathmandu
- Hotel
- Breakfast
This morning after breakfast, we will fly back to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, we will transfer back to our hotel, for a relaxing afternoon or some local sightseeing.
Day 13 Depart Kathmandu
We will transfer to Kathmandu airport early in the morning, to catch the first leg on our return journey.
