Highlights of the Trans Bhutan Trail

The adventure begins today. Meet fellow travellers and learn more details about the upcoming itinerary from the CEO during today's meeting.

Head out with the group to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant where you'll have your first chance to learn about and sample Bhutanese cuisine.

Choki is Bhutan’s only private institution providing free education to underprivileged young women who have a keen interest in learning the traditional arts and crafts. During your visit to the school you will see students engaged in a number of traditional art forms, including painting, carving, and tapestry.

During this visit the group will experience a private reading with a monk astrologer. Astrology in Bhutan is an ancient and highly respected science and locals will often consult the stars before making major life decisions such as getting married, changing jobs, or buying a car.

The Dzong was rebuilt by the His Majesty the Third King of Bhutan, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, in 1962, when the capital of Bhutan was moved from Punakha to Thimphu. Since that time it has been the seat of the Government of Bhutan. Undoubtedly Thimphu’s most imposing building, during this visit you will have time to enjoy its quiet courtyards, the small Lhakhang Sarp chapel and the Dzong’s imposing utse (tower).

Buddha Point is home to Thimphu’s most recognized landmark, the Buddha Dordenma. Guarding the entry to the Thimphu valley, this 51-meter (167ft) gilded bronze statue is filled with 125,000 miniature statues and sits atop a three-storey base housing a chapel and thousands of donated statuettes. The statue was commissioned to mark His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s 60th birthday and was originally made in China before being transported to Thimphu in pieces. The massive Buddha statue in Thimphu made of bronze and gold. Take lots of pictures - it's beautiful!

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

At 3,407 metres (11,177 feet) above sea level, the Pelela Pass is one of Bhutan’s highest and is traditionally considered to mark the boundary between west and central Bhutan. Local craftspeople often sell fine yak-hair products at the pass. As you descend through the meadows below Pelela, keep an eye out for the yak herder camps which can be seen scattered around the valley. The group will hike from 3320m to 2425m and it will take about 4 hours to complete with a total hiking distance of 11 km (6.8 mi).

Rukubji’s village Lhakhang also known as Kuenzang Choling, is thought to have been built some 300 years ago by a Lama named Tshendhen Duelwa. Unlike most temples, it is not built on a ridge with a view out over a valley, but rather on an extended plateau and close to two rivers: the reason for this is that the Lama built the temple on top of the head of a snake-demoness which he subdued in the same location.

At Chendebji, visit the Chorten (stupa), which is built at on the point on which it is believed that the three ridges and the three edges of the sky meet. The Chorten was built by Lam Ngedup Tshering Wangchuk in order to subdue a local demoness, Nyala Dudm, and bring peace to the Chendebji Valley.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Trongsa is Bhutan’s geographical center point and is very closely linked to the Bhutanese Royal Family: the first two hereditary Kings ruled from Trongsa Dzong (fortress) and the crown prince still traditionally serves as the Penlop (Governor) of Trongsa before acceding to the throne. The Trans Bhutan Trail still passes directly through the middle of the city of Trongsa and, in centuries gone by, the trail would actually have passed right through Trongsa Dzong itself. Today you will recreate the experience of arriving at this powerful city on foot in the same way the garps (messengers) would have done centuries ago, as you descend into the steep valley below the viewpoint, enjoying spectacular views of the Dzong (fortress) on the opposite side of the valley. This portion of the trail is much shorter at just 5 km it will take about 2 hours to complete.

Trongsa Dzong (fortress) was first built by Ngagi Wangchuck as a small meditation room in 1541, after he discovered self-manifested hoof-prints belonging to the deity Pelden Lhamo on the same spot. Trongsa, which means ‘new village’ in the local dialect, soon spring up around the site. The Dzong (fortress) was built in its present form in 1644 and then enlarged again at the end of the 17th century. It is home to some 450 district monks who spend their winters in Trongsa and their summers in Bumthang.

Spend the rest of your time here exploring Trongsa at your own pace.

Jakar Dzong (fortress), is also known as the ‘Castle of the White Bird’. This huge structure dominates the Chamkar Valley and the town below it. It was built in 1549 by the Tibetan Lam Nagi Wangchuk and was Eastern Bhutan’s main defensive stronghold. Later, it became the seat of the First King of Bhutan. Unique features include its fifty-meter utse (tower) and a sheltered passage with two parallel walls, interconnected by fortified towers, which guaranteed the fortress’s inhabitants access to water during a siege.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Enjoy free time to get to known the city of Bumthang.

Settle into your local homestay accommodation. Spend the evening with a few of your fellow travellers in the home of a local Bhutanese family who will be your hosts for the evening. Share a meal and exchange stories while learning about what life is like for your local hosts. Because of group size three rooms in each home will be available and the group will be separated between those rooms.

When staying with a local family in a homestay or farm stay the accommodation is very simple and basic, but clean. Each room can accommodate around 2 or 3 group members at a time. Depending on the community or village the group stays with, each property will have 2 or 3 rooms designated as guest accommodation. Meals during the stay are cooked by the family members of the home and shared with the guests. Meals will consist of local meats and locally grown vegetables from the host family or community. Guests will sit down with their host families to enjoy the meal at a dining table. In Bhutan it is customary to sit on a low chair or the floor for meals, there may not be any normal sized chairs. All homestay properties include shared bathrooms which are European style and clean. Shower facilities are also available during homestays and farmstays.

During the 15th century, a prophecy was made by Pema Lingpa, the patron saint of Bhutan, that someday in the future there would be a wonderful center of learning for women in the middle of the Tang Valley. In 2001 this vision became a reality when a monastic school for nuns was established and nuns settled there living in huts. Continue following the trail towards the sacred Mebartsho (the Burning Lake), where, in the 15th century, the great treasure hunter Pema Lingpa is said to have discovered several of Guru Rinpoche’s hidden treasures. Lingpa had a dream in which he was summoned to this particular location on the Tang River and, when he arrived, he saw at the bottom of the river a temple with many doors, one of which was open. He then swam down into a large cave where he was handed a treasure chest by a one-eyed woman. He would later repeat the feat in the presence of the local people and whilst holding a lit butter lamp which did not go out underwater – and it is because of that that this pool was named “burning lake”.

Enjoy a typical Bhutanese lunch at a local farmhouse in the nearby village of Phom Drong. During your visit, your host will show you how to make Bumthap Putha, a special type of buckwheat noodle traditional to the Bumthang region. As Bhutanese food is usually hot and spicy you’ll try the ama datshi (chili cheese), one of the most popular dishes in Bhutanese cooking. Enjoy this simple but tasty meal and conversation with local people, who are always happy to welcome visitors.

Bumthang Brewery, producers of Bhutan’s celebrated Red Panda Beer. Nearby is Bhutan’s only commercial cheese factory. Both the brewery and the cheese factory are legacies of a Swiss-run development project called Swiss Farm, which introduced distinctive European farming and production techniques into the Bumthang area.

Settle into your local homestay accommodation. Spend the evening with a few of your fellow travellers in the home of a local Bhutanese family who will be your hosts for the evening. Share a meal and exchange stories while learning about what life is like for your local hosts. Because of group size three rooms in each home will be available and the group will be separated between those rooms.

When staying with a local family in a homestay or farm stay the accommodation is very simple and basic, but clean. Each room can accommodate around 2 or 3 group members at a time. Depending on the community or village the group stays with, each property will have 2 or 3 rooms designated as guest accommodation. Meals during the stay are cooked by the family members of the home and shared with the guests. Meals will consist of local meats and locally grown vegetables from the host family or community. Guests will sit down with their host families to enjoy the meal at a dining table. In Bhutan it is customary to sit on a low chair or the floor for meals, there may not be any normal sized chairs. All homestay properties include shared bathrooms which are European style and clean. Shower facilities are also available during homestays and farmstays.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

In an adjacent valley from the pass, join a section of the trail known as the ‘Divine Madman Trail’. You are now be following in the footsteps of the Divine Madman himself, Drukpa Kuenley, when he came to Bhutan from Tibet in the 16th century to fulfil his destiny of suppressing evil energies.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Visit Punakha Dzong, the winter seat of the Je Khenpo and the Monk Body, remarkably located between the rivers of the Mo (female) Chu and Pho (male) Chu. It is the second oldest and second largest dzong (fortress) in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures, housing many sacred relics. It is also the winter capital of the Je Khenpo (chief abbot). Built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in around 1637. Arguably, it is the most beautiful Dzong in the country. The Dzong guards Bhutan’s most treasured relic, the Rangjung Kharsapani, an image of Chenresig kept away from the public in the utse (tower). It has survived Tibetan invasions, numerous fires, floods and a glacial lake burst. The Dzong served as the capital and seat of the Bhutanese Government until the early 1950s; and the coronation of the His Majesty the First Druk, Gyalpo Ugyen Wangchuck, took place here.

Head north by vehicle to Zomlingthang, where you will enjoy a cookery demonstration and a traditional Bhutanese outdoor lunch to relax and recharge before the rest of your day. Savour delicious flavours and expand those tastebuds as you continue to sample a delicious cuisine.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Paro’s Ta Dzong or ‘watchtower’ was originally built in 1649 to protect Paro Dzong from the Tibetan military. In 1968, Ta Dzong became Bhutan’s National Museum, and is now home to a number of exhibitions including sculpture, painting and artifacts depicting Bhutan’s magical past.

The National Museum of Bhutan houses an extensive collection of Bhutanese art, with pieces dating back for centuries.

Paro Rinpung Dzong (fortress), meaning ‘Fortress on a Heap of Jewels”. The original construction of this dzong is believed to have been completed in 1458 and it was restored to its present glory by His Majesty the Third of Bhutan, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, to mark his royal wedding in 1951.

Spend the afternoon and early evening exploring Paro on your last full day in this Bhutanese city.

Hike up to the Taktsang monastery (Tiger’s Nest); containing 13 holy relics, it's considered one of the most venerated pilgrim sites of the Himalayan world. It is also where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century. Take in the stunning views en route and the incredible vista from this monastery, which clings to the rock towering 2,953m above the valley. The group will hike from 2400m elevation and reach 3100m at the Taktsang Monastery before returning back to 2400m in the same day. The climb should take around 6 hours for a total distance of 7 km.

Settle in and scan the scenery as you journey to and from the Tiger’s Nest Monastery Hike from Paro.

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport at the end of your adventure.