Druk Path Trek, 8 days

Tour highlights

  • Moderate to easy difficulty trek
  • Beautiful mountain scenery
  • Pristine alpine nature and number of ice lakes
  • Remote monasteries on the way
  • Sightseeing in Paro including Tiger's Nest hike
  • Possibility to extend and combine
Dates: 
Flexible
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# Itinerary Program
1 Arrival to Paro Arrival by plane to Paro. In case of coming by land, crossing border from India in Phuntsholing/Jaigon and then drive to Paro. ➜ Visit of Paro (Rinpung) dzong, where Bertolucci's Little Buddha movie was shot. Also, enjoying views from the watchtower Ta dzong and visiting National Museum. ➜ Leisure in town. ➜ Sightseeing is subject to arrival time.
2 Paro Hike to Taktsang gomba (Tiger’s Nest) in the elevation of 3150 m, is one of the highlights of the tour as well as good acclimatization exercise. While the hike seems to be hard, it’s very rewarding. Trip including the visit of temples takes about 4 to 5 hours. If you are fast, you can also hike further to Zangtopelri lhakhang to get birds eye view of the monastery. ➜ On the way back to town visit pristine Kyichu lhakhang is one of the two oldest temples built in Bhutan. ➜ Evening exploring the hustle and bustle of Paro and get ready for next day's trekking!
3 Trek Paro – Jele Dzong 8 km / 4 h / ➚ 1068 m, ➘ 82 m. You can start leisurely in the morning. When you are ready, drive to the watchtower (Ta dzong). ➜ From here you will be continuously and steeply ascending for most of the day. The trail first goes through the mixture of the pine forest and apple orchards, later reaching mixed alpine forest with firs, pines, hemlocks and scrubs. ➜ Finally, you will reach Jele dzong, small castle-monastery guarding the trail. This night you will stay in its vicinity. Camp at 3460 m
4 Trek Jele Dzong – Tshokam 9 km / 4-5 h / ➚ 536 m. Visit Jele dzong in the morning. You can ask for permission to enter main chapel with number of huge statues. ➜ After leaving dzong, you'll walk the ridge with nice views for a while before entering the forest. During a day you will be gradually climbing with some opportunities of views back to Paro valley and other ridges around. ➜ Finally, in the early afternoon, you should reach good campsite at 3962 m.
5 Trek Tshokam – Jimilang Tsho 10 km / 6-7 h / ➚ 450 m, ➘ 295 m. One of the highlight days of the trek starts with gentle ascend to small pass slightly above 4 thousand meters. Then you descend and again reach another pass from which Jomolhari peak (7315 m) can be seen. ➜ After walking some more, you'll reach junction where you can decide to go upper or lower trail. Both way lead to Jimilang Tsho, but upper one is preferable due to nice views. If you feel tired, better take lower one though. Jimilang Tsho is considered sacred lake, but it won't prevent locals from fishing. You will camp on its shores in the elevation of 3870 m.
6 Trek Jimilang Tsho – Simkotra Tsho 10 km / 5-6 h / ➚ 700 m, ➘ 500 m. Start hiking up from the lake to the north-east with beautiful view all around. You are heading to Dungtsho lake, half surrounded by rock cliff and considered holy by local people. ➜ From here you will continue walking on the ridge with some ups and downs and views to all sides, until you descend to Simkotra Tsho, after which you will set for camping on this day. Camp elevation 4100 m.
7 Trek Simkotra Tsho – Thimphu 13 km / 7-8 h / ➚ 185 m, ➘ 1500 m. Start from Simkotra tsho, first walking gently and then keeping mostly in the level until you finally reach to the pass marked with white chorten. You can see the highest mountain of Bhutan, the Gangkhar Punesum to the east and Thimphu valley just in front of you. Anyway before reaching back to the civilization you still need to keep descend steeply down. ➜ First reach to Phajoding monastery, with welcoming monk community. ➜ Continue on descending, either to fourth king's residence entry gate at Motithang, where the car will be waiting for you. Drive to hotel and take rest after the 5 days trek!
8 Departure Depending on your departure time, you can do some sightseeing in Thimphu or you will drive to Paro for your flight from Bhutan.
Tour variants, extensions and combinations: 
  • Cultural sightseeing in Thimphu and Punakha (+1 to +2 days): If you're not only focused on trekking, allow yourself bit leisure time in Thimphu and maybe also Punakha and Wangdue and enjoy the cultural sights of these places in full.
  • Consider Dagala Thousand Lakes trek as alternative (+1 days): This is the trek of similar length and difficulty but considerably less visited be other trekkers, while mountain views are equally good.
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