Get set for a wonderful trekking experience in the land of Thunder Dragon! Druk Path trek takes you to some gorgeous landscapes to applaud the Himalayan beauty of Bhutan. Traverse through the beautiful blue pine forests and climb up to the high ridges. The pristine lakes, dzongs, and local villages as a whole will multiply the glory of this trek. It’s a fairly easy hike that goes through the forests of pine, fir, and dwarf rhododendrons at an altitude ranging from 2400 meters to 4200 meters. As you get close to Mother Nature, you will be rewarded with some impressive views of Mt. Gangkar Puensum. This peak is the highest peak in the world that hasn’t been scaled.
Druk Path Trek is an interesting trek that links the dry valley of Paru to the lush forests above the Thimpu. Druk Path Trek is one of the most popular treks in Bhutan that receives around 1200 visitors yearly. The major attractions of this trek are the stunning views of Mt. Gangkar Puensum, old and artistic monasteries, alpine scenery, and easy accessibility from the city of Paro. The best time for the Druk Path trek is February to May and September to December.
So, are you ready for this splendid trip to explore the lushness of alpine jungles, valleys, and lakes with incredible views of mountains in the backdrop? If yes, then World Alpine Treks is ready to take you to the Himalayan land of Bhutan. Apart from the natural aspect, you can traverse through local villages, interact with locals, and get some in-depth knowledge of their culture, customs, and traditions. Also, you can get to know about the unique Buddhist religion prevalent in this nation. Visiting the artistic monasteries will let you know more about the Bhutanese people, their culture, tradition, and religion in the Druk Path trek.
Fly over the beautiful Himalayas ranges to the international airport in Paro. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our Bhutanese crew members. They will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to a hotel in Paro. Tonight, we stay at a hotel in Paro
Early in the morning, we hike to a popular monastery in Paro i.e. Tiger’s nest monastery. It is an alluring attraction of Paro city placed on the edge of the steep cliff. It is popular for its dramatic location and a Buddhist myth. As per the mythology, the monastery lies in the same place where Guru Rinpoche had fled on a back of a tigress to meditate on a cave. Today, we walk up to the monastery and explore the monastery and its peripheral areas. Tonight, back to the hotel in Paro.
Today, we initiate our trekking journey to Jele dzong. The trekking for the day is short hence we march forward slowly at a steady pace just to adapt with the altitude gain which is quite significant. After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to the National Museum that lies just above the Paro city. We walk pass the museum and head uphill through the orchards of apple and pine forests to Jele dzong. Jele Dzong is actually the ruins of dzong perched on a ridge. Here, we can observe Lhakhang with a big statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. On a clear day, we can get some amazing views of Paro and Mt. Jomolhari from here. Tonight, we stay at Jele dzong
After breakfast at Jele dzong, we follow the trail and begin our walking adventure. We ascend up gradually and descend down below a ridgeline. We walk pass the dense forests of oak and rhododendron to jangchulakha. On the route, we pass many grazing areas, yak herders and temporary settlements of yak herders. If lucky, you may be able to see peasants in the backdrop of beautiful Jhomolhari peak and other neighboring mountains. We continue our walk uphill until we open up into the pastures of Jangchulakha. The place offers some stunning views of mountain ranges. we set up our camps in the pasture near a hillside. Tonight, we stay at Jangchulakha
In the morning, after breakfast, we follow the trail that moves along the ridge and then through dwarf rhododendron and juniper trees. The views of mountain valleys i.e. Thimpu and Paro from the trail are truly magnificent. We first make a gradual ascent and then a steep descent down to the Jimillangtsho Lake at an altitude of 3880meters. The lake is very popular for the large-sized trout fishes. We set up our camps near the lake with amazing views of Jichu Drake in the backdrop. Tonight, we stay at Jimilangtsho lake
Leaving the lake, we follow a trail along with the dwarf rhododendron trees to another lake known as Janetsho Lake. On the way, we come across the camps of yak herders. Simple observation and short interaction with the herders would give us an opportunity to get some insights on Bhutanese people, their culture, custom and lifestyle. The trail then winds up to Simikota with wonderful views of the Himalayas on sight. We can get a glimpse of Simikotatsho Lake as we open up to a yak pasture at Simikota. We set up for camps in the yak pasture for the night. Tonight, we stay at Simkota
Today, we leave Simikota and climb up gradually to a saddle at an elevation of 4150 meters. From here, we can relish some spectacular views of Mt. Gangkar Puensum with other neighboring peaks. We descend down from here through a beautiful trail adorned with colorful prayer flags to a community hall near Phajodhing. Further, we walk downhill through the forests of pine and juniper to Thimphu. Tonight, we stay at a hotel in Thimphu
Leaving Paro, you will be driven all the way to Paro airport to catch a scheduled flight back to your home town.