Druk Path Trek

One of the most peaceful treks, in the happiest country in the world!

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Difficulty

Easy to Moderate

Altitude

3880 Metres

Duration

10 Days

Location

Months

March, April, May, June, September, October

Stay

Camping, Hotel

Trek through the happiest country in the world!

Trekking in Bhutan is an enduring, timeless and true wilderness experience. The Druk Path Trek is a short four-day trek that is a great introduction to trekking in Bhutan. The trek starts from Paro, where the airport is located and ends at Thimphu the capital of Bhutan. For the most part, it follows the traditional mule route between Thimphu and Paro, walking along the ridges. On its way, it crosses stunning countryside passing blue pine forests, dwarf rhododendrons, high ridges and crystal clear lakes.

As this is a short trek the trip includes the very best of the other things to do in Bhutan, including hiking to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery and a full tour of Thimphu.

Upcoming Treks

May 2024

3rd May - 12th May

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Why Choose Us?

India's only adventure company led by Everest summitteers

14+ years of Himalayan experience

5-time Travellers' Choice Award Winners

100% safety record

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Brief Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Bagdogra and drive to Pheuntsholing for an overnight stay.
Day 2 - Drive from Phuentsholing to Paro; Visa formalities.
Day 3 - Taktsang Monastery / Hike to Tigers Nest
Day 4 - Trek to Janchulakha
Day 5 - Trek to Jimilangtsho
Day 6 - Trek to Labana
Day 7 - Trek from Labana to Thimpu
Day 8 - Drive to Punakha Valley
Day 9 - Drive from Punakha to Phuentsholing & continue to Bagdogra
Day 10 - Departure

Inclusions & Exclusions

Trip Cost Includes:

Bhutan trekking permits.
Airport pickup and drop. All ground transportation.
On arrival visa proceesing fee for Indian Passport holders.
Accommodation in Standard Hotels on Twin sharing basis (with breakfast)
Accommodation in tents on twin sharing basis (with all meals during trek)
Trekking equipment such as Personal Tents, Kitchen and Dining tent, Mattresses etc.
Mules to carry luggage.
Basic Medical Kit
Support Staffs – Trekking Guide, Cook and assistants, Horseman.

Trip Cost DOES NOT Include:

Flights in and out of Bhutan.
Lunch and Dinner during Hotel stay.
Hotel night in Bagdogra on return.
Personal trekking gears, clothing items, trekking accessories.
Monument entry fees
Tips to staff
Travel insurance
Medical evacuation expenses
Individual pickup/drop
Single occupancy tent/hotel

Things to carry

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Extreme temperature variations, high altitude, snow glare & proximity to sun are certain factors which necessitate the need to for proper mountaineering equipment. In order to enjoy your experience in the mountains, we have recommended that you carry the following with you.

Apparel

Thermal Inners - At least 1 pair of Top and Leggings
6-8 t-shirts or long-sleeve shirt (cotton / dryfit)
2-3 pairs of trekking pants (no denim!)
1 Sweater/Sweatshirt
1 Fleece Jacket
1 Down Jacket
1 Waterproof Layer like raincoat or wind-cheater
1 pair of hiking boots
1 pair of comfortable sandals/floaters/sneakers
6-8 pairs of cotton socks (for day)
2 pairs of thick/woollen socks (for night)
Gloves - liner and outer
Sun hat
Woollen cap
Buff

Accessories

Duffel bag / Rucksack (60L+)
Daypack / Backpack (20-30L capacity)
Sleeping bag (can be bought or rented in Kathmandu)
2x 1L Bottles (to carry drinking water)
Lunchbox
Torch + Batteries / Headlamp
Knee/Ankle/Wrist Guards
Trekking Poles
Sunblock
Sunglasses
Moisturiser
Hand Sanitiser
Personal Medical Kit
Personal Toiletries Kit
Snacks!

Fitness

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There are three main aspects of training to focus on – strength training, cardiovascular training, and trekking + trekking alternatives.
Strength training involves training different muscle groups, so that they can become stronger. There are different exercises for each muscle group, and working them all out 2x-3x a week should be enough to help you get comfortable trekking.
Legs / lower body - exercises like squats, glute bridges, step ups and leg presses with help you develop stronger muscles in the lower body.

Core - Exercises like planks, bicycle crunches and leg raises can help with core stability; Pilates is also a core-intensive type of workout that will help.

Upper body - Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups and dips will help develop these muscles. You can also use resistance bands or light weights to develop them further.
It’s vital to do plenty of cardio training before your trek, so that you can get the most out of your experience
Running - This is the most recommended form of cardio activity, as it activates a lot of the same muscles as trekking. Being able to run 10km in 60 minutes will allow you to get the most out of your trek.

Cycling / Swimming - If you have knee issues, or don’t enjoy running, you can also opt for cycling and swimming. Being able to cycling 30-50km or swim for 30-40 minutes, thrice a week, should be good to help you with treks like EBC.

HIIT training / Crossfit - Another option to level up your cardio training is to opt for high intensity aerobic exercises like HIIT or Crossfit, 2-3 times a week
The aim is to get your heart rate up, so you do not get winded on long days of trekking
Hiking
Try to get outdoors and go for a hike on the weekends! Uphill trails of 4-8 kilometres are will help you get used to trekking. Make it a point to carry a loaded backpack, and walk in your trekking shoes.
Hiking Alternatives
Climbing stairs, and using the treadmill or stairmaster on an incline, will help prepare you for treks. Make it a point to carry a loaded backpack so that you can get used to the extra weight; and use your trekking boots, so that you can break them in and walk comfortably.
If you’re confused with all this information, no need to worry! The most important thing with training is consistency, and staying injury-free. Your training week should ideally have
Strength training - 3 sessions
Cardio training - 3 sessions
Hiking - 1 long session, best on the weekends
Rest and stretching - at least 1 day

FAQs

Detailed Itinerary

Druk Path

Day 1

Arrival in Bagdogra and drive to Pheuntsholing for an overnight stay.

Our representative will receive you at the Bagdogra airport in your respective group and transfer you to Pheuntsholing where you will be spending the night in a standard hotel. This drive will take us around 4-5 hours approximately.

Day 2

Drive from Phuentsholing to Paro; Visa formalities.

In the morning, our team will assist you to complete the On arrival visa formality and processing at the Phuentsholing check post. After completing the procedure and procuring visa’s for everyone, we will drive to Paro. This drive will take us around 5 – 5.5 hours. Once we reach Paro you can check-in to your room and spend the day resting or strolling around the town.

Day 3

Taktsang Monastery / Hike to Tigers Nest

In the morning, our team will take you to the trail-head for a hike to the iconic Takstang (tiger’s nest) monastery. This hike is expected to take 2 – 3 hours to get to the top. After visiting the monastery and having lunch en-route, it takes up most of our day. In the evening, you can continue to cover any missed-out sights in Paro valley. We spend another night at our hotel in the valley.

Day 4

Trek to Janchulakha

Today, we will cover a distance of almost 18 km and can expect a walking time of 6-7 hours. Starting at Paro Demchena, we cross the famous Jele Dzong at around 3450 M. The trail takes us through thick alpine forest and rhododendrons trees and most of the walking is up and down on a ridge. The route is a rather gradual climb till the camp and if the weather is clear, Paro valley can be seen with Mt. Jumolhari (7314m). We will able to witness mesmerizing views of snowcapped mountains behind the valley. Around late afternoon, we reach our campsite at Jangchulakha (3780mtrs).

Day 5

Trek to Jimilangtsho

We will be covering a distance of almost 12 kilometers today and the expected walking time will be around 4-5 hours. Starting at Jangchulakha at 3780m we will be gaining some altitude during the day and then walk through a gradual decline for our campsite, situated at an altitude of 3880 meters. The trail follows the ridge and on clear day the views of the mountains and valley are beautiful, in particular the Jichu Drake (6989m). Our camp site for today is close to the beautiful lake of Jimilangtso. These lakes are known for their giant sized trouts.

Day 6

Trek to Labana

Today we will be covering a distance of 15 Kilometers, which will take us a walking time of around 5-6 hours. Starting at Jimilangtsho (3880m) we make our journey to our beautiful campsite at Labana (4130m). Today the trail takes us through dwarf Rhododendrons trees and we also pass by the lake of Janye Tsho. We will also come across some Yak herder’s camp and have an opportunity to exchange with these locals and find out more about how they live with families in the region. After spending few minutes with the herders and resting a little, we make our way to cross the Simkota Lake to reach our campsite at Labana. This route is a blend of uphill and declines and mostly rocky, so we make sure we are careful with ourselves.

Day 7

Trek from Labana to Thimphu

We have an early breakfast today at our campsite and begin with a gradual climb up to Labana pass (4210m), which is also the highest elevation of our trek. From our camp site, if weather permits we will be able see the same view of Mt. Gangkhar Punsum (7541m) the highest mountain in Bhutan & Mt. Kanchenjunga third highest peak in the world, while we admire the view of the Thimphu valley below. After trekking for another 4-5 kilometers we will reach the Phajoding village. This village has various Monasteries that we can pay a visit to. Post the visit to the monastery we continue down to Thimphu, which is majorly a downhill trail through a forested area of mostly Blue pine. Even if we take a leisurely pace we can reach Thimphu in about 3/3.5 hours and then go for a nice hot shower and lunch in the town.

Day 8

Drive to Punakha Valley

Today, post an early breakfast we leave for Punakha valley. The day calls in for a dramatic drive over the high mountain pass of Dochu La pass and on to the way to Punakha. The en-route sights include one of Bhutan’s first fortress monasteries, the 17th century Simtokha Dzong, the ancient wall paintings at the Hongtsho Goemba monastery and the newly built “Druk Wangyal Khangzang Chortens”, a unique cluster of 108 Namgyal Khangzang Chortens that spiral up to a main monument Chorten. This is a tribute and monument to the selfless service and visionary leadership of His Majesty the King. We reach Punkha in the afternoon, post which, you will have the day to do some sigh seeing in the valley. There is a famous Punakha Dzong which is a must visit. The valley is also home to some beautiful rice terraces, local markets and some great restaurants to enjoy authentic Bhutanese cuisine.

Day 9

Drive from Punakha to Phuentsholing & continue to Bagdogra

Today again, we take an early start as we have a long driving day ahead of us! We start from Punakha and make our way towards Phuentsholing. This drive will roughly take us about 5.5 to 6 hours. We will stop on the way and some 2 short breaks for tea/snack centers and use of public washrooms etc. After reaching Phuentsholing we would have covered a little more than 50% of our drive. Our drive from Phuentsholing to Bagdogra will take us another 4/4.5 hours. On reaching Bagdogra, you will have two options – either to take a hotel and spend a night in the city, or to directly go to the airport for your departure, depending on your flight schedule.

Day 10

Departure

In case you have decided to spend a hotel night in Bagdogra on Day 9, today will be your day of departure. Our team will drop you at the airport, in your respective group.

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