Druk Path Trek in Bhutan - 10  Days  9 Nights

On Day 1, you will arrive at Paro International Airport, from where you are directly transported into the heart of the Himalayas.

You are welcomed by our staff, which is a perfect complement to the classic Bhutanese hospitality, and we embark on the short drive to your hotel, which takes you through numerous scattered farmhouses and the vast terraced fields. Your Druk Path Trek Ten days Trip officially begins now.

A popular choice for lunch in Bhutan is Bhutanese spicy rice, a blend of veggies, and homemade cheese, which is a perfect representation of the region’s culinary simplicity and authenticity.

After your meal, you will have some time to rest before we explore some of the Paro Valley. This will be a chance for you to visit the National Museum, where a significant collection of weapons, masks, and textiles from the collection is rich in ritual use and recounts remarkable stories of Bhutan from centuries past. 

We then walk down to Paro Dzong, a magnificent fortress-monastery, where monks and civil servants still collaborate. You cross a heritage wooden bridge painted with traditional motifs and prayer flags.

You encounter local families returning from their fields. In the afternoon, the valley is filled with a golden hue and the distant sound of temple bells from across the river.

After all, you will go back to the hotel for a more leisurely dinner and overnight rest.

We start our 2nd day of Druk Path 10 day trek walk early in the morning, before everything comes alive in the valley and dapples of sunlight begin to poke through into the pine woods. Following breakfast, we will drive to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery trailhead. The trail ascends steadily, and you feel the cool forest air as prayer flags flutter overhead. Local pilgrims quietly pass by, some bearing incense, and it hits you just how much their lives are woven into this trail by faith.

As you climb, the forest gives way to panoramic views of Paro Valley. Halfway through, we pause at the cafeteria viewpoint where Tiger’s Nest looms on the opposite face of the cliff, suspended like a miracle over the chasm. You sip tea amid one of Bhutan’s most well-known images — white walls, golden roofs and sheer forest-clad mountains cast in cloud.

We proceed the final ascent with stone steps and meandering paths. You arrive at the monastery late morning and spend some time exploring its shrines, courtyards and meditation rooms. Monks whisper in soft chant inside the temples, and the scent of butter lamps clogs the air. You hear the legend of Guru Rinpoche, who rode in on a tigress.

Once you are back in Paro, enjoy a warm meal and relax for the evening.

The 1st day of the trek, you wake up to a delightful smell of forest dew, and the fresh, chilly air will refresh you in no time. We will meet our trekking crew and the pack animals that will join us on this adventure after breakfast.

Leaving Paro, the track climbs as it heads towards blue pine woods and gently undulating hills of patchwork farmland where the villagers’ morning chores have just begun: milking cows, feeding yaks, and making up a batch of butter tea. Children often wave from their wooden houses, where the balconies are fitted with intricately carved railings.

The trail continues to the left, and the tree line shrinks as we gain elevation, revealing a more complete view of the Paro Valley. Rhododendron trees, some standing tall and some fallen over and rotten, line the path, and we should be lucky enough to see them flowering in deep red, pink, and white colours if we are trekking in spring. 

By the middle of the day, we should be arriving at a grassy, cloud-obstructed view where we will be lying to rest for a hot lunch prepared by the cook team. You can relax on grass meadows below a prayer-flag-mantled ridge.

We will be arriving at Jele Dzong for our campsite by the afternoon. If the weather is nice, the ancient fortress on a ridge of the valley will be glowing with the sun's golden light behind the distant snow-capped peaks. The relics that the monks of this dzong are keeping in a small chapel are sacred, and we must take care not to disturb them as we explore the ancient fortress Jele Dzong.

You will savour a warm dinner while conversing with the crew and relishing the tranquil mountain environment.

Today, we will wake to the gentle shush of wind in the pines. After breakfast, we will begin hiking along the ridgeline. The hills are painted gold by the morning light, and the trail opens up to wide views of Paro far below.

You might encounter yak herders guiding their shaggy animals across open fields. The lines of their weathered faces and the calmness of their demeanour reflect the ruggedness yet tranquillity of highland life.

Heading further up, the forest turns into fir, spruce and dwarf rhododendron. The air is thin and cool, but not uncomfortable. The mountains go on in all directions, and they provide a sense of openness that only the Himalayas can.

In the afternoon, we head to Jangchulakha or Tshokam. The path passes over ridges where you might see Himalayan monal or blood pheasants. You'll find yak herding huts along the way, and might even see herders making cheese or drying bits of yak dung to use as fuel.

It's late afternoon when we arrive in camp. The crew will cook a hot dinner, and you can take in the hush of high mountain living. The night is clear and peaceful with stars brighter than anywhere in the valleys below.

On day 5, the morning climb begins with magnificent views, like the distant mountains, including Jomolhari, on clear days. You will pass through yak pastures, where the herder is collecting, calf feeding, preparing butter tea, milk, and salted feeding, starting her morning routine. Their stone huts, blending with the landscape, show how generations have lived in harmony with the hills that are so beautiful yet harsh.

The trail rises and falls on the rocky terrain, displaying more of the valleys each time. Among the stones, small alpine flowers can be seen, and above the cliffs, vultures are circling. Near a serene meadow with the wind and distant yak bells, where only the sounds of the wind and bells can be heard, we stop for lunch.

You can explore Jimelangtsho in the afternoon, a sacred alpine lake with clear blue water. With the calm and spiritual feel surrounding the lake, guardian deities are believed by the locals to protect the water. You have the perfect view of the lake bordered by tall ridges, with our campsite sitting right on the shore.

Following your tea, you may traverse around the lake or simply sit and take in the peacefulness. The lake reflects the shifting hues of the sky, and the clouds move seamlessly above. Dinner time brings a cozy feel to the kitchen tent, and the calm and cool mountain air at Jimelangtsho gives the location a magical feeling.

Today is the longest day of this journey, so we begin early. The morning path ascends gently, then crosses a high ridge showing another pretty lake, Janetsho. You come along the path, which is steep in places, with yaks grazing serenely alongside. The landscape is epic — alpine valleys and bare slopes, snow-capped peaks in the distance shimmering beneath the sun.

We go by these little herder shelters and sometimes come across families travelling with their animals. Their style of life, one built on weather and tradition, testifies to the heartiness of mountain communities. Closer to the lakes, you might see blue sheep perched on cliffs or hear pika whistling among rocks.

The views reach clear down to the Thimphu Valley, which is still some distance below. After lunch, we hike across more ridges, gradually losing altitude until we reach Phajoding. Rising in the distance are ancient monasteries poised on hillsides like silent sentinels.

In the late afternoon, we will arrive at Phajoding Monastery, one of Bhutan’s most important meditation centers. Young monks wander around the courtyards, lugging water or murmuring their evening prayers. Our camp is nestled just below the main temples and offers a peaceful setting with a fantastic panoramic view of Thimphu’s lights.

The valley lights up as the sun goes down and the mountains slip into darkness. The day concludes with a hot meal and an ecstatic sense of accomplishment.

Today's journey is set from Phajoding to Thimpu. As you wake up at the Phajoding hotel, the morning is peaceful. You can hear monks practicing chants and sweeping the courtyards. 

After enjoying breakfast, we will start the last descent towards Thimphu. All the while, the forests will be changing to blue pines, oaks, and rhododendrons. The temperature will increase with the drop in altitude. In the upper canopy, birds will be singing, and you might be able to spot some villagers gathering firewood or herding cattle. 

By late morning, you should reach the outskirts of Thimphu. The voice of the mountains will be replaced with the sounds of the capital (Thimphu): kids arriving at school, monks walking to the temple, and families out to start their day. Once we have checked into our hotel, we will be able to have hot showers and lunch. 

We will then visit the Memorial Chorten, where elderly Bhutanese walk clockwise and periodically stop to spin their prayer wheels. After, we will walk to the massive statue of Buddha Dordenma, which is over the entire valley. The traditional arts school of Bhutan, where young students learn to paint, wood carve, and weave, is also on our list. 

Finally, you will have to go to the town or hotel for dinner, and for the day you have completed a beautiful blend of cultural and nature activities, the perfect close to your trek.

We will leave Thimphu right after breakfast for this breathtaking drive to Punakha. The road ascends to Dochula Pass, where 108 chortens sit against a backdrop of sweeping mountains. On clear days, the Himalayan range glows white and sharp on the horizon. Locals come here to pray, photograph or sip tea in the mountain café.

We drop below the pass into warmer, greener terrain. The flora becomes subtropical, and bamboo, banana trees and orange groves are abundant. Rice fields are worked by villages, and traditional houses rise from shallow hillsides.

We stop off at the impressive Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s most beautiful dzong, in Punakha. It lies at the confluence of two rivers, blanketed in brilliant purple jacaranda trees in the spring. Monks in crimson robes glide silently through the courtyards, and the inner temples shimmer with golden statues and detailed paintings.

We walk later to the suspension bridge, one of Bhutan’s longest, spearheaded by prayer flags fluttering in the winds above a river that flows with fury. If there’s time, we’ll also stop at Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple, as we drive past farm villages where locals lay chillies to dry on rooftops and children play in dusty paths.

The night is warm and easy in Punakha. You arrive at the hotel and have a quiet dinner with a view over the valley.

This hotel has a lovely breakfast, a good way to start a trip back to Paro. Luckily, it's a good ride. The views from every angle are amazing, and the mountain views are some of the best. Pilgrims will walk to the downward-facing chorten; the crisp mountain air can be a refreshing change from the warm valley of Penakha.

On the way to Thimphu, see the valley, it's a once again busy capital. Thimphu has its markets, schools, and prayer halls. The valley also has a good selection of apple orchards and terraced fields.

After the long drive back to Paro, you will check into the hotel and get some food. The rest of the afternoon and evening are completely free to explore. You may walk around the mountain town and see all the handicrafts, food, and watercolour houses. You can explore the temple Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the area, where many elders sit and spin prayer wheels.

After you get some food, you will probably want to unwind and reflect on all the amazing things you did around Paro, all the friendly locals and their culture. After a long trip like this, a long drive, Paro will help make this a wonderful trip to Bhutan.

Your last morning in Bhutan seems serene. And then after breakfast, you take a little walk around outside of the hotel or something, enjoying the nice valley air. Villagers head to work in their fields, shopkeepers open their doors and monks from the area's ancient temples prepare for morning rituals. The slow and serene life in Paro makes a deep impact on the mind.

We will drop you at the Paro International Airport after we pass by traditional houses, an archery ground and farmers working in the field with simple farm tools. The valley seems peaceful now, the kind of place you're supposed to go back to someday. At the airport, you bid farewell to your guide and crew, who've guided you through mountains, villages, monasteries and forests.