Bhutan Ancient Trails
Trip Overview
Step into a world where ancient footpaths connect sacred monasteries, remote villages, and breathtaking landscapes on this 11-day Bhutan Ancient Trails tour. Specifically designed for nature lovers and cultural explorers, this journey takes you deep into the heart of Bhutan’s wilderness. Consequently, every hike becomes a passage through time rather than just a physical trek.
As you progress through the itinerary, you will wander through high mountain meadows blanketed with wildflowers and trek beneath canopies of dwarf rhododendron forests. Furthermore, you’ll be invited to absorb panoramic Himalayan views that have inspired pilgrims for centuries. In addition to the natural scenery, the trail offers a unique opportunity to visit revered spiritual sites and encounter Bhutan’s warm-hearted people, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the peaceful rhythms of rural life.
At a Glance
US $2,640 per Person
📅 Duration: 11 days / 10 nights
👥 Group size : 2 person & above
🏔️ Tour Type: Hike on Ancient Trail
🏔️ Trek grade Level : Moderate
🚶 Average walking Time : 4-5 Hours
🌄 Best Seasons : Mar-June, Sep-Dec
📊 Highest Elevation : 4,300m
🛏️ Accommodation : Hotels
Tour Highlights
✅️ Explore Bhutan’s ancient trails that has connected villages for centuries.
✅️ Visit farm house and interact with families.
✅️ Enjoy hike around villages and valleys.
✅️ Discover sacred monasteries, temples and fortresses.
✅️ Enjoy the lush greenery and serene landscapes.
✅️ Your trip will conclude in Paro with a climb to the stunning cliff-side Tiger’s Nest Monastery.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 : Paro - Thimphu
During the journey, one will experience breath-taking view of Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and other famous Himalayan peaks including the sacred Jomolhari and Mount Jichu Drake in Bhutan. On arrival at Paro International Airport, you will be received by your guide and take you to Thimphu which is 54 km from Paro Airport and about 45 minutes’ drive. Later in the evening King’s Memorial Chorten (built in memory of the third King of Bhutan); visit Buddha statue, and is presumed to be the largest Bronze statue in the world. The three storied high throne of the statue will consists of temples on each floor, visit Changgangkha Monastery, old fortress like temple and monastic school perched on a ridge above Thimphu, south-east of Motithang, visit Post office, where you can personalize your stamp, and visit the the majestic Tashichhodzong. Evening: Stroll through the town. Overnight hotel in Thimphu.
Day 2 : Thimphu (Morning hike to Dodeydra Monastery)
In the morning you will drive to the north of Thimphu and then hike to Dodeydra Monastery. On the way, you will have a nice view down the valley. You can visit the Temple, which is a remarkable structure given that it anchored itself on the rock wall of the cliff. Spend dome time at the monastery and hike back to road point where you will taken to Thimphu. Afternoon sightseeing in Thimphu includes, Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory, weekend local market, and visit mini zoo, where you can see Takin, National animal of Bhutan . Overnight hotel in Thimphu.
Day 3 : Thimphu – Punakha(Hike to Lungchuzekha Monastery).
After breakfast this morning, enjoy the scenic drive to Punakha with a stop for tea at Dochu La (3,100 meters), where on a clear day you can get spectacular views of the Eastern Himalayas. You will begin 2 hours hike to Lungchuzekha Monastery from 108 chortens (stupas). The trail passes through rhododendron forests. Walking along the high ridges dotted with colorful Buddhist prayer flags offers us stunning views of Himalayas, plus incredible vistas into the valleys below the pass. Hike back to Dochula. After lunch, drive downhill through the forests of rhododendron, fir and hemlock. You will arrive at Punakha after traversing through rice field and along the bank of River.En route, stop at a Mitsina village and hike through rice paddyies up to the Chimi Lhakhang Temple. This Temple is dedicated to the Yogi n the 14th century known as Drukpa Kuenley, or the “Divine Madman,” who is believed to bless women who seek fertility. After this Temple, you will check into hotel. Overnight hotel in Punakha.
Day 4 : Punakha – Gangtey/Phobjikha
After breakfast, you will drive to starting point of the Trans Bhutan Trail hike. Your hike starts from Sew Drangsa (meaning Lunch point) for hot Picnic lunch where you will find a clearing marked prayer flags. This is where monks regularly stop for lunch during olden days. Your hike will be approximately 1hr 30min towards beautiful Punakha Dzong (fortress) offering spectacular views of the Punakha valley. You will visit the Punakha Dzong, which is stunningly situated inbetween the male and female rivers like an anchored ship. Behind Punakha Dzong stretches the Punakha Suspension Bridge, the longest of its kind in Bhutan. The bridge conncets the Dzong with the villages on the other bank of thr Pho Chhu River. After lunch, you will you will drive to Gangtey/Phobjikha which is a famous for winter roosting place for Black necked crane. Phobjikha valley is a conservation area recognized primarily for its ecological richness and prime winter habitat of the Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis) with approximate of 300 cranes every winter. About 30 minutes’ drive from Punakha is Wangduephodrang, the last town before central Bhutan. The district is famous for its fine bamboo work and stone carving. From Wangduephodrang, the road winds up through dense forests of oak and rhododendrons till Lawala pass, which is blanketed with dwarf bamboos. The pass offers panoramic views of the Himalayan Mountains. Drive downhill for little while and you will be awestricken by the stunning views of Gangtey Goenpa and Phobjikha Valley. You will visit Gangtey Goenpa, the only Nyingmapa monastery in western Bhutan. After exploring Gangtey Goenpa, you can hike along Gangtey Natural Trial, the most beautiful and shortest of the existing nature trails in Bhutan. The hike takes about 1hr 30minutes through the pine forest and small bamboo plants. You can see the Phobjkha valley so beautifully from this hike. It is one of the best hike places for the Nature lovers.
Overnight hotel in Phobjikha.
Day 5 : Phobjikha – Trongsa (Hike to Longtey Village)
Following breakfast, you will start your hike from Gangtey to Longtey Village. The initial hike is all ascents through long and beautiful stretch of meadows and farms. From Kayche La (3700m) which is marked with some prayer flags, you will gradually descend to Longtey Village through thickets of dwarf bamboos, birch, rhododendron, hemlock and fir. You will have a picnic lunch at road point where your car will be waiting. After lunch, you will drive to Trongsa, the ancestral home of the royal family. On arrival, you can visit Trongsa Dzong, the masterpiece of Bhutanese architecture. In the evening, you can browse through Trongsa Town. Overnight hotel in Trongsa.
Day 6 : Trongsa – Bumthang( Hike to Kikila Pass)
After breakfast, you will start your journey to Bumthang, a place which holds many holy sites that are centuries old and highly momentous. On the way you will cross Yontongla pass(3450m) and after pass you will enter in to Bumthang region. You will drive up to Tharpaling monastery which is preached on the hill side. The monastery was built by a great saint called Kuenkhen Longchen Ramjam and about 100 monks live there. From there you can continue climbing on foot above the monastery to around 3500m to 4300m and from there you will get a wonderful view of Chamkhar valley (where Bumthang town is located). From there you can walk another couple of hours down towards Kikila Pass. Your car will be waiting at Kikila Pass to pick you up and transfer to your hotel. Overnight hotel in Bumthang.
Day 7 : Bumthang (Bushman Hike)
Following the breakfast, you will embark on 3hrs Bushman hike from Lebi above Kharchu Monastery and ends in Tang bebzur village. Bushman Trail has been introduce as a biking trail and Itis a pleasant and fairly easy hike. The trail winds through the tall pine trees to the hillto from where you can have a good view of Chamkhar valley. There is a very good open view of path at the top of the hill with beautiful meadow to have your snacks. with scenic view and buckwheat fields. After a brief rest, you will walk back into the pine forest. as you near the end of the path, you will spot the Zangdopelri and Pemacholling Nunnery. Once hike is over, you can check out the Bebzur Chukpoi Mei (House of the novelty of Bebzur), which is now a museum. After lunch, you can follow a farm road to Mebartsho, also known as The Burning Lake. Overnight hotel in Bumthang.
Day 8 : Bumthang – Paro
After breakfast, you will drive to airport for your flight to Paro. After lunch, you can visit Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest and most sacred temple in the country built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in 8th century, and visit the Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Memorial House. The Memorial House in Kyichu, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s primary residence in Bhutan, was inaugurated as a museum and opened to the public in 2010 to celebrate his centennial. It has been preserved almost exactly as it was when he lived there. Khyentse Rinpoche was one of the main spiritual teachers of the Bhutanese Royal Family. The house includes the reception room where Rinpoche gave private audiences and teachings and his bedroom where he meditated daily and recited prayers, visit the Rinpung Dzong meaning “fortress of the heap of jewels”. It has a long and fascinating history. Along the wooden galleries lining the courtyard of the Rinpung Dzong are fine wall paintings illustrating Buddhist lore. You will walk downhill till the road point crossing the wooden bridge. Your vehicle will be waiting here to take you to Paro town. Walking through the market and meeting with the people will be an enjoyable experience. Overnight hotel in Paro.
Day 9 : Paro (Day Excursion to Chele La Pass)
After early breakfast, you will drive 1.5 hours from Paro to the Chele La Pass at 3988m. You can see panoramic view of the two valleys of Paro and Haa and of course, the beautiful Himalayan ranges of Bhutan from Pass. This Chele La ridge hike will take 3 hours for the round trip with the stop. From the pass we will hike up along the Meadow to Kung Karpo La(4500m), where there is small stone hut which is sometimes used by monks to meditate, this is actually a place for the sky burial. Weather permitted we will enjoy the breathtaking views of the snowcapped mountains while walking above the tree lines along the ridge that divides Paro and Haa valley. To the west there is KanchenJunga(8,586m), the third highest mountain in the world, to the northeast, Gangkar Puensum(7,570m), Bhutan’s highest mountain and the highest virgin mountains in the world, Jumolhari(7,314m), Jichu Drakey(6,794) and a host of other peaks. Later in the afternoon, you will drive back to Paro. Overnight hotel in Paro.
Day 10 : Paro. Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery
In the morning you will hike to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, which is Bhutan’s most famous monastery situated at 3180 meters. Guru Rinpoche (spiritual master) is said
to have flown on the back of a tigress from Singye Dzong in Lhuntse to meditate in a cave where Taktsang Monastery now stands. The Monastery is perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above Paro Valley. Lunch will be served at the Cafeteria.
Explore the monastery and hike back to the valley in the afternoon. Evening you will visit farm house and experience Bhutanese traditional hot stone bath and test local cuisine.
Day 11 : Depart Paro
Drive to the airport for departure. Our representative will bid you farewell.
Cost Includes
✓ Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)
✓ VISA Fee
✓ Accommodation
✓ All meals
✓ Transport
✓ All internal taxes & charges
✓ Licensed Bhutanese Tour Guide
Cost Excludes
✗ Flight tickets
✗ Insurance
✗ Drinks and Beverages
✗ Tips
✗ Internet and Phone bills
✗ Other bills of personal nature
Insurance
Note: Package does not include insurance of any kind.
You are required to obtain separate coverage from your home country before your trip begins.