Trekking in Bhutan is camping. There are no teahouses on the trails, as there are in Nepal: you walk with a guide, a cook and a crew, and ponies or yaks carry the tents. It costs more, and it means that even the best known routes are quiet.
Seven treks cover almost every need, from a first night under canvas to one of the hardest long walks in the Himalaya.
The seven compared
| Trek | Days on the trail | Distance | Highest point | Grade | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bumdra | 2 | 14 km | About 3,800 m | Moderate | Oct to Dec, mid-Feb to May |
| Gangtey | 3 | About 43 km | About 3,440 m | Moderate | Mar to May, Sep to Nov |
| Dagala Thousand Lakes | 5 | 41 km | 4,300 m | Moderate | Mar to May, Sep to Nov |
| Druk Path | 6 | 55 km | About 4,200 m | Moderate | Mar to May, Sep to Nov |
| Jomolhari | 7 | 102 km | 4,930 m | Strenuous | Mar to May, Sep to Nov |
| Laya–Gasa | 12 | About 166 km | 5,005 m | Strenuous | Mar to May, Sep to Nov |
| Snowman | 24 | About 348 km | About 5,320 m | Strenuous | Late Sep to Oct |
Add four or five days to the time on the trail for arriving, adjusting to the height and getting home.
If you have never camped
Start with Bumdra: one night in camp at about 3,800 m above Paro, and a descent to the Tiger's Nest the next day. It fits inside an ordinary week's tour.
If it is altitude that worries you, the Gangtey trek is three days through forest and villages, staying below about 3,500 m.
If you want the classic first trek
The Druk Path runs along the ridge between Paro and Thimphu, past four lakes, in six short days. The trail is clear, the camps are between 3,500 and 4,100 m, and you finish by walking down into the capital.
If you want to be alone
The Dagala Thousand Lakes trek is about as long and as high as the Druk Path, and sees far fewer walkers. Two nights are spent among the lakes at 4,000 m and above.
If you want big mountains close up
The Jomolhari trek walks to the foot of a 7,326 m peak and crosses two passes close to 5,000 m. It asks for seven or eight hours a day at height, several days running, and it needs army and national-park permits, which we arrange.
If you have done all that already
Laya–Gasa carries on north from Jomolhari for twelve days, over Sinche La at 5,005 m, to the yak-herding village of Laya. The Snowman goes further still, through the remote region of Lunana, and takes twenty-four days. Neither is a first trek, and we ask about your experience before taking a booking for either.
What decides it
- Time. Count the days on the trail, then add the days either side.
- Height. Altitude sickness usually begins above about 2,500 m, and every trek here goes well above that. Above 3,000 m the rule is to sleep no more than 500 m higher than the night before, and to rest a day every three or four. The longer treks have those rest days built in.
- Season. Spring for rhododendrons, autumn for the clearest skies. Summer is the monsoon, and in winter snow closes the high passes.
- Experience. Be honest about it, with us and with yourself. A trek that is too hard is no pleasure, and at altitude it is not safe.
Every trek in Bhutan must be made with an accredited operator or guide. If you are not sure which of these suits you, tell us what you have walked before and we will say what we think.