Druk Path Trek

The Druk Path trek is a 9-day moderate trek in western Bhutan, from Paro airport and back. It climbs to a high point of 4,110 m through conifer forest, past high lakes and over passes, and begins with a hike up to Tiger's Nest.

You land in Paro and spend a gentle first day in the valley. The next morning you walk up to Taktshang Monastery, the Tiger's Nest, which also serves as your first climb. Then the trek begins: a steady climb through forest to the camp at Jele Dzong, and on through rhododendron to Jangchulakha. Day 5 follows a ridge to the lake at Jimilangtsho, and day 6 passes Janye Tso to reach Simkotra Tso, the highest camp. On the last trek day the trail climbs gently for views of Gangkhar Puensum, then drops through juniper and blue pine past Phajoding into Thimphu. A day in the capital and a drive back to Paro bring you to your flight.

Trek days are modest, 3 to 5 hours of walking, and the camps are close together in altitude. Expect rhododendron and juniper, yak herders' camps, and lakes beside the trail, with camp close to two of them. You sleep in tents on four trail nights and in hotels in Paro and Thimphu.

• Duration: 9 days, 8 nights, Paro to Paro
• Highest point: 4,110 m, at Simkotra Tso
• Grade: moderate, with 3 to 5 hours of walking on trek days
• Best months: March, April, September, October, November and December

Your group is private, and the Tiger's Nest day before the first camp is part of how we acclimatise you. Day 3 is the biggest climb of the trek, and we take it slowly.

• Tiger's Nest hike: Taktshang Monastery, reached on foot from the road, with a descent that takes a little under 2 hours.
• Conifer and rhododendron forest: the trail from Paro to Jele Dzong climbs steeply for the first hour and a half, then eases through thick forest and dwarf rhododendron.
• Camp by Jimilangtsho: a lake known for its large trout, reached along a ridge with views over the mountains and valley.
• Janye Tso and Simkotra Tso: high lakes on the day-6 trail, with yak herder camps along the way and the highest camp of the trek at 4,110 m.
• Gangkhar Puensum: on day 7 you climb gently for views of this 7,570 m peak and others, said to be the highest unclimbed mountain in the world.
• Phajoding and the descent: through juniper to a community hall near Phajoding, then down through blue pine forest into Thimphu.
• Paro and Thimphu: Paro's National Museum, Rinpung Dzong and cantilever bridge on arrival, and a day in the capital before the flight.
• Airport to airport: we meet you at Paro airport and drop you there at the end, with the trek and hotels in between.

The Druk Path trek takes 9 days, 8 nights, from Paro to Paro. It is a point-to-point walk, from Paro over the ridges to Thimphu, with the drive back to Paro on day 8. Here is how the days run.

Days 1 and 2: Paro. We meet you at the airport, a drive of 10 to 15 minutes to the hotel. The first day is easy: the National Museum, Paro Rinpung Dzong and the cantilever bridge are all close to town. Day 2 is the Tiger's Nest hike.

Day 3: Paro to Jele Dzong. About 10 km and 4 to 5 hours. The first hour and a half is a steady climb, then the slope eases and the trail goes through thick forest and dwarf rhododendron. This is the biggest gain of the trek, from Paro at about 2,200 m to a camp at 3,480 m.

Day 4: Jele Dzong to Jangchulakha. About 10 km and 3 to 4 hours through rhododendron forest, to 3,770 m. A shorter day, deliberately.

Day 5: Jangchulakha to Jimilangtsho. About 11 km and 4 hours along a ridge, to the lake at 3,880 m.

Day 6: Jimilangtsho to Simkotra Tso. About 11 km and 4 hours, past Janye Tso, to the highest camp at 4,110 m.

Day 7: Simkotra Tso to Thimphu. About 14 km and 5 hours, the longest walk of the trek. You climb gently first, then descend through juniper to a community hall near Phajoding and on through blue pine forest into Thimphu, where you sleep in a hotel.

Days 8 and 9. We spend the day in Thimphu, then drive back to Paro in the evening, so the flight morning is unhurried. On day 9 we take you to the airport.

After the first climb the nights are close together in altitude: 3,480, 3,770, 3,880 and 4,110 m. That pacing is what lets a moderately fit walker enjoy the trek rather than just get through it.

On the Druk Path trek, the Tiger's Nest hike is not an extra. It is day 2, and it does a real job: it is your first climb of the trip, before you sleep in a tent.

What the day looks like. We drive to the base of the Taktshang trail and walk up to the monastery, which hangs on a cliff above the Paro valley. The walk takes 5 to 7 hours in all, including time at the monastery, and the way down takes a little under 2 hours. In the afternoon we return to the hotel in Paro and check the preparations for the trek.

Why it comes before the trek. Paro sits at about 2,200 m, and the trek climbs above 4,000 m. A day of steady walking on the first full day gets your legs working and lets your body begin adjusting. You then sleep one more night in a hotel in Paro, so the trek starts from a settled place and not straight off the plane.

Then day 3. The walk from Paro to Jele Dzong is the biggest gain of the whole trek, from about 2,200 m to 3,480 m. We take the first hour and a half, which is steep, at a slow pace, and the slope then eases. From Jele Dzong the rise in sleeping altitude is small each night, 290 m, then 110 m, then 230 m, so your body has time to follow.

What to carry on day 2. Water, a layer, and your camera in a daypack. Take your time inside the monastery.

If you plan to add other treks later, the Tiger's Nest hike is also a quiet test of how your legs feel on a long, steady climb, which is useful to know before a higher route such as Chomolhari Base Camp.

Lakes give the Druk Path trek its character. After the forest climb, the trail runs along the high ground and passes or camps beside three of them.

Jimilangtsho (3,858 m on the map, camp at 3,880 m). The day-5 trail follows a ridge from Jangchulakha. On a clear day the views of the mountains and valley are wide, and the camp sits close to the lake. Jimilangtsho is known for its giant trout, so it is a place to slow down and walk the shore in the evening light.

Janye Tso (3,961 m). On day 6 you leave Jimilangtsho and walk through dwarf rhododendron to pass Janye Tso. You may come across yak herder camps along this stretch, which give a small look at the life of the people who graze these ridges.

Simkotra Tso (4,082 m on the map; camp at 4,110 m). This is where you sleep on day 6, and it is the highest point of the trek. It is also the colder camp, so keep your warm layers near you once you stop walking. The next morning's climb is gentle and gives views of Gangkhar Puensum and other peaks.

Why the lakes matter for the pacing. The lake camps are close together in altitude, 3,880 m, then 4,110 m, so the high nights come after you have already slept at 3,480 and 3,770 m. The days are short, 4 hours each on day 5 and day 6, which leaves room to rest at camp.

The lakes are also part of why the walk feels quiet. Please carry your waste down with you, as we do, so they stay as they are.

Bhutan has its own entry rules, and the Druk Path trek begins and ends at Paro's airport, so a little planning goes a long way.

Getting there. Paro International Airport is about 3.5 km from Paro town, a 10 to 15 minute drive. Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly there. From India, Delhi and Kolkata have flights on most days of the week. Drukair also flies from Guwahati and from Bagdogra, and there are seasonal winter flights from Gaya. Mumbai is not on either airline's current timetable, so connect through Delhi or Kolkata.

Entry permit and visa. Indian nationals are issued their entry permit at the airport on arrival, with a passport or voter ID. Most other nationalities need a visa approved before they fly. Tell us your nationality when you write, and we will tell you what to prepare.

Flights and weather. Paro flights operate only in daylight and good visibility, so an arrival or departure can shift. If you have an onward international connection, keep a spare day between your Paro flight and that connection, especially in the monsoon months of June to September.

Overland, if flights are scarce. If seats to Paro are hard to find, Bagdogra has far more flights, and from there you come in overland through Phuentsholing. Phuentsholing to Paro is about 140 km, and 4.5 to 6 hours by car. Nearly all road blockages in Bhutan come between May and October.

Months. The months we suggest for the Druk Path trek are March, April, September, October, November and December.

Arrive with a day in hand. The trek starts the day after you arrive, and the first day is gentle by design, so there is no need to rush it. Tell us your dates and where you are flying from, and we will shape the days around them.

The Druk Path is one we run as a private trip: just your group, usually 2 to 10 people, with its own schedule.

Airport to airport. We meet you at Paro airport and take you back to it at the end. Hotel nights in Paro and Thimphu, and tents on the four trail nights, are all part of the same plan. You do not need to arrange the road or the camps.

Acclimatisation in the days themselves. The Tiger's Nest hike on day 2 is your first climb, and the first night of the trek is the biggest step up, to 3,480 m. After that the nights rise gently, 3,770, 3,880 and 4,110 m, with short trek days of 3 to 4 hours before the long descent on day 7.

A local team. The route is walked by a local team who know the ridges and the lake camps. They are paid fairly, and we follow Leave No Trace and carry our waste down.

Who it suits. The trek is moderate. If you walk regularly and enjoy several hours on a trail, and you want forest, lakes and a day in Paro and Thimphu, it is a good fit. The trail has steep climbs and descents on occasion, so some regular cardio training helps. The trek is also a little remote, and we plan the route with that in mind.

If you want something different. For a higher, longer Bhutan trek, look at Chomolhari Base Camp. If you would rather see Bhutan without camping, the Bhutan Cultural Tour covers Thimphu, Paro and Haa by road.

Tell us your dates, your experience and your pace, and we will shape the days with you.