Paro treks
Paro is the starting point for many of Bhutan’s most popular treks.
The Druk Path trek can be done over 4 to 6 days from Paro to Bhutan’s capital Thimphu. This is a reasonably moderate high altitude trek, made more challenging if done in a shorter timescale. Follow a wilderness trail past several high mountain lakes and past a remote meditation retreat. March to June and September to November.
The Tsaluna trek is an easier, low altitude alternative, following a route over 4 days that passes below the high lakes. One point of interest is a visit to a small 14th century temple near to Tsaluna village, where the Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated. March to June and September to November.
The Jomolhari trek is an excellent choice for a tougher, moderately challenging trek which takes you over 8 days up to the base camp of Mount Jomolhari and over a mountain pass descending to the capital, Thimphu. Climbing to over 4000m and traversing through meadows and deep valleys, on this trek you will get to see traditional Bhutanese yak herders and some remote settlements, as well as the beauty of the snow-covered unclimbed mountains of Jomolhari and Jichu Drake. March to June and October to November.
If short of time, consider Yaksa trek, also known as Jomolhari II – a shorter route that misses the pass that takes you from Jomolhari down to the Thimphu valley and instead returns to Paro in 6 days. March to June and October to November.
If you have more time then Laya-Gasa trek would be a suitable choice. Initially it follows the route of Jomolhari but instead of turning south continues north to the remote settlements at Laya and Gasa. A challenging 14 day trek finishing near Punakha – the best seasons for it are April/May and mid-September to mid-November.
No summary of treks in Bhutan would be complete without mentioning the Snowman Trek – dubbed “the hardest trek in the Himalayas”. It takes you over 21 to 28 days (depending on the route chosen) through the remote valley of Lunana, an extremely remote region of Bhutan with several high mountain passes to scale. As a result of its remoteness and level of difficulty, a group of 6 to 8 people is required for us to run this trek. The optimum time to attempt it would be mid-September ending in Bumthang in mid-October to ensure exit from Lunana before the snows.
