Bhutan Heartland Walking Tour

Arrive at Paro international airport. You will be met by your guide and driver for the trip once outside the airport. From here we will transfer to Thimphu, the capitol of Bhutan. The drive will take about 1½ hours. Thimphu is one of the smallest capital cities in the world and has no traffic lights. A white-gloved policeman in a small rotunda in the middle controls the busiest intersection manually. The city is located in a valley ringed by mountains and there are several excellent sights for viewing the entire city, which is dominated by the large government complex, the Trashichhodzong. Nearby is the king’s palace, which is tiny by world standards.

Overnight in Thimphu. Altitude: 2,350 metres.

Today we will undertake two very different walks. The first walk will be to the 17th century Cheri Monastery and will take approximately 2 hours. As it is uphill it will be our first taste of altitude. This will the first of many walks through Bhutan’s lovely pine forests and we may see mountain goats near to the monastery.

The second walk begins from Buddha Point, site of one of the largest seated Buddhas in the world. This one is 51.5 metres tall and looks out over the entire Thimphu valley. From here we can walk through the forest for a couple of hours, with views of Thimphu throughout. This path is used by the king himself so we may encounter a soldier or two.

Overnight in Thimphu. Altitude: 2,350 metres.

Today we travel east to Punakha via the wonderful Dochula. The clear skies of winter should allow us to see the incredible mountain views from this 3,140 metre pass. Some 108 chortens have been built at Dochula by the queen mother in 2005 and make an impressive sight. Wandering amonst them is a complete pleasure - serene, beautiful and with jaw dropping views.

After this we travel down to semi-tropical Punakha, at the reletively balmy altitude of 1,300 metres. After lunch we will visit Chimi Lhakhang, known as the temple of the divine madman. Drukpa Kunley is a revered figure in Bhutan for his unorthodox methods of teaching Buddhism, using songs, humour and profanity to challenge preconceptions. Childless couples come here to be blessed and the temple contains a lovely photo album of those that went on to have children. The walk to Chimi Lhakhang is a gentle one that takes us through the rice paddies past many houses painted with phalluses in honour of the divine madman.

You will need your camera handy for the visit to the Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten. The walk itself is an uphill climb through the paddies with increasingly stunning views as you ascend. The chorten itself is in a picturesque location atop a hill. It gets even better when you climb to the rooftop of the chorten and take in views of the entire valley.

Overnight in Punakha. Altitude: 1,310 metres.

This morning we will visit the magnificent Punakha dzong, the most beautiful in Bhutan. First there is the stunning location, on the confluence of two rivers, surrounded by jacaranda trees that come into beautiful purple bloom. Then there is the building itself, with its intricate painted wooden carvings and lovely courtyards. All dzongs are built without the use of nails or iron structures, using wooden frames, stones or rammed earth. This is the winter residence of the head lama of Bhutan and is also distinguished by being where the kings are crowned. Nearby is a long suspension bridge, one of the longest in Bhutan, another feat of engineering.

After this we will drive a further two hours east to the Phobjikha valley in Gangtey.

Overnight in Gangtey. Altitude: 2,900 metres.

The Phobjikha valley is home to the black-necked cranes. Every winter these incredible birds fly to this remote valley from Tibet. We can learn all we need to know at the Black-neck Crane Information Centre. The centre is home to Karma, a black necked crane that is no longer able to fly. From the centre we will walk to the Gangtey monastery via the Gangtey Nature Trail, an easy grade walk of two hours. The monastery is a great place for seeing the monks undertaking their daily tasks.

After this we will drive another three hours to Trongsa, a remarkably steep town built on a gorge.

Overnight in Trongsa. Altitude: 2,180 metres.

Trongsa is home to another important dzong, located on the edge of the gorge with views of the Black Mountains. The many layers and courtyards of this dzong, which first began construction in the 16th century and was gradually added to over the passing years, make it one of the most interesting to explore. Uphill from the dzong is also the Tower of Trongsa Royal Heritage Museum. This former watchtower now houses some five floors of Buddhist art and royal artifacts.

After this we will drive to Bumthang, another three hours further east.

Overnight in Jakar. Altitude: 2,800 metres.

This morning we will drive to the beautiful Ura valley, where we can hike the Ura Trail, a 1½-hour walk that is all downhill! There are some wonderful spots on the drive where we can stop and view the mountains, including Bhutan's highest mountain, Gangkhar Puensum at 7,570 metres. En route we will also visit the Burning Lake, a sacred site for many Buddhists as it is associated with the ‘treasure discoverer’ Pema Lingpa.

Overnight in Jakar. Altitude: 2,800 metres.

The whole of today will be given to walking around Jakar, visiting the temples and monasteries. Visiting these temples will give you an insight into history of Bhutan and the development of Buddhism throughout the country. The altitude in Bumthang is not ideal for growing rice and the main crop here is buckwheat, which is made into small pancakes and noodles that we may get to try when we visit a homestay for lunch. Jakar village is also a good place to do some souvenir shopping.

Overnight in Jakar. Altitude: 2,800 metres.

Today we head back westwards. We will be driving for six to seven hours but we will stop plenty of times to stretch our legs and take some more photographs of the magical scenery.

Overnight in Wangdue Phodrang. Altitude: 1,310 metres.

We continue our drive west back to Paro, our starting point for our Bhutan trip. En route we will undertake the Lungchu Tsey Pilgrimage walk, which starts at the altitude of 3,100 metres and rises almost 500 metres to a small but lovely monastery high on the mountain. The forest here is wonderful, strewn with prayer flags. It is a steep climb at times and the altitude will have us breathing more deeply.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,250 metres. 

We have another great walk planned for today. From the Cheli La, the highest motorable pass in Bhutan, we will walk to the Kila nunnery, where we can meet the nuns who live in this remote location. We will travel further to the Haa valley and explore this little visited but very beautiful area.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,250 metres.

We've saved the best for last. Today we walk to the Tiger's Nest monastery, at an altitude of 3,100 metres. It's a challenging but spectacular walk, which will take around five hours to complete, including time spent inside the temple. There is a cafeteria located about half way up where we can stop for a breather and a cup of tea. There are many viewing points for photographing the monastery as we draw closer, as well as some great views over the Paro valley. After this we do any last minute souvenir shopping and finish with a celebration dinner.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude 2,250 metres.

Today we will be taken to the airport early in the morning for our flights back home. We will say our last goodbyes to our guide and driver that we have spent a wonderful fortnight with. Hopefully we'll all be feeling fit,  well and inspired.

This lovely, easy-grade walk around the Phobjikha Valley begins at the Black Necked Crane Information Centre, the hub for all things to do with these endangered birds that fly here from Tibet every winter. From the centre we head down the road and skirt the valley, enjoying vast open views. The trail then rises to a beautiful pine forest that leads to the village and finally Gangtey Monastery. 

Punakha dzong thoroughly deserves its reputation as the most beautiful in Bhutan. It also has an incredible location, on the confluence of two rivers, the Mo Chu and Po Chu, mother and father rivers.

Bumthang is spiritually very important to Buddhism in Bhutan, as it has a number of very interesting temples, including one of the oldest from the 7th century.

The location of the Tiger's Nest, on the side of a steep cliff, is astounding but it is also a great walk to get there.

Trongsa dzong was once an important fortress, with its incredible location on the edge of a steep gorge providing a stategic vantage point. It has been added on to since it was first built in the 16th century, creating many unique, multi-level courtyards.

Walk through the pine trees as you wind your way down to the traditional village of Ura.

A scenic drive takes us to the Chele La, the highest road pass in Bhutan at 3,810 metres. From here we can walk to the Kila Nunnery, dating back to the 9th century.

The Gangtey Monastery in the Phobjikha Valley sits at the top of a small village and is considered an auspicious site. The locals say that the winter population of endangered black necked cranes first circle the monastery as they fly to this remote valley from Tibet.

Walk uphill through beautiful rhododendron and daphne forest to reach Lungchu Tsey Gompa, a small monastery dating back to the 18th century.