The Druk Path Trek is one of Bhutan’s most scenic and rewarding short treks, offering stunning views of the Himalayan peaks, pristine alpine lakes, and ancient monasteries. The trek follows an old trading route between Paro and Thimphu, passing through high-altitude landscapes, dense rhododendron forests, and remote mountain passes.

This trip will be in association with High Places Uk, a UK based tour operator affiliated with my ground agent in Delhi. All deposits and payments will be processed through them and financially protected. High Places holds an ATOL certification for flight-only operations and an ABTOT certification covering non-flight packages starting in Delhi. This will give you security and peace of mind. 

Use this booking form to secure a place with a deposit payment. The balance will be due 56 days in advance of the departure date. 

We spend 7 nights in hotels and four nights in full-service camps. 

The camping is in spacious two-person tents. A dining and toilet tents are also provided, chairs, tables, cooking and kitchen gear and there is a team of support staff. I will be with you throughout the trek supported by a local guide, a cook and his assistants, and yak men.
On the trek you will be woken with a cup of hot tea or coffee, and a small bowl of warm washing water each morning. 

Single supplement available, upon request. 

Breakfast is included for each of the 11 nights throughout the trip. Eight lunches and dinners are provided in Bhutan. 

During your adventure in Bhutan, prepare to savour a delightful array of flavours that blend Bhutanese and Western cuisines. While Bhutanese dishes are traditionally seasoned with chilies, often tempered for foreign palates, the local cuisine boasts rich and varied tastes. Enjoy a diverse selection of meat, vegetable, rice, and potato dishes, alongside iconic specialities like ema datshi – featuring chilis and cheese. If you fancy a more authentic or spicier culinary experience, of course this can be requested and your preferences will be tailored for. 

While camping, the team bring a hot drink to your tent each morning. When you reach camp in the afternoon, tea and biscuits are served. At breakfast, dinner and in the afternoons, there is a choice of hot drinks. 

Breakfasts typically include cereal and/or porridge plus toast and eggs. Lunch on trek is usually served as a picnic en route. Lunch and dinner typically include soup to start, followed by hot dishes (both local and Western) such as potatoes/chips, vegetables, curry, pasta, rice, dhal and vegetables. At dinner, a dessert such as fruit or cake is also served. Please note, although some meals include meat, it is not as readily available while camping. 

Please allow the equivalent of US$30-40 per day for other main meals in Kathmandu. 

Staying hydrated is always important and particularly at high altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least three to four litres per day. 

However, there is a growing problem of plastic pollution in the trekking areas of Bhutan and it is strongly encouraged not to buy bottled water. 

On trek, the cooks collect and boil drinking water from the mountain streams and fill up your bottles for you, but you may need to collect water during the day and may wish to use your own water purification treatment as well. Purification tablets are widely used but you may choose to use a Steripen to treat any non-boiled water. 

For all transfers and road journeys a private mini bus or jeeps will be used. 

For the flights between Paro and Kathmandu, Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines are used. All bookings on regional flights are made in economy class. The Paro-Kathmandu flights are notoriously unpredictable and so changes to the schedule may be inevitable but you will be notified well in advance. 

Himalayan views tend to be best between October to December, as the weather is generally clear with 

sunny skies. You will experience a range of temperatures during the trip depending on the altitude. During the day, temperatures will be around 18-20C, and at night, around 10- 12C. There is always a chance of rain in Bhutan and you should be prepared for this. 

You will need a visa for Bhutan which will be organised for you. The cost of the visa is included in your trip cost. 

You will need to obtain your visa for Nepal in advance or upon arrival at Kathmandu. I will advise you further on this nearer to the departure date. 

BHUTAN – there are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic. 

NEPAL – there are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic. 

This trip includes several nights over 3,500m above sea level, where there is a genuine risk of being affected by acute mountain sickness (AMS). If left untreated, AMS can be life threatening. We expect some of you to experience some mild symptoms of altitude sickness, such as headaches, shortness of breath while walking or sleeplessness. I and my Ladakhi guide are trained to identify symptoms of severe AMS and if you do require any extra care, we have all the arrangements in place to assist you and provide a rapid descent if necessary. I will be carrying a full medical kit including Diamox (acetazolamide), an oxygen tank and other drugs to treat more serious AMS symptoms. 

Several medical conditions or medications can reduce your body’s ability to acclimatise. This may affect your performance and make you more susceptible to AMS. If you are worried about pre-existing conditions, such as heart conditions, or your overall physical ability, you must seek medical advice prior to booking. Those of you considering using Diamox should speak to their doctor about the drug, its side-effects and a prescription. When taking out insurance, please make sure your policy covers you up to the maximum altitude of this trip (4,235m), including the use of a helicopter for emergency medical evacuation. 

You will be restricted to 12kg of luggage on the trek for porterage. A hold-all type bag (approx 90 litres) is suitable for the trek, to be carried by the yaks. You will be carrying your own day pack during the trek with water, waterproofs, extra layers etc. 

You can leave your suitcase and luggage you do not require for the trek in the Kathmandu hotel and/or the Paro hotel. Any luggage left in Paro is transferred to the hotel in Thimphu for you. 

1. Four-season sleeping bag
    
2. Three/four-season down jacket
    
3. Waterproof walking shoes/boots
    
4. Waterproof jacket and trousers
    
5. Gaiters (optional)
    
6. Trekking poles
    
7. Trekking/lightweight sandals for sightseeing and evenings
    
8. Warm hat and gloves, buff.
    
9. Wide-brimmed sun hat, sun glasses, sunscreen, lip salve
    
10. Several pairs of walking socks
     
11. Comfortable wear/tracksuit
     
12. Mid layer fleece
     
13. T-shirts and long-sleeved thermal base layers
     
14. Lightweight walking trousers
     
15. Walking shorts or skirts – to just above the knee
     
16. Mosquito repellent
     
17. Backpack for the day
     
18. Head torch and spare batteries
     
19. Refillable water bottles/water bladder (min 2 x 1 litres)
     
20. Sterilisation tablets or steripen, filter bottles
     
21. Dry sacks for day packs to keep things dry in case of rain
     
22. Trekking towel
     
23. Hand sanitizer gel
     
24. Mini toiletries eg shampoo, shower gel
     
25. Toilet paper/ tissues
     
26. Small personal first aid kit eg paracetamol, plasters, antiseptic
     
27. We will be visiting (dzongs) monasteries and so you must cover your legs and arms. Please note shawls are not acceptable for men and women
     
28. For the Festival: Bhutanese dress in their finest clothes so please bring a set of smart clothes. Long skirts and long-sleeved shirts for ladies and long trousers for men with long-sleeved shirts for men.
     
29. Umbrella (sun/rain) (optional)
     

The adventure begins in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. You will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or you may wish to explore the nearby busy Thamel district. 

We will have an evening group briefing and dinner together. Accommodation: The Royal Singi Hotel (or similar) 

We have a morning flight to Paro today. If the weather is clear, we should get a fantastic view of much of the eastern half of the Himalaya, including Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Chomolhari (Jhomolhari). 

After completing visa formalities in Paro, we transfer to our hotel. The Paro Valley is considered one of the most beautiful in Bhutan with blue pine-covered hills and attractive farmhouses among paddy fields – all dominated by the massive dzong (fort). 

This afternoon, we aim to visit Paro Dzong and the national museum above it. Paro Dzong is one of the most impressive in Bhutan, and the finest example of Bhutanese architecture you will see. The inward- sloping walls form a massive structure that towers over the town. Built in the 17th century, it was one of the strongest and most important fortresses in Bhutan and was used on several occasions to defend the Paro Valley from invasions by Tibet. Formally the meeting hall for the national assembly, the dzong now houses a monastic school and district government offices. West of the dzong is a covered wooden bridge named Nyamal Zam, a reconstruction of the original bridge which was washed away in a flood in 1969. 

At the top of the hill, above the dzong, is the old watchtower known locally as Ta Dzong. Originally built in 1656, it was renovated in 1968 by King Jigme Dorje Wangchuk to house the National Museum. Damaged by the earthquake in 2011, the museum is now in a new building above the Ta Dzong. Inside the museum, there are collections of masks and thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist paintings). 

(Please note, the itinerary above could change subject to flight timings, which are generally unpredictable.) 

Accommodation: Rema Resort (or similar) Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Today we have a warm-up hike to the beautiful Taktsang Monastery. Also known as the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, it is incredibly perched on the ledge of a cliff high above the Paro Valley. Partly destroyed by fire in 1998, it has now been completely restored to its former magnificence. We drive a short distance from the hotel and then hike up for about 1hr 30min to a viewpoint for classic views of the monastic buildings that cling impossibly to the cliff wall opposite. 

If you’re feeling energetic, walk another 45 minutes to the actual monastery. The walk is good for acclimatisation. Returning to the hotel, we have time in the afternoon to explore Paro town. 

Accommodation: Rema Resort (or similar) 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Distance covered: 12km. Ascent: 660m Descent: 660m 

Activity hours: 6 

Today we start our trek. After breakfast, we have a short drive to about 2,620m, just above the ancient Ta Dzong watchtower. The first day’s trekking is not long in terms of hours but it’s uphill all the way and we gain quite a lot of height. 

From our start point, it is a gentle climb for about 1hr 30min on a jeep track to a prayer wall. The trail then narrows, and we continue climbing on a rocky path through the forest. We have lunch in a clearing about an hour further on and then it’s about an hour’s walk in the afternoon to the Jele La (11,645ft/3,550m) and our camp just below the pass and Jele Dzong. If the weather is clear, we can see the Paro Valley below. If you’re still keen to walk, trek further up the ridge from the Jele La to a ruined shepherd hut with a small Bon shrine inside. 

Accommodation: Full-service camping (sleeping altitude: 3,530m) 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Distance covered: 7km Ascent: 954m. Descent: 70m Activity hours: 4 

After breakfast, we walk five minutes back up to the main trail and continue climbing for about 30 minutes to Jele Dzong. If it is open, we can go inside the 14th-century dzong. Continuing up the ridge for a short way, we can see the Paro Valley way below and, if the weather is clear, we may even spot the peak of Chomolhari in the distance. The trail undulates through thick rhododendron forests this morning – keep your eyes peeled for colourful monal and blood pheasants. 

Lunch is in a forest clearing and we have a short walk in the afternoon to our camp at Rawna. 

Please note, if there are other trekking groups around, we may have to camp at Jangchu Lakha (3,700m) or Tsokam (3,750m). All three campsites are close by, each in different forest clearings. 

Accommodation: Full-service camping
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Distance covered: 12km Ascent: 680m Descent: 295m Activity hours: 4 

It’s a long day today and probably the hardest walk of the trek. We climb steeply from camp on a narrow trail for about an hour to rejoin the main trail. We continue climbing through a rocky landscape littered with small rhododendron bushes. We reach a col at (4,073m) marked with prayer flags and 

then drop down a short way to a cave. The trail then climbs again quite steeply to a ridge at (4,080m), where we get spectacular mountain views on a clear day, including Chomolhari and Jichudrake. 

We have lunch on the ridge while enjoying the views and then continue a little further up the ridge to 4,120m. From here, we contour round a little and then drop steeply on a rocky trail to the shores of Jimi Lang Tscho, well known for its trout. 

Accommodation: Full-service camping (sleeping altitude: 3,885m)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Distance covered: 10km Ascent: 628m. Descent : 622m. Activity hours: 7 

We have another long but great day’s walk with good mountain views. The trail climbs from camp along a rocky trail up to Janye Tscho Lake. Climbing even higher to a col at 4,150m, we then have a short descent to Simthokha Lake (13,420ft/4,090m), the highest lake on our trek. From here, the trail undulates all the way to our camp at Labana. 

Accommodation: Full-service camping 4,100m
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Distance covered: 9km. Ascent: 708m Descent: 460m Activity hours: 7 

The trail climbs gradually up to the Labana Pass, the highest point of this trek at (4,235m). The views get better and better and, on a clear day, we can see Gangar Punsum, Table Mountain and much of the Bhutan Himalaya. Way below is the Thimphu Valley. 

From the top, we traverse the hillside with great mountain views and descend towards Thimphu. There are a couple of small climbs to cols but the general direction is downhill. From the Phajoding Labsa chorten (shrine), we descend quite steeply to Phajoding Monastery for lunch. There are several temples here and a monastic school and the place is visited by many Bhutanese. We descend even further through forests of blue pine to the end of our trek at Motithang, just above Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. 

We should reach our hotel by mid-afternoon. The evening is free to explore Thimphu. Accommodation: Hotel Pedling (or similar) 

Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Distance covered: 7mi (11km); Ascent: 771ft (235m); Descent: 5,102ft (1,555m) Activity hours: 6 

We spend the day at the Festival, one of the largest and most popular Tshechus in Bhutan, the Thimphu Tshechu is held at the Tashichho Dzong in the city. The festival offers a variety of masked dances, folk songs, and traditional music, providing an excellent opportunity to experience Bhutanese culture at its finest. 

Accommodation: Hotel Pedlar (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

An early morning flight to Kathmandu. 

Once back in Nepal, one option is to go straight to the Prakriti Rural Resort Hotel in the Kathmandu Valley, in the heart of Shivapuri National Park. An eco-friendly resort in lush green valleys and organic farmlands. Here we can stay the night and enjoy the serenity and beauty of the surroundings, returning to Kathmandu tomorrow afternoon. 

Alternatively, after our arrival in Kathmandu, you will have the rest of the day free to explore the temples and markets of the city. There are several sightseeing tours available which can be arranged locally or you may want to explore on your own. You could visit the monkey temple at Swayambhunath, the largest Hindu temple in Nepal at Pashupatinath, or one of the largest Buddhist stupas in Asia at Boudhanath. Once you’ve had your fill of culture, the colourful markets of Thamel are great for souvenir hunting. 

Accommodation: Royal Singi Hotel (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast 

Either, return from the Prakriti Resort hotel in the Kathmandu Valley, 

Or, 

Optional sightseeing tours in Kathmandu city, arranged locally, locally to drive to Bhaktapur and explore Durbar Square; drive up to Changu Narauan temple and Nagarkot for mountain views. 

Accommodation: Royal Singi Hotel (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast 

Transfer to Kathmandu Airport.

Meal included: Breakfast