Sections of the Trail

The trail is has 28 sections, allowing travelers to choose their adventure – whether it’s a grueling month-long through-hike, a series of day hikes with overnights at local lodges ranging from the classic to the luxurious or, most popular, the best sections of the trail combined with a themed cultural journey.

Some of our favorite sections of the trail include:

• The traditional “farmer’s harvest” route from Haa to Paro. Used since ancient times by yak herders and barley farmers from Haa who hiked over the 11,450-foot Kalela pass to fulfill their special kinship duties of assisting Paro Valley’s prosperous farmers, to whom they were often linked by marriage, in their annual red rice harvest. This is the western extremity of the trail which stretches all the way from Haa Valley in the very west of the country to Bhutan’s farthest eastern district of Trashigang. This is a steep and challenging all-day hike that takes you from the highland farms of Haa to the apple orchards that skirts Paro's edges. The highest point is the open yak meadow at Kaleyla where the steeply winding forest trail from Haa caps out before droping precipitously  into Paro Valley. This section provides a spectacular opportunity to stay at a beautifully restored and maintained former governor’s mansion in Haa, run by the governor's present-day descendent, plus a chance to go hot-tubbing au naturelle in the traditional Bhutanese style, in-between dips in an icy glacial stream.

• The charming country section of the trail running through Paro's scenic villages and its mustard-golden fields. Expect to see rooftops spread over with drying red chilies, and tidy farmhouses that look like Swiss chalets as you wind through terraced fields of Bhutan’s famous red rice.

• The hike up from Paro Valley to the 12,000-foot ridgeline where the historic Jele Dzong sits, a tiny gem on a mountaintop, with distant views of Bhutan's snowy peaks. End this section with a steep descent through forests of pine, fir and birch to the small village of Tshaluna. 

• The atmospheric trail to Lungchutse through primeval giant rhododendrons with hanging moss and lichen, leading to a mountaintop shrine with 360-degree views, in fair weather, of the glittering Eastern Himalayan range.

• The Divine Madman Trail near Punakha, where hikers can learn about the legendary exploits of Drukpa Kunley, Bhutan's revered and prankster saint, and stay at a lovely old country manor belonging to the extended family of a former Bhutanese Prime Minister.

• The Loma Longtey Trek from the high glacial valley of Gangtey-Phobjikha to Pelela Pass, gateway to Central Bhutan.

• The day hike from Chendebji, marked by a gorgeous Himalayan stupa with mesmerizing “Buddha eyes” to Tangsibji, a storied village famed for its rice and the great physical strength of its inhabitants. This village has consistently produced the winners for several years in the nationally televised Bhutanese Nyagoe or "strongman" contest.

• The dramatic descent down a steep and densely forested gorge cut by a roaring river leading across a beautiful traditional wooden cantilever bridge to the historic Trongsa Dzong, the massive fortress with steps worn smooth by centuries of travelers.

• The descent down the mist wrapped high pass of Yotongla to Bumthang, Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, weaving back and forth along the course of a wildly tumbling mountain stream.

• The royal trek from Bumthang’s regional center, Jakar, to the Tang Valley, stopping by an ancient temple believed to sit atop a subterreanean lake, and ending at a centuries-old royal manor and museum in the heart of Bhutan’s sacred heartland.

• The half-day retun trek from the Tang Valley that goes over a scenic pass and winds through tall pine forests to end up along the eastern banks of Bumthang’s Chamkharchhu River, with gorgeous views of the valley dominated by its monastery fortress, the aptly named “Castle of the White Crane.”