The Lotus-Born Trail

Soon after your arrival at Paro airport our tour guide and driver will greet you and transfer you to Thimphu. The drive takes you through scenic countryside of terraced rice field and settlements, and takes around one hour to drive the 55km’s. Thimphu the bustling capital city is home to more than 80,000 people and serves as the cultural hub for both foreigners and locals alike. Your cultural sightseeing in Thimphu includes a visit to Kuensel Phodrang, National Memorial Chorten, Changangkha Lhakhang and the Trashichhoe Dzong – which can be visited only after office hours

After an early hotel check out drive to Trongsa. It is a long 199km’s and takes around 7-8 hours. Trongsa is the ancient home of the Bhutan’s ruling dynasty. It is the sacred and temporal heart of Bhutan and has played a significant role in creating the history of Bhutan. Your drive takes you through scenic natural beauty with an insight into rural life and scattered settlements dotted throughout the landscape. Upon arrival at Trongsa, drive straight to your hotel and check in. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

(Distance: 7-9.5 km, Duration: 3-4 hours, Altitude range: 1000-1350m) After an early breakfast at the hotel, you could afford some time to strut around the Trongsa town, combining it with a visit to the Dzong and also the Ta Dzong. The latter is going to be upgraded into a museum, which will definitely captivate a visitor with its myriad collections. A 2 hour drive from the town along the Zhemgang highway brings you to Tongtongphey, the start of the Trek. You could also augment your itinerary along the way, with a visit to Kuenga Rabten palace, an important heritage in Bhutanese history. After gathering ample information about the trek from the information booth, the village guide steers you down to the Mangdi river where you cross a suspension bridge. Unless you have a strong proclivity for ants and other ground creatures, it is almost impossible to miss out on Golden Langurs that are bountiful on this stretch. The first day brings you in contact with the Monpas who are believed to be the first inhabitants of Bhutan. A glimpse on their lifestyle further validates their ethnicity, coupled by mythical legends about their origins. The campsite in Jangbi stands on the valley sill, which offers a resplendent view of the Mangdi valley. If you are still left with some energy, you could audience yourself to a local cultural program, or better, partake in it.

(Total distance: 13-14.5 kms, circa 6 hours, Altitude range: 1350-1500m) The morning allows you to further interact with the Monpas. Before you proceed, you could also pay a visit to the orchid garden that fences about 75 different kinds of orchids. The hike to Kudra provides a nuance of jovial atmosphere because this part of the trail meanders along the stone imprints of Guru Rinpoche’s footprints, dagger and phallus, festooned by stories that espouse Guru’s praxis. Lunch is served just before you arrive at Phrumzur, one of the villages of the Monpa communities, off the trail. You could also visit the village Lhakhang in Phrumzur and then proceed to the campsite in Kudra. En route, you traverse another small Monpa village called Lekpogang, after which, the campsite in Kudra is just an hour’s walk. The campsite offers a bird’s-eye-view of Nyimshong village and also the Zhemgang town.

(Distance: 11-14 kms, circa 5-7 hours, Altitude range: 1500-1300m) You wake up with the distant call of the Rufous-necked hornbill. This part of the trek is a collage of streams, waterfalls and thick forests that will give you an invigorating feeling of being out in the wild. The Great Himalayan Squirrel, Rhesus Mecaques, and small snakes are often spotted along the trail. Unseen but present, are Himalayan black bear, Red pandas, tigers, Clouded leopards and others. Upon arrival at the holy tree in Nabji, the people will give you a heartwarming reception. Nabji is a beautiful village where paddy fields seem to circumambulate the clustered houses. You could also hike to the community school and indulge yourself in game of football or volleyball, where children rejoice the presence of outsider athletes.

(Distance: 9.5-13km, Duration: 2-3 hours, Altitude range: 1300-1500m) En route to Korphu, the Nabji temple is located in the middle of the paddy fields. Inside, there remains a stone pillar on which Guru Rinpoche, while traveling through Bhutan in the 8th century, brought consensus between the warring kings: King sindha Gyelp of Bumthang, and King Noeche, by imprinting their thumbs on each side of the stone. A unique festival is celebrated sometime in early January at the temple grounds. Korphu is situated on a mountaintop at an altitude of 1500m. The most striking thing about Korphu is that the people exemplify hospitality almost treating you like ‘A King on accession to throne’. You have the option of being welcomed with a traditional ‘Chipdrel’ procession and a ‘Marchang’ ceremony, singing traditional songs of praise and wellbeing for new visitors. They also perform the traditional ‘Tashi Labey’ dance to bid you farewell. If you are interested, the villagers can explain and demonstrate and even allow you to participate in the quintessential Bhutanese games of ‘Khuru’, ‘Dego’, ‘Sok-sum’, and ‘Gee-dum’, all on the brink of disappearance. You could also pay a visit to the village temple that houses the sacred relics of Pema Lingpa, the famous ‘Treasure revealer’ of Bhutan. A local lunch could be provided in the village campsite which also provides a spectacular bird’s-eye view of Nabji and other surrounding areas. evening we will hike back to Nabji Village for Night Halt.

Today after breakfast we will drive back to Wangdi via Trongsa. En-route you will encounter many species of birds including the globally threatened white-bellied heron and several other river birds. From here a steep ascent for an hour brings you up to the main road and then drive to Trongsa.

Today after your early hotel check out drive to Punakha the ancient capital of Bhutan. Just before you enter Punakha, from Sobsokha make a pleasant 30-40 minute hike up to the renowned Chemi Lhakhang (No Dog’s Temple). It dates back to 1499 and was built by Lama Nawang Chogyel in memory of his brother Lama Drukpa Kuenley (Divine Madman). Hiking back along the same trail to the highway you then drive to Punakha and then check in to your hotel.

Today before you depart to Paro, drive further north of Punakha and hike up to the famed Khamsum Yueley Namgyel temple, built in 1999 for the peace and harmony of the world. The hike up to the temple takes roughly around 1 hour and takes you through rich farmland and traditional Bhutanese farmhouses. You will have good views of the valley below and the surrounding mountains. Following the same trail back to the parking area you then depart to Punakha and visit the impressive Punakha Dzong saddled on the confluence of two rivers. After spending quality time exploring the Dzong you then finally depart to you destination Paro.

After your early start, drive further north of Paro town and hike up to Taktshang Goemba. It is quite an uphill task and takes around 3-4 hours walk at an average speed. According to legend Guru Padmasambhava visited Taktshang in 8th century, flying from the east of the country on the back of the pregnant tigress. He meditated in the cave for three months donning his terrifying form of Guru Dorji Droloe subjugating the evil spirit. Later after Guru’s visit many prominent Buddhist teachers visited the site. A monastery was built in 1692 by Desi Tenzin Rabgyel and sadly it caught fire in 1998 and was soon rebuilt to the present reincarnation in 2005. After the monastery, hike down following the same trial to the parking area and then drive to your hotel. Rest day at leisure.

Today after your leisurely breakfast in the hotel drive to Paro airport and depart to your onward destination. Here you bid adieu to your helpful Bhutanese tour guide and driver.