Bhutan is one of the world’s most mystical and mysterious countries and this guide gives a unique view with 27 treks throughout the country from the leading expert. Covers the whole country with treks in the west (Jhomolhari) across the northern mountain barrier to Tibet, east and centre of Bhutan. Very thorough planning information.

The Thrill of Bhutan

The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan – located between the two huge neighbouring countries of China and India – has, throughout most of its history, survived as a result of its independence. There is little information available regarding the history of the country, most documents having been destroyed by fire or other catastrophes.

According to legend Bhutan was, up to the 7th century, part of the Tibetan empire, after which it became part of North India, but since the 10th century onwards the country has not apparently been occupied by any foreign power. Bhutan was comprised of a couple of small kingdoms before the 17th century, when Shabdrung Namgyal (1594–1651) started to unify the country. In 1651 he enlisted the help of Je Kenpo as spiritual leader, and Druk Desi as leader for non-religious issues. In 1907 the monarchy was established.

Bhutan is located on roughly the same latitude as Cairo. It is roughly 10 percent smaller than Switzerland. It is a mountainous country with an extensive natural border formed by high mountains to the north, rising to over 7000m, and virtually impassable jungle to the south. The country has been closed to foreigners for centuries, with only a handful allowed across the border. Bhutan has always been a place of mystery, its lack of contact with and influence from the outside world resulting in a unique culture. This culture, and the untouched nature of the country and its people, gives Bhutan its unique appeal. Recently the country has started to open up, allowing more visitors in.

Trekking

According to the Oxford dictionary a trek is ‘a long hard walk lasting several days or weeks, especially in mountains’. The word originates from the Dutch for ‘promenade’, and was refined to its current meaning by the Boer (farmer) emigrants to South Africa who went on difficult walks during their search for new land.

Trekking has a meditative effect on both mind and body: you are surrounded by nature with few materialistic disturbances. Being pampered by a local staff gives you time to concentrate on other things such as a good walk, a good meal, and a very good night’s sleep under the stars. Trekking is the ultimate experience of a quiet, healthy and active holiday, and once a trekker – always a trekker.
The Bhutanese don’t necessarily have the same idea about trekking as foreigners; for them it means a trip to their home village, a pilgrimage to a monastery high in the mountains, placing prayer flags on mountaintops, visiting one of the country’s hot springs, or (for those in remote areas) a visit to the market to buy supplies.

Trekking in Bhutan is different from other regions in Asia. You are trekking in a country steeped in Buddhist traditions and culture, even high up in the mountains. Bhutan Himalaya, with a forest/ shrub cover of around 80 percent and plenty of rain in the monsoon months, provides an enormously rich flora and fauna, unlike anywhere else in this region. There are fewer villages in the high mountains of Bhutan than there are in places such as Nepal, and villagers often gaze at trekkers because they see so few. The daily altitude gain in Bhutan Himalaya is typically more than in other Himalayan countries, and trekking in the northern part often involves crossing more than one high pass of 5000m. Trekking in Bhutan is also more costly then in most other Himalayan destinations. Part of the daily rate (government tax about $US70) is indirect development aid.

Every trek is led by a qualified Bhutanese guide (without a support group of Sherpas as in Nepal). Trekking in the Bhutan Himalayas does not require any special technical skills. The mountains are covered with a network of trails but, because of the sparse population, these are not heavily travelled. The trails are generally in good condition, and fit, experienced walkers should have no difficulty navigating them, although natural obstacles such as snowfall and landslides can require a change of plan. There are also very few trekkers to encounter (600–1000 each year, the majority of whom are on the Jhomolhari trek).

Meals on trek are as good as anywhere in the Himalayas. Lunch is not like the typical Nepalese extended break where a hot lunch is cooked; in Bhutan a hot lunch is prepared at breakfast time and carried in thermos flasks and pots. Animals such as mules and yaks will transport your luggage. Sometimes – on the first day yaks are used – they may arrive late at the start or end of the day (or not arrive at all because they have turned round and gone home!). It therefore makes sense to carry dry (and warm) clothing in your daypack, just in case you reach camp before the luggage arrives.

No food is sold along the trail, so trekking in Bhutan involves a lot of luggage. A party of eight trekkers will typically have four members of staff, four yak herders or horsemen, and more than 20 yaks or small but sturdy horses.

There are few burglary or safety problems while trekking or camping. Campfires are generally not permitted, but at certain villages locals are allowed to sell firewood.

Trekking in the Himalayas is often thought to be the preserve of the super-fit, but there are treks catering for all different fitness levels: easy to tough, short to long, and from lower to higher altitude. Of course, it helps to be fit and prepared for a trek. Make sure you choose a trek that is not too difficult or hard. It is never fun to have to give up and turn back, or to exhaust yourself and so be unable to finish the trek. The most important thing is that you are happy to walk for several days, and that you enjoy camping.

Trekking grades can be confusing. Each commercial operator uses their own grading systems, so check them out carefully. A good trek description should enable you to make the right choice.

In general trekking in Bhutan includes long days with several ascents and descents each day. Bhutan’s valleys are steeper then in neighbouring Nepal. The trails are less used simply because the population is at a much lower level in Bhutan.

Climate and trekking seasons

The most popular period for trekking in Bhutan is spring and autumn. However, with climate change the seasonal patterns are becoming less predictable. The country, located in the eastern part of the Himalayas, receives a good deal of rain. The valleys experience strong winds, and each one has its own weather. Mountains tend to create their own weather patterns with storms, hail, snow and thunder. Be aware of wind and rain, which can have a major effect on temperature.

Note: When flying in and out of the country count on extra days because precipitation and overcast conditions may cause the airport to be closed.

Organising a trek

A visit to Bhutan has to be booked and organised through an international and/or Bhutanese tour operator. (A tour operator outside Bhutan will use a local company to handle most services.) Visa, flights, transportation, permits, accommodation, meals, guiding, trekking support, etc, are all organised (in advance) by a Bhutanese company supported by official authorities and international tour operators.

Your stay in Bhutan is therefore managed from beginning to end – any tourists visiting the Kingdom will have prearranged the majority of their itinerary and will be guided around the country by an official Bhutanese guide (and trekking staff) during the whole stay.
Outside Bhutan there are a couple of adventure travel companies that offer trips to the Kingdom. Search the internet and read advertisements in outdoor magazines.

Inside Bhutan there are many tour operators – new and old, big and small – the number fluctuating from year to year. The Bhutan Department of Tourism (DoT) has a website (www.tourism.gov.bt) listing all the (reliable) tour operators’ names and contact addresses and many other interesting facts. Also visit the website of the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (www.abto.org.bt). A tour operator in Bhutan has to follow strict government rules. Any guides used on a trek should be officially qualified.

The former limit on the annual number of tourists visiting Bhutan has been lifted, but the high daily charge (check www.tourism.gov.bt for daily tariff, discounts and surcharges) and restricted infrastructure and facilities ensure that the Kingdom will never be overrun by visitors.
This is in line with the national tourism policy: high income – low impact.    

Trekking with a Group or Alone?

It is possible to visit Bhutan as part of a group or as an individual, but in both cases a Bhutanese tour operator is needed and you will always be guided.

Organising your own trek is possible, but the trekking experience is not the same as in Nepal. Staff looking after you will accompany a trek in Bhutan. There are no teahouses and lodges along the treks, as there are in Nepal, where you can obtain meals, drinks and accommodation. Even if you use a Bhutanese tour operator for the paperwork a trek can’t be undertaken alone.

Getting there and getting around

Bhutan can be reached by air and by road. Try Google ‘carbon calculators’ to see the link between travel and global warming.

By air the national carrier Druk Air connects Bhutan (Paro) with Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok and Kolkata, and sometimes other destinations are planned in the flight schedule (www.drukair. com.bt). Bookings are normally made through your travel agent. There is another airstrip in the far east of Bhutan, but this is impossible to use due to wind. Feasibility studies for new domestic airports are being conducted (2007) for Bumthang, Yonphula, Trashigang and Phuentsholing. Druk Air flies two new Airbuses (2005), and offer scenic flights (see website). Airport departure tax is included in the air fare.

Helicopter services are rare; any helicopters used come from outside the country.

By road Bhutan is connected with India and can offer some exiting mountain driving. Bhutanese travel agents have their own fleets of buses and small cars to transport visitors, and will pick up and deliver any traveller arriving at/departing from the Indian border. Taxis are available in the bigger towns, and a city bus operates in the Thimphu valley.
Be aware that travelling in and around by road Bhutan is time-consuming, includes possible delays and involves very winding roads. There are other means of getting around, besides motorised transport: mountain bike, horseback, rafting or on foot.

Environmental and cultural awareness

Bhutan is known for its unique environment. It has beautiful flora and wildlife and an unspoiled Buddhist culture. The country’s government is trying hard to maintain this situation. Trekkers can support this worthy effort by understanding that the country’s isolated villages are surprisingly fragile, and minimising foreign cultural impact and avoiding all forms of pollution.

•    Lakes are often considered holy, with deities living in their depths. Please respect this belief by not disturbing the waters, particularly by not throwing anything into them.

•    Always go in a clockwise direction around holy places (lhakhangs, chortens, stupas, mani walls). If you are allowed to go inside a temple, always take off your hat. Check with the caretaker to see if you need to remove your shoes (not always necessary on a concrete floor). Have some small change ready and, if it is allowed, put a donation on the altar. Do not take any photos or disturb praying monks. Bring a torch to find your way.

•    Sweets: give staff sweets without wrappers, but do not give any to children.

•    Toilet and rubbish: on trek toilet holes will be provided at camp. On the more popular treks the toilet holes are starting to spoil the campsites. If no toilet holes are available make sure to bury your waste with sand and/or stones to avoid contamination being spread by flies or animals. If the camp crew has a campfire burning don’t throw rubbish onto it, as this is believed to bring bad weather. Collect your personal rubbish and give it to the staff in the morning for burning in a separate fire or to be carried out.

•    Campfire: in general, not allowed (but at some camps the residents are allowed to sell firewood).

•    Take old batteries home with you.

•    Leave campsites cleaner than you found them.

•    Most Bhutanese villages have seen foreigners by now, but some will still be very curious. Please keep displays of Western goods to a minimum and be respectful by not being intrusive with Western ways. Dress modestly, especially in villages and temples.

•    Washing: keep a good distance away from any water source when you wash clothes or yourself. Dirty water should be spread so the soil can filter it.

•    Water contamination: use toilets wherever possible. If that is not possible then (below the tree line) bury your waste; above the tree line try to cover it with stones. If you’re in snow, make sure to dig all the way down to the soil.

•    Short cuts cause erosion, so stick to the main trails.

•    Photography: in general the Bhutanese are not shy about having their picture taken, but ask for permission first and follow up if you promise to send a picture to someone. Don’t take pictures inside temples.

•    Begging is not a big deal yet. Try to keep it that way by not handing out inappropriate gifts.