Bhutan is a popular trekking and day hiking destination. Bhutan Trails offers a variety of trekking and day hike programs to suit a variety of interests and abilities. Walking offers one of the best ways to enjoy the splendor of Bhutan's nature and cultural beauty. Our treks and day hikes take you through remote villages, and farms, pristine subtropical and temperate forest to alpine pastures with grand views of majestic mountains. Trekking and Day Hiking also gives you the opportunity to see the countryside and meet ordinary Bhutanese people as you walk through village and settlements.
Day Hike Walking Tours
Unlike treks, our "Day Hike Walking Tours" provide the perfect opportunity for our guests interested in pursuing the challenge, fun, and adventure of walking, whilst staying in hotel and guesthouse based accommodation. It enables you to explore and experience the sights of the country in-depth, interact with local people and be a part of Bhutanese culture. Walking tours are accompanied by a local Bhutanese guide and you will spend the night at hotels and guesthouses. The approximate walk can be arranged to be anything between 4 - 15 kilometers per day, with your luggage being transferred to be at your destination on your arrival.
We can customize the tour to suit your interests and desired ability. For detailed itineraries contact us at email: bhutantrails@druknet.bt .
Paro Day Hike Walking Tours
Visit Bhutan's most famous monastery the 'tigers nest', a long recognized pilgrimage site for those from all over Bhutan. Although closed to tourists you can hike up to a teahouse close to the monastery where you can rest and admire the exceptional view (1 ½ hours round trip).
Thimpu Day Hike Walking Tours 
Enjoy one (or more!) of the numerous day walks around Thimpu. Choose from a range of walks from 3 hrs, 4hrs, or longer through, apple orchards, pine forests, epic views of Thimpu Valley and hill top monastery's and retreats, many of which are only accessible by foot. ( link to Bhutan Trails.org map)
Our guests continually recommend two Thimpu Day walks:
- Day walk to Cheri Goemba Monastery built in 1620 (2hrs return walk).
- Day walk to Tango Goemba Monastery built in the 15th century by the 'divine madman' a well known and reverend lama (3hrs return walk).
Bumthang Day Hike Walking Tours
There are numerous opportunities for day hikes around the Bumthang Valley passing through many remote and secluded monasteries. Depending on your interests a vehicle can be arranged to pick you and your party up from any one of the locations along the way.
Choskhor Valley hikes
Visit to a monastic school, and a golden roofed temple (Jampa Lhakhang) built by a Tibetan king (Songsten Gampo) in 659 and visited by Guru Rinpoche who left his footprint in an alcove he meditated in there.
Tang Valley Hikes 
The most remote of Bumthangs Valleys, Here you will find lakes and rivers, a number of remote temples, as well as the 16 th century Ugyen Chholing Palace that has recently been turned into a museum.
Trekking
All trekkers are accompanied by well-experienced guides, cooks, porters, as well as either mountain horses or yaks to carry provisions and luggage. Treks vary from very short three-day treks across low altitude gentle inclines to the four week Snowman trek covering a distance of 356 kilometers.
In Bhutan, treks are quite distinctive and different to treks in the other parts of the Himalayas. The country's vegetation is endowed with a wide variety of plants and animals that varies from subtropical dense forest to alpine shrubs. It is sparsely inhabited with scattered settlements of diverse cultures. One of the things that visitors are often impressed with is the hospitality they receive from those they meet, in spite of simple and hard living conditions.
There are a number of treks to choose from:
As a quick comparison to establish your possible interests compare the treks using the Trek Comparison Table
Druk Path
This is a short, five day trek which leads from Thimphu to Paro or vice versa, crossing the chain of mountains that separates the two valleys. Although there are few settlements on this route, there are wonderful lakes teeming with fish and the area is famous for its spectacular rhododendron forests which bloom in May. In the clear weather of late autumn and winter there are views across to the Himalayas.
Soi Yasksa
This is a nine day trek, starting and ending the trek at the Drukgyel Dzong, Paro. It is one of the best treks for nature lovers, which offers stunning views of peaks and alpine pastureland. There are many scattered settlements of Yak herders. Wild Takins and blue sheep are often seen along the route.
Jhomolhari
This is a 10 day trek, starting from Drukgyel Dzong, Paro and ending at Dodina, Thimphu. This trek is one of the most popular treks in Bhutan, passing through scattered hamlets and farmland into densely forested valleys, and finally takes you into high alpine pastureland, where yak herders graze their animals. The trek offers a great variety of landscape and stunning views of the Himalayan peaks. Along the trek route you will see the Blue sheep and many other examples of our wild life.
Over the first three days of the trek you travel from Paro Valley to Jhomolhari base camp. The views at the camp are often said to be amongst the best in the Himalayas. For those that are carrying on over the high pass we spend a day at base camp to acclimatize and tour the region. We then continue over the first of the passes - Nyilela pass 4870m (15680ft) - we continue along a mountain ridge getting fabulous views of the Himalayas - up close. We spend the night near a military camp. The next day can either be at rest for exploration of the Linjshi valley and the Dzong or you can continue on. The next part of the trek is over the highest pass of the trek Yelila pass at 4930m (16270ft), and frequently requires trekking through snow. From there it is a 3 day trek back to Thimpu.
Laya / Gasa 
This is a 15 day long trek, starting from Paro and ending at Punakha. This long-established route from will always rank as one of Bhutan's finest treks. The route offers a great variety of trekking conditions, from picturesque farmland and forest to alpine pastureland and high passes. There are spectacular campsites, beneath some of Bhutan's most impressive peaks, the most notable being Jhomolhari, Jitchu Drake, Great Tiger Mountain and Masagang. There are also numerous isolated Dzongs and scattered settlements. Here you can truly understand the meaning of "remote wilderness". As we continue our journey further into the valley, at the very border of Tibet, we come across the village of Laya, a favorite of many experienced Trekkers. Laya is home to a warm and friendly Brokpa community providing a great deal of cultural interest en route. In the last two days of the trek we get to the famous Gasa hot springs where tired muscles can be replenished. The memories of this special trek will stay with you for a lifetime.
Masangang
This trek is to a remote region of Bhutan and it takes approximately 14 days to complete. This trip offers a great insight into the Kingdom, snow-clad mountains, remote Bhutanese villages, Dzongs and if the timing is right a local Tshechu (festival). Our route takes us north along the Mochu River from its subtropical lower reaches to its icy headwaters at the very foot of Masagang Mountain (7196m/23,604ft). On our way up the river, we will travel through several villages, the Gasa Hot Springs (great place for a soak!), and Gasa Dzong (impressive in its architecture). The semi-circular Dzong houses the administration center of the valley and the religious institute for monks. Our high camp at 4420m (14,500ft) at the foot of Massaging is a place which provides an opportunity for a full day excursion to view the Himalayan Mountains closely.
Snowman
This 24 day trek offers the breathtaking views of the Himalayas crossing stunning high passes. The trek starts at Punakha and moves through to Gasa, to Laya, then through to Lunana and over Gangla Karchung La (La-pass). It provides an incredible view of Bhutan's highest mountain "Gangkar Puensum" 7540m (24700ft), awe-inspiring views of Kang Bum 6520m (21400ft), Teri Gang 7300m ( 23950 ft) and the rugged peak of Tsenda Kang can also be seen. If luck favors, you can see some of Bhutan's more endangered wild animals like the, Monal, Blue Sheep and you may even spot a snow leopard. Those totally in luck may even see the Yeti! Due to the distance, altitude, remoteness and weather conditions this trek demands physical fitness, experience and endurance.
The Gantey
The Phobjika Valley, at 3,000 m (9840ft), is one of the few glacial valleys in Bhutan and is the chosen home of the rare Black-necked crane which migrates to Bhutan in the winter from the Central Asiatic Plateau. The valley of Gantey is one of the most beautiful places in Bhutan and Gantey Gompa is the only Nyingmapa monastery on the western side of the Black Mountains. This easy trek visits the villages of Gogona and Khotokha, passing through meadows and fields, and forests of juniper, magnolia and rhododendrons. One of the finest low level treks in Bhutan.
Sacred Valley 
The Scared Valley trek is a moderate trek of ten days that takes you through the magnificent Thangbi valley, following along the Chamkhar River. It takes you to the base camp of Gangkhar Puensum, which in the Bhutanese language means "the three mountain siblings". This mountain is not only famous for being Bhutan's highest mountain (and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world!) but is also considered to be the origin of Bhutan's history and culture. According to Bhutanese history, the mountain is the source of three major Bhutanese rivers, the Kuru Chu, Chamkhar Chu, and the Mangde Chu. These rivers flow through the Lhuntse, Bumthang and Trongsa valleys respectively, and each area has a pivotal significance in Bhutanese history, religion and culture. It has been said that when these three rivers made their first descent from the glacial lakes of Gangkhar Phensum, they proposed to have a race. While the other two rivers entered into the race the Chamkhar River showed indifference and asked the other two rivers to race ahead as she would follow them at her own leisurely pace. The folklore goes on to say that this is the reason why the Bumthang Valley is being blessed with a wide and calm expanse, while the Trongsa and Lhuntse Valleys are steep and narrow. After two nights halt at Burmapa (Base Camp) we return to Tsampa Gompa and trek to Tholethang, Tolela pass, Labrang, Chochomey and end the trek at Menchungang below Dhur village. On reaching the road head, you will be taken by our vehicle to Jakar. This is a unique trek offered to you by Bhutan Trails. Very few trekkers are seen along this route. The trek has been rated as moderate with the gradual trail to Burmarpa (base camp) and gradual climb to Thole pass . Average walking distance per day is 5-6 hours. This trek program can be timed during the festivals in the Bumthang valleys. This trek can also be done following the same route to Toktozam, Jakar.
