Bhutan: Druk Path Trek

Hike Bhutan's Druk Path, an ancient trading route between Paro and Thimpu

The Druk Path is one of Bhutan's classic treks and follows an ancient, high-level trade route from Paro to Thimpu in a country visited by only a lucky few. Trek through splendid rhododendron forests, past yak herder settlements, across several passes and camp beside clear, blue, mountain lakes with spectacular views of the peaks which border Tibet. Experience Bhutan’s fascinating culture and on specific departures, its colourful festivals with masked dances and general joviality. Note that different departures follow different itineraries - see 'is this trip for you' for more details.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• In Paro we visit families in their farmhouses and in Thimphu we visit the local market.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• Waste on this trip is carried to Thimphu and repacked for recycling.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites. We trek through the Paro and Thimphu National Parks.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Walking trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments. 

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Visa

Bhutan

You will need a visa for Bhutan, which we will organise for you. The cost of the visa (US$40) is included in the price of the trip. You will need to send us a clear copy of your passport on booking; we need it to organise your Bhutan visa in advance. A good coloured passport photo is required for Bhutan visa.

Please make sure we have the passport copy no later than eight weeks before departure. It can either be sent by post or scanned; it should be very clear and in colour. If you need to get a new passport for the journey, please apply for this immediately, and send us the copy/scan as soon as you receive your new passport. It is vital the information you give us is 100 percent correct, and that the passport copy you send us is the one on which you will be travelling to Bhutan. Visa regulations can change without notice: please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.

Nepal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Nepal. Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/nepal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/nepal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/nepal/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Nepal.html

You can obtain your visa in advance or on entry. If possible, apply in advance as queues on arrival can be very long. Please note, the Immigration Department of Nepal has suspended visas on arrival for certain nationalities – please check if this applies to you with your nearest embassy or consulate .

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured you visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:

1. Fill in a tourist visa form at the electronic kiosks. After inserting your passport, the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport, complete the details manually using the touchscreen. We recommend taking a passport photo with you just in case.
2. Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt.
3. Go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15-, 30- or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration.

Vaccination

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, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Some travellers may also need proof of a polio vaccination. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

There is little to no risk of malaria in Nepal; therefore, antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain high-risk groups. You may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in Nepal with an outbreak in September 2022. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis, so take extra precautions (such as wearing full-length trousers, long sleeves and applying insect repellent during the day, dawn and dusk) to prevent being bitten.

Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.

Eating and Drinking

Breakfast is included throughout the trip plus 9 lunches and 9 dinners whilst in Bhutan.

The hotel/restaurant meals in Bhutan are usually buffet style and include Bhutanese and Western food. Bhutanese food can sometimes be considered a little bland - this is generally because chillies are frequently used in traditional dishes, and these are often omitted to adapt to foreigners' tastes. However, you will find an assortment of meat, vegetable, rice and potato dishes and many examples of the infamous 'Ema Datshi' (chillies and cheese) so there will be plenty of nutrients for your day ahead!

Whilst camping, the staff will bring a hot drink (usually tea) to your tent each morning. When you reach camp in the afternoon tea and biscuits will be 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 (except on shorter days when it is in camp). Lunch and dinner typically include soup to start, followed by a variety of hot dishes (both local and western) such as potatoes/chips, vegetables, curry, pasta, rice, dhal and vegetables. At dinner time a dessert such as fresh or tinned fruit, fritters or cake is also served. Please note that although some meals will include meat, it is not as readily available whilst camping.

Please allow approximately £25-30 ($30-40) per day for other main meals in Kathmandu.

Weather

Himalayan views tend to be best between October to December, as the weather is generally clear with sunny skies. From March to May the valleys are awash with colour when the famous rhododendrons bloom (particularly in May); the country has over 45 wild species. You will experience a range of temperatures during the trip depending on the altitude. During the day temperatures will be approx 10ºC-20ºC. At night temperatures will drop in autumn to about 3ºC-4ºC. Although these departures do not fall inside the normal monsoon season there is always a chance of rain in Bhutan and you should be prepared for this. If it rains on trek the trails become very muddy. There can sometimes be snowfall at the higher altitudes on trek especially in spring.

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

Grade 4: Moderate/Challenging.

5 days walking; maximum altitude 4235m, average 3950m.

This trip is for those who would like to combine the cultural highlights of Bhutan with beautiful Himalayan walking. The trek is a classic Himalayan trekking route. You can generally expect good service on the trek.

Travelling and Walking Conditions

We follow a route which was formerly an important link between Paro and Thimpu and which has been used for generations by pack animals. However please note that the trekking trails in Bhutan are more remote and less well-marked than in Nepal for example. The route we trek is rarely used nowadays and the trails are quite narrow and rocky in places.

We highly recommend trekking poles for this trip. It regularly rains in Bhutan which can make the trails muddy and slippery. In early spring there can be some snowfall at the higher altitudes. The highest altitude we reach on the trek is 4235m and the highest we sleep is 4100m. Our local staff carry a first-aid kit and oxygen on the trek. This route presents a great variety of walking from pleasant pine and rhododendron forests to rocky landscapes and passes and high altitude lakes.

Please be aware that whilst the distances on the five-day trek are not considered to be challenging; the altitude can sometimes pose a problem as your body adjusts to the difference. The pace of this trek is kept slow continually and there will be many opportunities to stop and enjoy the stunning views and Himalayan scenery. Walking hours stated are given as approximates only. Timings given include rest and photo stops but not a longer lunch break and will vary depending on the pace of your group. You may find wish to refer to our Walking & Trekking Fitness Training Guide.

Smoking

Please note that smoking is only permitted in certain designated areas and strictly prohibited in public places. Anyone found to be smoking in public or violating smoking restrictions will be fined approx. Nu 500/US$7 for the first offence.  Tourists are allowed to import up to 200 cigarettes with no tax to be paid on arrival, it is also possible to purchase cigarettes in most shops across Bhutan.

Travelling in Bhutan

Travelling in Bhutan is still in its infancy. All foreigners must travel through an official travel agent and be accompanied by a Bhutanese guide. Exodus uses well trained Bhutanese guides, but please be aware that the guides are sometimes restricted in what they are allowed to do and where they are allowed to take you. There is plenty of time to enjoy the different features of each centre whilst travelling through the magnificent countryside. There is time to study the monasteries, browse in the bazaars, or relax with a cup of tea in incredible surroundings. This trip is varied, with walking and sightseeing, and should appeal to those who like to see something a little different.

Festival departures

The departure(s) starting in Kathmandu on:

26th March 2023 / 14th March 2024 visits Paro Festival.

17th September 2023 / 6th September 2024 visit Thimphu Festival.

16th October 2023 / 3rd November 2024 will visit Dechenphu Festival.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.