Bhutan: Druk Path Trek

Hike the ancient trading route between Paro and Thimphu

The Druk Path is one of the classic treks in Bhutan and follows an ancient, high-level trade route from Paro to Thimphu 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 mountain lakes with spectacular views of the peaks that border Tibet. Experience the fascinating culture of Bhutan and, on specific departures, colourful festivals with masked dances and general joviality.

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

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 reusable bottles.
• Waste on this trip is carried to Thimphu and repacked for recycling.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves generates income which is used to upkeep and develop these important sites. We trek through Paro and Thimphu national parks.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• 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 reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 4 (Moderate & Challenging). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.  

There are five days with walking: maximum altitude 13,894ft (4,235m); average: 11,988ft (3,654m). The highest altitude we sleep at is 13,451ft (4,100m).

This trip is for those who would like to combine the cultural highlights of Bhutan with beautiful Himalayan walking. You will be well looked after and well fed on the trek but it can get very cold at night in the tents so be prepared with the recommended equipment on our kit list.

We follow a remote route that was once an important link between Paro and Thimpu. However, it is rarely used nowadays and the trails are quite narrow and rocky in places. It does present a great variety of walking from pleasant pine and rhododendron forests to rocky landscapes and passes and high-altitude lakes.

To get the most from your experience, we highly recommend you bring trekking poles, while our local staff will carry a first-aid kit and oxygen. It regularly rains in Bhutan, which can make the trails muddy and slippery and, in early spring, there can be snowfall at the higher altitudes.

While the distances are not considered challenging, the altitude can sometimes pose a problem as your body adjusts to the difference. The trek pace is kept slow and there are many opportunities to stop and enjoy the 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 your group’s pace.

This trip visits the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro, which is at an altitude of 10,235ft (3,120m). The trek to reach the monastery is relatively steep but we take it very easy and have lots of stops to relax and enjoy the stunning surroundings. If you would prefer not to trek the whole way, there is a café where you can wait, which has spectacular views of the monastery.

Please be aware that some of the monasteries we visit in Bhutan require a good level of mobility due to steps, stairs, and occasional ladders. These monasteries are often situated on cliffs and hillsides, offering breathtaking views but also requiring careful navigation. If you experience vertigo or have concerns about heights, please let us know in advance so we can provide appropriate guidance and support during these visits. Our team is committed to ensuring everyone can enjoy these remarkable sites safely and comfortably.

Smoking

Smoking is only permitted in certain designated areas and strictly prohibited in public places. Anyone caught smoking in public or violating smoking restrictions will be fined approximately 500 Bhutanese ngultrum (US$6) for the first offence.

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. We use well-trained Bhutanese guides, but please be aware the guides are sometimes restricted in what they are allowed to do and where they can take you. There is plenty of time to enjoy the different features of each centre while travelling through the magnificent countryside. There is time to study the monasteries, browse the bazaars, or relax with a tea in incredible surroundings.

Festival departures

The departure(s) starting in Kathmandu on:

• 2 April 2025 visits Paro Festival
• 6 September 2024 and 25 September 2025 visit Thimphu Festival
• 4 October 2024 and 24 October 2025 visit Dechenphug Tshechu 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.

Vaccinations and Health

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 and chikungunya are known risks in Nepal. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

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.

When trekking at altitude, and particularly in cold weather, there is a higher chance of developing a cough (sometimes referred to here as the Khumbu cough) or cold symptoms. These symptoms could be a result of inhaling cold mountain air or dust (in the Everest region). You can mitigate against picking up coughs and colds by washing your hands with soap and water at available opportunities and using hand sanitiser. Also wear a buff over your neck and mouth when walking at altitude, particularly in colder weather, which will help limit cold, dry air entering your airways and keep your neck and chest warm.

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.

We need it to organise your Bhutan visa in advance to do this, you will need to send us a clear colour copy of your passport at point of booking. You also need to provide a good coloured passport photo, with white background (and ensure you are not wearing any glasses).

Please make sure we have the passport copy and separate passport photo no later than eight weeks before departure. It can either be sent by post or scanned; both 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

You can obtain your visa in advance or on arrival. 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.

Visa in advance

Apply for this through your local consulate or embassy. Further details on this option can be found here:

• For UK passport holders: https://uk.nepalembassy.gov.np/visa/
• For US passport holders: https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/tourist-visa/
• For Canadian passport holders: https://ca.nepalembassy.gov.np/tourist-visa-application/

When applying for your visa in advance, the Nepalese government has an online application system (see links above for more info), but it is currently only accepting payments through Nepalese payment channels. Once the online form is completed, the applicant is required to print out the form and either send it, together with the passport, to the embassy, or attend in person.

Visa on arrival

1. When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured your visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:
   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.
   Top tip: This process can be completed through the online immigration portal (click ‘Visa On-Arrival’) within 14-days prior to arrival in Kathmandu, helping you to avoid lengthy queues at the kiosks when you come through immigration – ensure you print and bring the confirmation with you. If you have completed your visa on arrival form in advance, go directly to the visa fees counters with your printed confirmation and skip the kiosk queues.
2. Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt. Card payments are not always possible, so paying in cash is easiest, most currencies are accepted but US dollars are preferred.
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.

Food & Drink

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

During your adventure in Bhutan, prepare to savor a delightful array of flavors that blend Bhutanese and Western cuisines. While Bhutanese dishes are traditionally seasoned with chilies, often tempered for foreign palates, the local cuisine boasts rich and varied tastes. Enjoy a diverse selection of meat, vegetable, rice, and potato dishes, alongside iconic specialties like ema datshi—featuring chilies and cheese. If you desire a more authentic or spicier culinary experience, don’t hesitate to share your preferences with your trip leader, who will endeavor to tailor meals to your liking.

While camping, the staff bring a hot drink (usually tea) to your tent each morning. When you reach camp in the afternoon, tea and biscuits are 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, a dessert such as fresh or tinned fruit, fritters or cake is also served. Please note, although some meals include meat, it is not as readily available while camping.

Please allow the equivalent of approximately US$30-US$40 per day for other main meals in Kathmandu.

Drinking water

Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least 100floz to 135floz (three litres to four litres) per person per day.

However, we strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in the trekking areas of Bhutan.

On trek, the cooks collect and boil drinking water from the mountain streams and fill up your water bottles for you, but you may need to collect water during the day and may wish to use your own water purification treatment as well. Purification tablets can be an economical way to treat your water, most taking between 30 minutes to one hour to purify one litre of water and are easy to used in water bladders/hydration packs. Purification tablets which contain chlorine dioxide are reported not to leave an obvious taste as other tablets may.

You may like to bring a reusable bottle with a wide opening and use a Steripen to treat any non-boiled water. A Steripen is a handheld UV water purifier – small, lightweight and battery powered, so easy to pack. It’s quick to use, far more effective than purification tablets, and the water is ready immediately. It’s fine to use a Steripen on non-boiled water so long as it isn’t cloudy or full of sediment (which is uncommon in these regions).

Steripens are widely stocked on Amazon, outdoor shops and other online retailers; look for the latest models but avoid USB charging ones. Models that take lithium batteries are best as they last longer, especially in cold conditions.

Exodus has also partnered with Water-to-Go, a filtration system that eliminates more than 99.99 percent of all microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source – visit Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim 15 percent off their first order and, better still, 15 percent of the purchase value will be donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation. Please note, if the water freezes it will clog up the filter. In this event, defrost before use by sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.

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 rhododendrons bloom (particularly in May). You will experience a range of temperatures during the trip depending on the altitude. During the day, temperatures are approximately 10C-20C (50F-68F). At night, temperatures drop in autumn to about 3C-4C (37F-39F). 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. The trails become very muddy if it rains on trek. There can sometimes be snowfall at the higher altitudes especially in spring.