Druk Path Trek
རི་བོ་ཇིཀྲུ་ཌེཀ
activityOne of Bhutan's most accessible treks, the Druk Path links two of the country's top destinations, Thimphu and Paro. The moderate trail traces a 50km (30 mile) arc north between the two towns, skirting turquoise lakes and crossing wind-whipped passes en route. It requires five days to complete. Trekkers generally walk the Druk Path from Paro to Thimphu, with much of the trail above 3,500m (11,480ft) elevation. Altitude is the most challenging aspect of this trek, which is best tackled March to May and September to December. The path starts with a long climb (gaining almost 600m/2,000ft over the course of a single day) from Paro Dzong through blue fir and hemlock forest to the fifteenth-century Jele Dzong, perched on a mountaintop overlooking the Paro Valley. Once up in the hills, the trail snakes northwards to Jimilang Tsho, a holy lake cupped by verdant hills and teeming with fat golden trout. Keen anglers should arrange fishing permits in advance. From Jimilang the trail curves south again, passing several more lakes and cresting a handful of high passes. It offers striking views of Jomolhari and Gangkhar Puensum, the highest unclimbed peak in the world at 7,570m (24,836ft). The descent into Thimphu threads past a series of meditation sites, goempas and lhakhangs that belong...
