DRUK PATH TREK Departure Spring/Autumn

The six day trek is the most popular trek in the country as it passes through a gorgeous natural landscape of blue pine forests, high ridges and pristine lakes while at the same time offering the opportunity to visit some ancient lhakhangs, dzongs and villages.

The Druk Path Trek is also a fairly easy hike to undertake as the distances between rest camps is fairly short. The trail takes you through forests of fir, blue pine and dwarf rhododendrons at altitudes ranging between 2400-4200 m. On the third day hikers will arrive at Jimiling Lake, whose crystal clear waters are home to gigantic trout.

This trek also offers hikers stunning views of Mt. Gangkar Puensum, the highest unscaled peak in the world. The best times to embark on the Druk Path Trek are between March-June or September, November.

Druk Path Trek Outline Itinerary

Druk Path Trek Cost Facts

USD $1790 per person for 08 days Tours.

Druk Path Trek Cost Includes

Druk Path Trek Cost Excludes

General Information

Other Heighlights of Tour

Transportation

The vehicles are all luxurious and air conditioned catering to the comforts of our guests as well as ensuring a smooth ride over the mountainous and winding roads of Bhutan. With high ride quality and extended leg room you can enjoy the beautiful landscape from the inside of our cars. We have Toyota SUVs, Hi Ace buses and coaster buses with carrying capacity of up to 30 people in one bus. Driven by experienced and licensed drivers we will make sure you enjoy your holiday to Bhutan and the comforts of our luxurious fleet of cars.

VISA to Bhutan

All tourists must obtain a visa clearance prior to travel to Bhutan. Visas are processed through an online system by your licensed Bhutanese tour operator, directly or through a foreign travel agent. You are required to send the photo-page of your passport to us, you tour operator who will then apply for your visa. The visa will be processed by the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) once the full payment of your holiday (including a USD $40 visa fee) has been wire transferred and received in the TCB bank account. Once received the visa clearance will be processed within 72 working hours. At your point of entry you will be required to show your visa clearance letter, the visa will then be stamped into your passport.

Social Considerations

Witnessing first hand a way of life so different to our own is an extraordinary experience and a precious opportunity. In doing so, we feel sure that you will have no wish to disturb or be an impact on the lives of the Bhutanese that you will visit.

always ask permission before taking photographs and respect people’s wishes if they’d prefer you not to. Whenever possible, it is good to take a postal address and follow through with sending the photographs back to the family.be complimentary about any food or drink you try. Do try everything offered if you possibly can.be patient. Sometimes things can happen at a slower pace in Bhutan than westerners are used to. Dress appropriately covering your ankles and arms when visiting monasteries

Gifts

Please do not give money, pens, or sweets to the local people in the communities we visit, as it can promote a 'begging culture'. It can create unequal relationships between tourist and visitor, with tourists being seen as purely 'givers', and it can also strip self esteem away from people when they get money for simply being poor rather than having to solve their own issues of poverty through community action. With sweets - local people may not have access to dentists, nor be able to afford them. Instead, please read the “Suggested Gift” section of our “Practicalities” document.

Shop Locally

Why not do as much of your Christmas shopping as possible in rural Bhutan! Any money you spend on artifacts in the countryside can have an impact on problematic rural-urban migration! Please also consider shopping ethically and not buying:

items derived from endangered species e.g. fur, ivoryitems where animals may have been treated cruelly

Environmental considerations

Use of water- Although it may not seem it, water can be a scarce commodity especially in the countryside where is has to be carried from the valley bottom, or brought in by truck or horse. keep your use of water to a minimum at all times in the countryside. Going without showers and running water in toilets is to be expected in some areas.hot water supply may be erratic – please be understanding of the difficulty involved in providing this service and use water conservativelybring your own water bottle - and we will provide a handmade bottle holder. Our vehicles normally have a 60 litre bottle of drinking water from which you can refill throughout your journey. Last year we estimate that we prevented 6000 plastic bottles being used and thrown away.Biodegradable products - Please bring and use biodegradable soap/washing products with you.Fires -Please do not to burn anything other than wood/dung on the stoves in the gers.

Respecting animal life/wildlife - We ask you to not

feed animals unless specifically asked to do so by the ownerpursue or touch animals as they may get distressedpick flowers. Tour Leaders and local guides will provide a reference book where possible so clients can identify plants/birds in situ.touch or move fossilsstroke dogs. Dogs outside/in gers can be aggressive. Stray dogs can carry rabies.-Electrical equipment - Turn off all electrical equipment and lights when not in use.

Litter and reduction of waste

Litter is a relatively new problem in Bhutan that comes with the wider availability of pre-packaged goods. The Tourist Authority of Bhutan ensures that all guides are environmentally aware. There are litter laws in Thimpu, enforcing fines on those who drop litter. We can help by minimising our use of resources in order to generate less waste and ensuring that waste is disposed of in the most effective way possible. We encourage you to:

avoid accepting plastic bags for everything in shops and reuse the ones you have (for litter collection etc).reduce the amount of packaging taken on tour as it is more effectively disposed of at home than on touron camping tours, where possible, to use reusable food containers rather than foil or plastic bags and avoid using disposable plates, cups and cutlerydispose of litter responsiblycompost food waste – if possible. Alternatively it should be carried until it can be put in a rubbish bin.take a plastic bag and collect a few pieces of litter and dispose of it at the end of the walk, leaving the environment cleaner than when you found it! We often initiate clean up walks. Your help on these is much appreciated.If camping please be sure to dig a deep latrine far from any water sources - and cover after use.

Visiting ancient/sacred sites

avoid climbing on ruinsavoid touching religious objectswalk around Buddhist monuments and temples in a clockwise direction.