Bumthang to Lhuntse

On this challenging trek from Bumthang Valley in central Bhutan to Lhuntse in eastern Bhutan, you will experience diverse landscapes and fascinating Buddhist and Bonpo (Pre-Buddhist) culture in one of Bhutan’s remotest and most primitive regions. Trek from the beautiful Bumthang valley, the “Switzerland of Bhutan”, across Rodungla Pass (4160m) to the remote region of Kurtoe in eastern Bhutan. There you will visit some isolated villages and witness the daily life and farming activities of the people. The remote nature of the region results in its being one of the most primitive and least visited places in the country. Most travellers, and even many Bhutanese, have never visited this part of the country. Being in any part of eastern Bhutan is like stepping back in time several hundred years. The Kurtoe region is the ancestral home of the kingdom’s royal family and is also famed for its weavers and special textiles, considered to be the best in the country. Weaving is an ancient skill identified with women and is an important source of earnings for women. We will visit some weavers in a small village to see them at work. Weaving is like a meditation for the weaver, the time slows down. Even watching the intricate work can feel meditative.

The Rodungla Trek is a challenging adventure that follows the ancient footpath built hundreds of years ago by the people of Bumthang and Kurtoe regions. Before the national highway was built in the late 1970s, the first and second kings, the royal family, and other people used this trail regularly to travel from central Bhutan to Kurtoe and other regions of eastern Bhutan. Trekking through dense forests, gorgeous mountains, lush valleys, terraced hillside fields, timeless villages, ancient temples and mani walls, past smiling children and hard-wroking farmers, you will begin to sense the magic that pervades life in this isolated region. During the first two days, you climb through densely forested areas and high mountain meadows filled with wildflowers up to the Rodungla Pass at 4160 meters. From the pass, the trail features steep and lengthy descents through an area of dense forests and small meadows where sightings of mysterous yeti have been reported. The trail continues downhill past small villages and rushing streams to the bottom of the valley where you cross the Noyurgang Chhu River over a suspension bridge. From here, the trail winds up and down past numerous villages and ends at Tangmachu High School, located on top of a small ridge, where 400 students from different parts of Lhuntse district study. The trekking is not easy; daily hikes are an average of 5-7 hours over rugged terrain - rocky, slippery and steep in places.



Important Note
Most of our trips take place during the busy season and it is difficult to secure reservations on Druk Air and in Hotels in Paro, Thimphu, Wangdi Phodrang, Tongsa and Bumthang. The farther in advance that you book, the more likely it is that we can confirm the resrvation you choose.

The rule of thumb is: Book as far in advance as possible, but don't hesitate to contact us at the last minute if free time suddenly comes your way.