Highlights of the Trans Bhutan Trail
Active
Imagine exploring the happiest country on Earth while walking along the same path used by royals, monks, and traders for thousands of years. That’s the Trans Bhutan Trail. Until the 1960s, it was the only way to get around the mountain kingdom of Bhutan. And now, for the first time in 60 years, you can hike it yourself. On this 12-day tour, you’ll travel and trek along the best portions of this historic trail, using your own two feet to experience rural and spiritual life in the most beautiful parts of the country. Venturing from west to east, you’ll hike along high mountain passes, across lush river valleys, and through villages from a different era, stopping to soak in local history, culture, and customs along the way. There really is magic on the Trans Bhutan Trail, and it’s ready to be rediscovered.
Highlights
Hike the ancient Trans Bhutan Trail with local trekking guides, Interact with artists at Choki Art School, Hike along the Divine Mad Man trail, Enjoy amazing farm lunches and cooking sessions with locals, Immerse into local life at a homestay in Bumthang.
Accommodation
Hotels (8nts), Homestays (2nts), camping (1 nt).
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 15, avg 12.
Meals Included
11 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 dinners
What's Included
Your Welcome Moment: Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting, Thimphu Your Local Living Moment: Bhutanese Homestay. Arrival transfer. Visit Choki Art School. Sustainable Development Fees. Pangri Zampa Monastery visit. Thimphu Dzong visit. Visits to Buddha Point and Memorial Chorten. Hike the Divine Madman Trail. Toebchandhana Lhakhang (temple) visit. Punakha Dzong visit. Bhutanese Cooking Demonstration. Pelela Pass Segment of the Trans Bhutan Trail. Rukubji’s village Lhakhang (temple) visit. Chorten (stupa) visit. Trans Bhutan Trail Trongsa Portion. Trongsa Dzong (fortress) visit. Jakar Dzong (fortress) visit. Pema Choeling Nunnery and Mebartsho Lake visit. Bhutanese Farmhouse Lunch. Bumthang Brewery visit. Ta Dzong National Museum visit. Paro Rinpung Dzong and Ta Dzong visits. Departure transfer. All transportation between included activities.
- Adventure and Active
| Additional Offers |
ID: 8733038
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ID: 8733048
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ID: 8733040
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ID: 8733042
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ID: 8733046
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ID: 8733044
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ID: 8733038
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ID: 8733048
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ID: 8733040
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ID: 8733042
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ID: 8733046
|
ID: 8733044
|
Many Bhutanese people still wear traditional clothes and dress modestly.
Meals
Most meals in Bhutan are included in the cost of the trip - some are in the accommodation where it is the best quality/availability option. Most meals are served buffet-style with a selection of traditional Bhutanese food, some western-style (often pasta) as well as some Chinese. Fresh local vegetables are in abundance and while Bhutan is almost mostly vegetarian, there usually is one meat dish available (on some occasions, there can be shortages, as all meat is imported from India).
Optional Activities
Punakha- Optional Rafting on Mo Chhu River
What to Take
What you need to bring depends on the trip you have chosen and the countries or regions you are planning to visit. We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as your are expected to carry your own luggage. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 mintues with your bags which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones.
Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it's the best of both worlds.
Change the world just by having the time of your life.
We have always believed in the life-changing power of travel, but for that power to exist we need to travel the right way. Since the very beginning, G Adventures’ vision for travelling responsibly has meant giving back as much — if not more — than what you take away. Yes, travel should be incredibly fun (have you been on one of our tours?), but we also believe travel needs to be a force for good. For you, for local communities around the world, and for the world itself — we call it “community tourism.” See how we do it below.
A lot of companies use “sustainability” or “sustainable travel” to talk about exploring the world in a better way, but we’ve never been ones to follow in others’ footsteps or borrow out-dated ideas. Our commitment to making travel a force for good is different — so we call it G for Good.
It stands for all of the social, environmental, and ethical good we create as a business which helps to fuel community tourism. Which is… you ask? It means our tours are built on meaningful relationships with local communities and directly benefit the people and places we visit. Today, our definition of community tourism means that the communities we positively impact ripples far beyond these destinations, to include our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers like you.
G for Good is what makes us, us. With your help, we can make travel the force for good we’ve known it can be since our company was established over three decades ago.
Animal Welfare
G Adventures recognizes the importance of animal welfare. That’s why we have worked with experts from World Animal Protection, The Jane Goodall Institute and The World Cetacean Alliance to draw up a robust policy, which builds on the ABTA Global Welfare Guidelines for Animals in Tourism and puts the needs of animals first. We want to ensure that all animals featured on our tours are treated humanely.
Child Welfare
It is critical that no child is ever harmed as a result of tourism. Travellers have the power and responsibility to make a true impact in the communities they visit, and that’s why we actively work to ensure child welfare is protected in the places we operate. We were also the first global travel company to achieve Friend’s International ChildSafe certification.
Climate Action
With all the good global travel does for local communities, it’s an unfortunate truth that the industry produces environmentally harmful carbon dioxide. That’s why we signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and got to work on halving our carbon footprint by 2030. Want to know exactly how we and our travellers are going about it? Read on to review our full Climate-Biodiversity Action Plan.
Respecting local cultures
Connecting curious travellers with Indigenous communities is an essential part of our identity at G Adventures. We are committed to respecting the rights, history, and culture of Indigenous people while ensuring that tourism supports their well-being.
Go. Grow. Love.
Trees for Days, our latest initiative in partnership with Planeterra and Reforest, aims to spread love around the world — with trees! For each and every day a traveller is on an adventure with us, we grow a tree in their name. Armed with trees and a shovel, our mission is simple: to help communities around the world adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. Want to help spread the love with your very own grove of trees? All you need to do is book a trip — we’ll take care of the rest.
How do we spread love with trees? It’s easy.
With help from our partners, we work with local communities to grow and maintain our trees. Here’s how the magic unfolds:
You go on an adventure
As soon as your trip is booked and paid for, we start sourcing your tree bundle — one tree is grown for every day of your travels.
We grow your trees
Our reforesting process gets underway! We grow, maintain, and make sure your trees have all the love they need to thrive in their new environment.
Watch your love unfold
Want to see the difference you’re making? Log in to your G Adventures account to track how many trees you have grown, where they live and, if you’re in the mood, add a few more to your grove!
Why travel with G Adventures?
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way. What does the future of travel look like? This.
Dream big. Travel small.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Join 10-to-12-ish fellow adventurers.
We keep our groups small to create a sense of camaraderie and allow for closer connections to the places and people you visit. Most of our land tours have no more than 16 travellers and usually average 10-12 people.
Solo travellers, step right up
All our trips are solo-traveller-friendly, so you can enjoy the safety, support, and camaraderie we’re known for, even if you’re travelling alone. To keep costs fair, we’ll pair you with a same-sex roommate, or you can upgrade to My Own Room. Want trips exclusively for solo travellers? Check out our Solo-ish Adventures, designed for connection and packed with extra solo perks.
You’re going to need a smaller boat.
If you’re more the sea-faring type, we’d love to welcome you aboard any of the intimate vessels in our fleet. Whether you’re venturing to the Antarctic on the G Expedition or floating down French canals on a river barge, our ships carry a smaller number of passengers so you can enjoy your journey with plenty of room while still making connections.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
Travel like you live there.
Since our very first tour, our goal has been to connect travellers with local communities on a deeper level. These connections go beyond personal ones to help give back to the wider community of your destination and ensure the people who live there get as much as they give. Changing the world is easy — all you have to do is have the time of your life.
You stay local. So does your money.
Multi-floor, thousand-room hotel behemoths? Not on our tours.
We go for the connections, charm, and authenticity that can only be found in local accommodations, transport, and restaurants. This also allows us to stay at smaller hotels and eat at restaurants with fewer people. Plus, using local service providers helps support the local economy and the people that make the places we travel so special.
Giving back through community tourism.
We’ve been pioneers of community tourism since the day we started. But what is that? It means we have always created our tours by building meaningful relationships with local communities, directly benefiting the people and places we visit, including Indigenous peoples, women, youth — anyone who has traditionally been marginalized or undervalued. Today, our definition has grown: the communities we impact ripples far beyond our destinations. To us, it includes our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers just like you. There's incredible power in being part of something bigger than yourself. Want in?
Many Bhutanese people still wear traditional clothes and dress modestly.
Meals
Most meals in Bhutan are included in the cost of the trip - some are in the accommodation where it is the best quality/availability option. Most meals are served buffet-style with a selection of traditional Bhutanese food, some western-style (often pasta) as well as some Chinese. Fresh local vegetables are in abundance and while Bhutan is almost mostly vegetarian, there usually is one meat dish available (on some occasions, there can be shortages, as all meat is imported from India).
Optional Activities
Punakha- Optional Rafting on Mo Chhu River
What to Take
What you need to bring depends on the trip you have chosen and the countries or regions you are planning to visit. We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as your are expected to carry your own luggage. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 mintues with your bags which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10-15kg/22-30lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones.
Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it's the best of both worlds.
Change the world just by having the time of your life.
We have always believed in the life-changing power of travel, but for that power to exist we need to travel the right way. Since the very beginning, G Adventures’ vision for travelling responsibly has meant giving back as much — if not more — than what you take away. Yes, travel should be incredibly fun (have you been on one of our tours?), but we also believe travel needs to be a force for good. For you, for local communities around the world, and for the world itself — we call it “community tourism.” See how we do it below.
A lot of companies use “sustainability” or “sustainable travel” to talk about exploring the world in a better way, but we’ve never been ones to follow in others’ footsteps or borrow out-dated ideas. Our commitment to making travel a force for good is different — so we call it G for Good.
It stands for all of the social, environmental, and ethical good we create as a business which helps to fuel community tourism. Which is… you ask? It means our tours are built on meaningful relationships with local communities and directly benefit the people and places we visit. Today, our definition of community tourism means that the communities we positively impact ripples far beyond these destinations, to include our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers like you.
G for Good is what makes us, us. With your help, we can make travel the force for good we’ve known it can be since our company was established over three decades ago.
Animal Welfare
G Adventures recognizes the importance of animal welfare. That’s why we have worked with experts from World Animal Protection, The Jane Goodall Institute and The World Cetacean Alliance to draw up a robust policy, which builds on the ABTA Global Welfare Guidelines for Animals in Tourism and puts the needs of animals first. We want to ensure that all animals featured on our tours are treated humanely.
Child Welfare
It is critical that no child is ever harmed as a result of tourism. Travellers have the power and responsibility to make a true impact in the communities they visit, and that’s why we actively work to ensure child welfare is protected in the places we operate. We were also the first global travel company to achieve Friend’s International ChildSafe certification.
Climate Action
With all the good global travel does for local communities, it’s an unfortunate truth that the industry produces environmentally harmful carbon dioxide. That’s why we signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and got to work on halving our carbon footprint by 2030. Want to know exactly how we and our travellers are going about it? Read on to review our full Climate-Biodiversity Action Plan.
Respecting local cultures
Connecting curious travellers with Indigenous communities is an essential part of our identity at G Adventures. We are committed to respecting the rights, history, and culture of Indigenous people while ensuring that tourism supports their well-being.
Go. Grow. Love.
Trees for Days, our latest initiative in partnership with Planeterra and Reforest, aims to spread love around the world — with trees! For each and every day a traveller is on an adventure with us, we grow a tree in their name. Armed with trees and a shovel, our mission is simple: to help communities around the world adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. Want to help spread the love with your very own grove of trees? All you need to do is book a trip — we’ll take care of the rest.
How do we spread love with trees? It’s easy.
With help from our partners, we work with local communities to grow and maintain our trees. Here’s how the magic unfolds:
You go on an adventure
As soon as your trip is booked and paid for, we start sourcing your tree bundle — one tree is grown for every day of your travels.
We grow your trees
Our reforesting process gets underway! We grow, maintain, and make sure your trees have all the love they need to thrive in their new environment.
Watch your love unfold
Want to see the difference you’re making? Log in to your G Adventures account to track how many trees you have grown, where they live and, if you’re in the mood, add a few more to your grove!
Why travel with G Adventures?
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way. What does the future of travel look like? This.
Dream big. Travel small.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Join 10-to-12-ish fellow adventurers.
We keep our groups small to create a sense of camaraderie and allow for closer connections to the places and people you visit. Most of our land tours have no more than 16 travellers and usually average 10-12 people.
Solo travellers, step right up
All our trips are solo-traveller-friendly, so you can enjoy the safety, support, and camaraderie we’re known for, even if you’re travelling alone. To keep costs fair, we’ll pair you with a same-sex roommate, or you can upgrade to My Own Room. Want trips exclusively for solo travellers? Check out our Solo-ish Adventures, designed for connection and packed with extra solo perks.
You’re going to need a smaller boat.
If you’re more the sea-faring type, we’d love to welcome you aboard any of the intimate vessels in our fleet. Whether you’re venturing to the Antarctic on the G Expedition or floating down French canals on a river barge, our ships carry a smaller number of passengers so you can enjoy your journey with plenty of room while still making connections.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
Travel like you live there.
Since our very first tour, our goal has been to connect travellers with local communities on a deeper level. These connections go beyond personal ones to help give back to the wider community of your destination and ensure the people who live there get as much as they give. Changing the world is easy — all you have to do is have the time of your life.
You stay local. So does your money.
Multi-floor, thousand-room hotel behemoths? Not on our tours.
We go for the connections, charm, and authenticity that can only be found in local accommodations, transport, and restaurants. This also allows us to stay at smaller hotels and eat at restaurants with fewer people. Plus, using local service providers helps support the local economy and the people that make the places we travel so special.
Giving back through community tourism.
We’ve been pioneers of community tourism since the day we started. But what is that? It means we have always created our tours by building meaningful relationships with local communities, directly benefiting the people and places we visit, including Indigenous peoples, women, youth — anyone who has traditionally been marginalized or undervalued. Today, our definition has grown: the communities we impact ripples far beyond our destinations. To us, it includes our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers just like you. There's incredible power in being part of something bigger than yourself. Want in?
About G Adventures
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
About G Adventures
We’ve been the leaders in small group adventure travel for 30+ years. How’d we get here? By listening to our travellers and giving them what they want: flexible itineraries, freedom to explore, smaller groups, safety and peace of mind, and locally based guides who show you your destination in a way you’d miss travelling any other way.
The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth exploring.
Our guides are all CEOs.
At G Adventures, we don’t have tour guides — we have Chief Experience Officers. Our founder, Bruce Poon Tip, gave up his title as CEO because he felt they needed a proper title to reflect how integral they are to giving you an exceptional travel experience. (But don’t worry, they won’t be using any office attire or business jargon.)
Locally based = local experts.
Our CEOs are locally based, meaning they know the area you’re exploring like the back of their well-travelled hand. They plan visits around the best times to visit (or avoid) the most popular spots, can help you choose local restaurants, and generally give you great tips on the best things to experience. And since they usually speak the local language, they are your go-to resource for anything that comes up.
Local support. All. The. Time.
All CEOs are supported by our local operations teams 24/7. If something comes up that your CEO can’t help you with (however unlikely that is), the team nearby is there to support them in keeping you safe and happy.
Your experience is their focus.
We want you to have the time of your life — that’s why we hire the smartest, friendliest, bestest CEOs around. It’s their mission to make sure you return home feeling like your life has truly been changed.
