The Trans Bhutan Trail has been restored and will be open to visitors in 2022. For hundreds of years, it was used by pilgrims, messengers, armies and traders. Until the 1960s, it was the only way to travel and communicate with others across the country. According to Travel + Leisure, the Trail will begin to welcome visitors as of March of 2022.
The Trans Bhutan Trail dates back at least to the 16th century when it connected fortresses called Dzongs and served as the pilgrimage route for Buddhists in the east traveling to the most sacred sites in western Bhutan and Tibet. Trail runners, or ‘Garps’, worked the Trail and were legendary, traveling with vital messages and mail between Dzongs at great speeds with little food or rest. The Trail came to play a major role in uniting the region’s many provinces, repelling foreign incursions, and fostering the birth of Bhutan as a nation in 1907.
By the 1960s the Trail had fallen into disuse with the construction of a national highway. Bridges, footpaths and stairways collapsed, gewogs (villages) and landholdings were separated, and this traditional pilgrimage route became neglected.
The restoration of the Trail was led by the Bhutan Canada Foundation with the support of the Tourism Council of Bhutan and countless individuals across the country including government officials, De-suups, and volunteers. Not only has the Trail allowed the Bhutanese to again walk in the footsteps of their ancestors to rediscover generations’ worth of stories and history, it also highlights the Kingdom’s core principles concerning the environment and sustainable development.
During the Covid-19 crisis, with the assistance of the Royal Government of Bhutan more than 900 furloughed workers helped to restore the Trail to its former glory including the rebuilding of 18 bridges, hundreds of kilometers of footpaths and more than 10,000 steps. The Trail can be walked, run, or biked, in part or in whole. It is one of the great walks in the world.
The Constitution of Bhutan mandates that at least 60% of the country must remain virgin forest. Today, Bhutan has 70% forest cover. More than half of its territory is designated as protected areas and biological corridors, with thriving wildlife, fresh rivers and pristine forests.
Bhutan’s carbon sequestration and green power offsets are also greater than its national emission, making Bhutan the only carbon-negative country in the world.The Trans Bhutan Trail supports youth and community-based education. Programs encourage physical and mental fitness, leadership and team development. Working with schools, scout groups, De-suung and others along the Trail, we provide experiential education opportunities including curriculum in flora and fauna, low-impact trekking and survival skills, first aid and cultural history.
The Trail spans the breadth of the country, 403 kilometers (250 miles) from Haa in the west to Trashigang in the east. It is one of the most beautiful, culturally rich and least explored trails in the world.
In order to protect against the ravages of over-tourism, the Bhutanese government has a policy of welcoming “high-value, low-volume” tourism. Tourism is unique in Bhutan because of a US$250 minimum daily package charge for international travelers. This price includes 3-star accommodation, meals, a personal tour guide, a private vehicle, as well as most other activities planned throughout the trip, including transfers between cities or gewogs.
Bhutan has only one international airport, Paro International Airport, near Paro in the western part of the country, 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of the capital city, Thimphu. Two airlines fly to Paro: Bhutan Airlines and Druk Air.
There are international flights to Paro from Bangkok, Singapore, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Delhi and other cities in India. Flight prices from these gateways into Paro are fixed and do not fluctuate based on dates.
