16 Days Nabji Korphu Community Based Trek

Highlight: Visit Paro Rinpung Dzong, Ta Dzong Museum and Kyichu Lhakhang.

Upon your arrival in Paro by Druk Air, Bhutan’s national carrier, you will be picked up by your tour guide at the airport and then escorted to the hotel. After a short rest, you will go to tour the Paro city.

This first landmark in Paro you will visit is the Ta Dzong Museum, the national museum located on the hill behind the Paro Dzong. It houses many fine arts, religious relics, handicrafts, as well as textiles, jewelry etc., offering a great orientation into Bhutan’s historical, cultural, and religious past. Then head to visit the Kyichu Lhakhang, which is one of 108 temples constructed by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. Built in a manner similar to the Jokhang in Lhasa, Tibet, the temple has the great golden image of Buddha Shakyamuni.

After that, you will go to explore the famous Paro Rinpung Dzong. It is a large Dzong, Buddhist monastery and fortress built in 17th Century to protect Paro valley. Rinpung Dzong houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Paro including Ta Dzong Museum

Highlight: Explore Thimphu’s cultural wonders like National Memorial Chorten, National Textile Museum and Traditional Paper Making Factory etc.

Today, you will first drive to Thimphu which takes about 1.5 hours. Then enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour in Thimphu. You will first visit the National Memorial Chorten, constructed in memorial of the third King of Bhutan, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, in 1974. The King was generally regarded as the father of modern Bhutan and widely esteemed by the Bhutanese. Then head to National Textile Museum, which keeps the traditional art of waving preserved and exhibits a good collection of ancient colored textile in various forms. keeps the traditional art of waving preserved and exhibits a good collection of ancient colored textile in various forms.

After lunch, you will visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, to see the productive process of Bhutan’s traditional medicine, herbs mostly, and watch the medical practitioner training. Next, go to Traditional Paper Making Factory, which originated from the old tradition in the 8th century, Bhutan papermaking has been well preserved and listed as the valuable national heritage of Bhutanese culture.

Stay overnight in Thimphu.

Thimphu National Memorial Chorten

Highlight: Take in beautiful scenery along the drive.

Today you will drive to Trongsa via Punakha and Wangdue. The entire drive takes about 5 hours. On the way, you will stop for a rest at scenic Dochu La Pass (3,100m). The pass is a perfect vintage point where you can have an unobstructed vista of the mighty Himalayas. The bus will also make a temporary stop at the amazing 108 chortens built by Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (The Queen mother of Bhutan) for the safety and wellbeing of His Majesty (The king of Bhutan).

Stay overnight in Trongsa.

Dochu La Pass

(Trek distance: 7-9km; Time: 4 hours; Altitude: 1000m to 1350m; Ascent: 350m)

After breakfast, you can take some time to wander around Trongsa town, taking a visit to the Dzong or the museum at the Watchtower of Trongsa. The museum will captivate visitors with its myriad collections of antiques and artifacts. A 2-hour drive from the town along the Zhemgang highway brings you to the start of the trek at Tongtongphey.

You can also augment your itinerary with a visit to Kuenga Rabten palace, an important heritage in Bhutanese history. After arming yourself with information about the trek from the information booth, the village guide steers you down to the Mangdi river where you cross a suspension bridge. On this stretch of the journey the otherwise rare Golden Langurs, an endangered species of primate is abundant and almost impossible to miss. You will meet the Monpas who are believed to be the first inhabitants of Bhutan.

A glimpse into their lifestyle coupled with mythical legends about their origins further validates this claim. The campsite in Jangbi stands on the valley sill, which offers a resplendent view of the Mangdi valley. If you still have some energy you can watch a local cultural program or even better, take part in it.

Camping at Jangbi village.

Nabji Korphu Community Based Trek

(Trek distance: 14km; Time: 6 hours; Altitude: 1350m to 1500m; Ascent: 200m)

You can enjoy a further interact with the Monpas in the morning. Before you proceed, you can also pay a visit to the orchid garden that houses around 75 different varieties of orchids. The trail to Kudra is especially interesting as it passes stone imprints of Guru Rinpoche’s footprints, dagger and phallus. Lunch is served just before you arrive at Phrumzur, one of the Monpa villages. After a quick visit to the village Lhakhang in Phrumzur and you then proceed to the campsite in Kudra. En route, you’ll encounter another small Monpa village called Lekpogang, after which, the campsite in Kudra is just an hour’s walk. The campsite offers a bird’s-eye-view of Nyimshong village and also of Zhemgang town.

Camping at Kudra village.

(Trek distance: 14km; Time: 6-7 hours; Altitude: 1500m to 1300m; Descent: 200m)

This part of the trek is a collage of streams, waterfalls and thick forests that will give you an invigorating feeling of being out in the wild. The Great Himalayan Squirrel, Rhesus Mecaques, and small snakes are often spotted along the trail. Unseen but present, are Himalayan black bear, Red pandas, tigers, Clouded leopards et cetera. Upon arrival at the holy tree in Nabji, the people will give you a heartwarming reception. Nabji is a beautiful village where paddy fields seem to circumambulate the clustered houses. You could also hike to the community school and indulge yourself in game of football or volleyball, where children rejoice the presence of outsider athletes.

Camping at Nabji village.

(Trek distance: 13km; Time: 6 hours; Altitude: 1300m to 1500m; Ascent: 200m)

On the way to Korphu, you can see the Nabji temple which is located in the middle of the paddy fields. Inside, there is a stone pillar on which Guru Rinpoche imprinted the thumbs of two warring kings as a symbol of resolution after bringing about peace. Korphu is situated on a mountaintop at an altitude of 1,500m. The most striking thing about Korphu is that the people exemplify hospitality almost treating you like royalty.

You can expect to enjoy being welcomed with a traditional ‘Chipdrel’ procession and a ‘Marchang’ ceremony. These ceremonies are typically reserved for royalty but here the villagers will greet you by singing these traditional songs of praise and wellbeing. They also perform the traditional ‘Tashi Labey’ dance to bid you farewell. The villagers can explain and demonstrate and even allow you to participate in the quintessential Bhutanese games of ‘Khuru’, ‘Dego’, ‘Sok-sum’, and ‘Gee-dum’.

You can also visit the village temple that houses sacred relics of Pema Lingpa, the most famous Terton or ‘Treasure revealer’ in Bhutan. Lunch can be provided in the village campsite which also provides a spectacular bird’s-eye view of Nabji and other surrounding areas.

Camping at Korphu Village.

(Trek distance: 12km; Time: 5 hours; Altitude: 1500m to 1300m; Descent: 200m)

It is a pleasant trek from Korphu to Nyimshong, with the best birding spot which can boast a bird list of more than 395 species. The elusive Rufous Necked Hornbill has its nesting holes adjacent to the trail. The walk is interspaced with waterfalls and, streams and cantilever bridges. The evening brings you to Nyimshong village. The campsite is equipped with an amphitheatre. The women of Nyimshong have a penchant for singing and dancing and often put on cultural shows for visitors.

Camping at Nimshong village. 

(Trek distance: 6km; Time: 2 hours; Altitude: 1300m to 1000m; Descent: 200m)

Today, you will first descend towards the Mangdi River. You are likely to see Herons, River-lapwings and even Golden Langurs in this region. A steep hour-long climb will bring you to the road from where your driver will drive you back to Trongsa.

Stay overnight in Trongsa.

Highlight: Visit Trongsa Dzong and explore the beautiful valley.

In the morning first visit the Trongsa Dzong, which was built by Chhogyel Mingyur Tempa (sent by Zhabdrung to unify Eastern Bhutan to bring under the rule of the Desi) in the year 1644 and was enlarged in 17th century by the Desi (secular ruler) Tenzin Rabgye. The dzong dominates the horizon, dwarfing the surrounding buildings. Both the First and the Second King ruled the country from this Dzong. It is an impregnable fortress.

Then after explore the valley of Trongsa, you will drive to Bumthang, which takes 2.5 hours on the way.

Stay overnight in Bumthang.

Trongsa Dzong

Highlight: Visit landmarks in Bumthang like Tamshing Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang and Jakar Dzong.

Today, you will enjoy a sightseeing in Bumthang. Deep in the central regions of the country, Bumthang valley is broad and presents a different landscape you may not see in west Bhutan. You will first visit Tamshing Lhakhang, which famous for its collections of printings exemplifying the region’s style. Then crossing the suspension bridge to the Kurjey Lhakhang. Not far from Kurjey Lhakhang sits the Jambay Lhakhang, a temple built by the King Songtsen Goempo of Tibet in the 7th century. Next, you will continue to visit Jakar Dzong, a wonderful architecture in Bhutan, with a circumference of more than 1500 meters.

Stay overnight in Bumthang.

Kurjey Lhakhang

Highlight: Explore Probjikha valley and visit Gangtey Monastery.

After breakfast, you will start your journey to Wangdue. The distance between Bumthang and Wangdue is about 197 kilometers, which will take you 6 hours. On the way, the bus will first make a temporary stop at Gangtey Monastery, a can’t-miss monastery of Nyingmapa school of Buddhism. Then drive towards the Phobjikha valley which is one part of the beautiful Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park.

During the winter, a large flock of black-necked cranes, the endangered species, gather there to escape from the chilly weather. Besides, the forest covered mountains around the valley have been widely accepted as the most remote areas where only the rarely seen nomadic shepherds and yak herders can find the trails.

In the afternoon, you will have plenty of time exploring the Phobjikha valley and visiting the Black Necked Crane Center. Then continue your travel to Wangdue Phodrang, the capital of Wangdue Phodrang District.

Stay overnight in Wangdue.

Gangtey Monastery

Highlight: Visit Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Lhakhang and Simtokha Dzong.

After breakfast, you will head to visit the beautiful Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Lhakhang after hiking to the upper Punakha valley and crossing the hanging bridge through large tracts of paddy fields. It takes you about 1 hour to reach the temple and the view sighted from the temple is also stunning.

Then you will head for Thimphu and visit Simtokha Dzong, one of the oldest dzongs in Bhutan on the route. It now houses the Institute for Language and Culture Studies.

Stay overnight in Thimphu.

Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Lhakhang

Highlight: Visit Kyichu Temple and ruins of Drukgyel Dzong.

Today you will leave for Paro. Along the route, the tourist bus will make a temporary stop at the Kyichu Temple, which is one of 108 temples constructed by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo. Built in a manner similar to the Jokhang in Lhasa, Tibet, the temple has the great golden image of Buddha Shakyamuni.

After lunch, drive up to the valley to view the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong where the Bhutanese repelled several invading Tibetan armies during the 17th century.

In the evening, you can choose to either stay in your hotel or stroll round the downtown and pay a visit to some local handicraft stores.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Kyichu Lhakhang

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Highlight: Enjoy the wonderful trekking to Tiger’s Nest Monastery.

Today, you will leave for Paro to enjoy the exciting trek to the Taktshang Goemba, also known as Tiger's Nest. Standing incredibly on the side of a sheer cliff 900m above the Paro Valley, Taktshang Goemba (3210m) is the landmark of Bhutan and also the holiest temple of the country. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche) had flied here on the back of a tigress and meditated in the caves on the cliffside for three months. The temple has therefore become the holy site worshipped by all Bhutanese devotees, and known as one of the world’s top ten temples. 

After the trek, you will head back to Paro.

Stay overnight in Paro.

Trek to Taktshang Monastery

Your tour guide will transfer you to Paro International Airport for your next destination. Tour service end.