Gangtey Trek:Trekking Through Bhutan’s Pristine Valleys and Peaks

gangtey TREK

Gangtey Trek is a short admired trekking in Bhutan. It is pretty easy than other trekking of Bhutan. It grants scenic vistas with mostly gentle forested slopes. Here, proposed the trip of Gangtey Trek is the combination of trekking as well as travel around three major tourist destinations of Bhutan: Paro, Thimphu, and Punakha.

Gangtey Trek starts from traveling to Paro with the visit of National Museum, Fortress followed by hiking to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Then you drive to Gangtey valley with a stopover in Thimphu. Gangtey, famed also as Phobijikha Valley, is the winter home of endangered black-necked cranes that arrive every year from the Tibetan Plateau.

DAY 01: ARRIVE PARO – THIMPHU

Arrival in Paro International Airport. Meeting and greeting you by our representative and transfer to the hotel. Visit of Ta Dzong (Ancient building which now is the Bhutan’s National Museum has in its possession over 3,000 works of Bhutanese art covering more than 1,500 years of Bhutan’s cultural heritage) and Rinpung Dzong (Fortress built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first spiritual and temporal ruler of Bhutan. This Dzong houses the monastic body of Paro, the office of district administrative head and court of Paro district).

Overnight at hotel in Paro

DAY 02: HIKE TO Tigers’s Nest Monastery

Early morning drive to the base camp of Tigers’s Nest Monastery (Locally known as Taktsang Monastery is located in the side of cliff of the Upper Paro Valley where Guru Padmasambhava landed on the back of a tigress in the 8th century). Hike up to the monastery. It’s about two hours hike up the cafeteria. From this point, enjoy the spectacular view of the monastery. Hike back to the road. Drive to Thimphu.

Overnight at hotel in Thimphu

DAY 03: DRIVE TO GANGTEY GOMPA

Morning drive from Thimphu to Gangtey. The first half of the drive is about 3 hour’s leisurely drive over the Dochula pass (3,150m) to Wangdue. At Dochula pass, which is decorated with colorful prayer flags, visit to Chorten, Mani Wall and enjoy view of Himalayan panorama. Stop in Wangdue for lunch. Then next 3 hours of drive to reach Gangtey Gompa.

Overnight at Lodge/Camp in Gangtey

DAY 04: TREK TO GOGONA

Today is a moderate trek passing through meadows and fields then ascends the Tselela Pass at 3440m through mixed forest of Juniper, bamboos, Rhododendrons and Magnolias. After crossing Tselela, the trail crosses meadows and descends through forest to Gangak (3020m) – a beautiful hilltop overlooking a long valley. Further short walk to reach Gogona. Gogona is a small village with a wonderful monastery under the care of Gangtey Gompa. During trekking come across people who speak different dialect called Bjop-kha (language spoken by nomads in Bhutan).

Overnight at Camp in Gogona

DAY 05: TREK TO KOHTOKHA

From Gogona the trial gently climb into a forest of fir, oak, spruce, dwarf rhododendron, miniature azaleas, cypress and juniper heading to Shobju La pass (3410m). From this pass the trail down through the forest and cross a small stream. Sooner, at about 3000m, the trail meets a rough trail used by tractors to collect wood from the forest. Continue heading down, the trail overlooks the broad Khothangkha valley and eventually reaches a clearing, Chorten Karpo. Camp will be set beside a forest of a large blue pines overlooking the valley and the village of Khothangkha.

Overnight at Camp in Khotokha

DAY 06: TREK TO TIKKE ZAMPA & DRIVE TO PUNAKHA

After short climb from Khothangkha will reach the Tashila Pass at 2800m. Then the trail goes down through a beautiful forest changing from rhododendrons to magnolia to ferns and dwarf bamboos. This stretch of trail is one of the best bird-watching areas in Bhutan where species like laughing thrush, shrike, magpie and woodpecker can be spotted. The trail then plunges down past steep terraced wheat fields to a cluster of houses at Whachay. The trail eventually meets the road near Tikke Zampa at 1500m. Drive from Tikke Zampa to Punakha which is around 30 minutes drive.

Overnight at hotel in Punakha

DAY 07: SIGHTSEEING IN PUNAKHA & DRIVE TO THIMPHU

Morning visit to Punakha Dzong (Locally known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong meaning the palace of great happiness or bliss is the second oldest and largest fortress of Bhutan which is built on majestic structure at the confluence of the Pho-chu (male-river) and Mo-chu (female-river). Take a short hike through beautiful rice fields to Chimmi Lhakhang (A temple dedicated to Drukpa Kuenley, who as a favorite saint of the Bhutanese people is known affectionately as “the Divine Madman”). Afterwards, drive to Thimphu which is about 3 hours drive.

Overnight at Hotel in Thimphu

DAY 08: SIGHTSEEING IN THIMPHU & DRIVE TO PARO

In the morning visit visit Kurjey Lhakhang, one of the most sacred places in the kingdom where Bhutan’s patron saint Guru Rimpoche meditated. Afterwards drive to Punakha, stopping for lunch along the way. Overnight at your hotel in Punakha.