So, it's Blessed rainy day week (Bhutanese call it Thrue baap). Like the name suggests, you got to expect rain on this week (Bhutan celebrates Blessed rainy day on September 23rd every year). Bhutanese would go paranoid if they don't see rain in September thinking it's a bad omen from above for we believe the rain in September contains that magical power which can cleanse all our bad Karma. Don't be surprised to see the elderly people glued to their radios, for they broadcast the time for the heavenly rain to fall (yes you heard it, they can predict when that magic rain will happen, no wonder we are called a very spiritual country 😂 ) and know the best time to take an outdoor shower and cleanse all the bad karma accumulated.
So, when my dear friend Dr. Maureen in Australia said she was planning to do this Druk Path Trek in Bhutan in the year 2015, I requested her to tag me along with her partner, professor Paul (for I make a pretty good third wheeler 😛 ). When she consented and said that I would be going without having to pay a penny for the trek ( I was then just a fresh graduate), my happiness knew no bound (I would be ever grateful to Fly2Bhutan( https://yellow.place/en/fly2bhutan-paro-bhutan) for the free trip) for I know how expensive guided trekking tours can be, even for the locals. And guess what, my first ever trekking in Bhutan fell during Blessed rainy day week (we started from 19th and ended on 24th) and I believe I am all cleansed of my bad Karma for we received pretty good amount of rain during the trek.
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| Drying our wet under wears, sorry socks 😋 |
All you need to know about Druk Path Trek
This famous wilderness trail covers the two popular towns of Bhutan (Paro and Thimphu) and you can choose which way you want to start the trail. We started from Paro and ended at Thimphu ( I heard its actually challenging if you start from Thimphu). We finished the trek in 6 days (covering a total distance of more than 60K) for we decided to cover short distances each day and really enjoy the wilderness.
Druk path won't disappoint you, for it will give a scenic view of Paro from Jili Dzong, beautiful lakes( with plenty of giant trouts), waterfalls, stone stupas, wild flowers and of course rhododendrons (sad thing it wasn't time for them to bloom in September). I believe anyone can do this trek for it is not challenging except that the trek takes you to relatively high altitude (don't forget to take chocolates or K5 whisky 😝 incase you get altitude sickness). I bet you can do the treks in winter (around December) for I have seen the pictures of the trek in snow and it is just mind freezing (in a good way of course).
First day of the trek
We began the trail above Taa dzong (National museum) following the dirt road for like thirty minutes before the actual climb. The first day was fairly short but it was mostly uphill. Fifteen minutes or so into the climb and my legs were already jelly (I trained for this walk, walking everyday to Buddha point in the evening for a week) and I was panting. I think it's all about acclimatising the first day and it gets better. Trust me all these are worth once you reach Jili dzong, which was also our first stop. You get this impeccable view of Paro and photo cannot do the justice what you actually witness with your eyes. I was blown away by the beauty of Paro, that at one point I said I am going to find someone who owns a land in Paro and settle here forever😝.
Second day of the trek
The second day wasn't bad either with small ascents and descents and you cross rhododendron forests mostly. I wished it was the blooming season so that instead of light shower we experienced that day, we would have rhododendron showers instead.
Third day of the trek
Well if you haven't seen an actual lake up close, brace yourself for you will see this amazing lake, Jimilang tsho (the campsite), so you can expect plenty of giant trouts (except that fishing is not allowed, I mean unless no one sees you fishing 😆). The third day, by then the hosts of heaven had already started blessing us with quite heavy shower, so much that I begged that I was cleansed already but they didn't listen. My trekking shoes were all wet for my shoe was basically designed for short hikes and not for actual treks ( thank god I had a sneaker carried along that kept my feet dry). So, yeah it was mostly rain the third day!
Fourth day of the trek
The fourth day, the sky cleared up and we saw waterfalls and professor Paul couldn't help taking pictures of the wildflowers. The campsite was at Simkotra tso, I believe a Dzongkha movie was shot in this lake. The lake was amazing and you could also see the trail that takes you to Dung tsho (will blog about this soon) from Simkotra. We had a campfire and dried our clothes and the Fly2Bhutan peeps always had amazing meals to offer. I was pretty amazed when they got us hot pie not baked in oven and still tasted good (It wasn't Arya Stark's pie baked from human flesh, GoT fans you know what I mean). Amazing view, amazing food, warm fire and starry nights it was.
Fifth day of the trek
The fifth day of the trek ended at Phajoding. It was quite a long walk but not challenging again. You get an amazing view of Thimphu from Phajoding. We camped at Phajoding instead of getting to Thimphu and saying goodbye to Druk path trek (we weren't ready to say goodbye yet).
Sixth Day of the trek
The path was all downhill and if it wasn't for the heavenly shower and slippery trail, I would have ran straight at the end point where your vehicle would be waiting, also a shop which sells beer 😉.
Druk Path Trek is for you if you want to experience wilderness without having to struggle much and want to see gorgeous lakes and if you are lucky you can also see yaks grazing. So, go for it but remember September 23rd, expect rain and get ready to get cleansed in the jungle!
First day of the trek
We began the trail above Taa dzong (National museum) following the dirt road for like thirty minutes before the actual climb. The first day was fairly short but it was mostly uphill. Fifteen minutes or so into the climb and my legs were already jelly (I trained for this walk, walking everyday to Buddha point in the evening for a week) and I was panting. I think it's all about acclimatising the first day and it gets better. Trust me all these are worth once you reach Jili dzong, which was also our first stop. You get this impeccable view of Paro and photo cannot do the justice what you actually witness with your eyes. I was blown away by the beauty of Paro, that at one point I said I am going to find someone who owns a land in Paro and settle here forever😝.
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Jili Dzong, our first stop
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Second day of the trek
The second day wasn't bad either with small ascents and descents and you cross rhododendron forests mostly. I wished it was the blooming season so that instead of light shower we experienced that day, we would have rhododendron showers instead.
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| Rhododendron glistened with wet lichens on the way to third day stop at Jimilang tsho |
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No thup(porridge) for Thrue but sure had a great view dining above clouds. Second day stop
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Third day of the trek
Well if you haven't seen an actual lake up close, brace yourself for you will see this amazing lake, Jimilang tsho (the campsite), so you can expect plenty of giant trouts (except that fishing is not allowed, I mean unless no one sees you fishing 😆). The third day, by then the hosts of heaven had already started blessing us with quite heavy shower, so much that I begged that I was cleansed already but they didn't listen. My trekking shoes were all wet for my shoe was basically designed for short hikes and not for actual treks ( thank god I had a sneaker carried along that kept my feet dry). So, yeah it was mostly rain the third day!
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Jimilangtsho (also known as Sand Ox lake) also a place for giant trouts they say but we didn't see one!
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Fourth day of the trek
The fourth day, the sky cleared up and we saw waterfalls and professor Paul couldn't help taking pictures of the wildflowers. The campsite was at Simkotra tso, I believe a Dzongkha movie was shot in this lake. The lake was amazing and you could also see the trail that takes you to Dung tsho (will blog about this soon) from Simkotra. We had a campfire and dried our clothes and the Fly2Bhutan peeps always had amazing meals to offer. I was pretty amazed when they got us hot pie not baked in oven and still tasted good (It wasn't Arya Stark's pie baked from human flesh, GoT fans you know what I mean). Amazing view, amazing food, warm fire and starry nights it was.
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Wild flowers and professor Paul
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| Simkotra lake |
Fifth day of the trek
The fifth day of the trek ended at Phajoding. It was quite a long walk but not challenging again. You get an amazing view of Thimphu from Phajoding. We camped at Phajoding instead of getting to Thimphu and saying goodbye to Druk path trek (we weren't ready to say goodbye yet).
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| Phajoding with Thimphu city below. (End of Druk Path trek) |
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| with our pony guy, ponies are hard to ignore with that burr 😀 |
Sixth Day of the trek
The path was all downhill and if it wasn't for the heavenly shower and slippery trail, I would have ran straight at the end point where your vehicle would be waiting, also a shop which sells beer 😉.
Druk Path Trek is for you if you want to experience wilderness without having to struggle much and want to see gorgeous lakes and if you are lucky you can also see yaks grazing. So, go for it but remember September 23rd, expect rain and get ready to get cleansed in the jungle!
Happy Blessed Rainy Day :)
Amazed by every bit of the detail. Putting this in my bucket list right away!
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely plan this trek! It's beautiful :)
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