Druk Path Trek Difficulty
Druk Path trek is classified as a moderate trekking, neither too challenging nor easy. Each day involves five to six hours of walking time, but some day might take more than that due to passes that need to be crossed.
The trek involves both climbs and descent along with some quite difficult ascents. What makes Druk Path Trek difficult is the altitude. For a few days, you have to walk at height more than 3,500 meter with the highest reaching close to 4,200 meters. This make even a moderate walk a little bit difficult due to thin air.
This is something to pay attention since distance on this route are relatively short but walking at high altitude make everything more challenging. A short section of ascent in 4,000 meter is more difficult than long distance walk at lower height.
For the walk the trail condition is generally good with clear visibility through the forest and ridges. You will not need any mountaineering skills. All you need is good physical condition, experience in trekking and mental preparation for the cold morning in the mountain.
Even beginner can complete this Druk Path Trek Bhutan as long as they are willing to complete this successfully.
Best Time for Druk Path Trek
Spring (March to May)
Spring is the best season that transforms the path into a wildflower pass. The rhododendron bloom throughout the hill in multiple color from pink to red and white, adding to the beauty of the forest parts. The weather remains mild through the day and the sky remain clear, providing opportunity to view the mountain. This season is a good option for walking comfortably along with proper lighting your photos.
Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is the season when the Himalayas really shines. The monsoon weather clears the sky offering you crystal clear views of the Himalayan range like Jomolhari. The trails remain firm and dry, and the temperatures are also comfortable for trekking. This is also the peak season after spring season.
Monsoon (June to August)
The monsoon affects the trek in many ways. The daily rain makes the trail wet and slippery. Clouds gather quickly and cover the sky for days, preventing visibility of the mountains. There’s also leeches in lower part of forest which make it annoying for trekkers.
Winter (December to February)
The winter will be extremely cold. At the higher altitude camp, it will get very cold and below freezing point at night. There will be snowfalls that might block some part of the path and number of daylight hours will fall sharply during the winters.
The seasons affect the Druk Path Trek differently each time, and choosing the appropriate time is very crucial.
How to Prepare for the Druk Path Trek
Being well prepared for the trek is what makes it more pleasant and there is no need for intensive training either. The preparation requires only several weeks of systematic raining.
First, begin with daily walks. It is necessary to walk for at least 30 or 45 minutes per day to develop basic endurance before your flight. Then, try to find some hills to train on. Hills, inclined paths, and even a treadmill with some inclination will help to get your legs ready for the hikes you are going to experience later.
Stair running is also helpful. Repeatedly running up and down the stairs will develop your muscles and improve your endurance in preparation for the climb.
Cardiovascular training needs to be included in your program as well. A few sessions of jogging, cycling, or even swimming per week will make you lungs capable of working effectively on high altitudes. Hiking with the weighted day pack is essential too. The experience of wearing some extra weight while practicing will make your shoulders and back ready for future treks.
Remember about your shoes as well. Make sure that you break-in your trekking shoes long before your departure since new boots can cause you many problems on your first trekking day. Four to six weeks should be enough for you to prepare. You do not have to be an athlete, just fit and persistent enough.
What to Expect: Accommodation on the Druk Path Trek
During the trek, you will experience two different types of accommodation on this trek, and it will help if you get an idea about both before you leave.
In Paro and Thimphu, you will stay in a comfortable 3 Star Hotel with BB plan. The hotel will give you comfortable beds with warm shower and attached bathroom before and after the trekking days.
From the day when the Druk Path Trek starts, the accommodation shifts to camping. This involves camping in tents at designated camping sites, generally close to some water source or open areas. Our team make sure to build the camp before you arrive at your destination.
Here we will give you sleeping tents and sleeping pads to help you stay warm during the cold nights. However, you must remember to carry a proper sleeping bag.
Trekking toilet arrangements are simple and basic. What you can expect is having a set up toilet tent at each of the camping sites and not permanent toilets.
Shower facilities will be very limited in between the days that you will spend trekking. There will be some basic facilities where you can wash up, but you won’t have access to any hot showers until you get to Paro or Thimphu.
Food and Drinking water During the Druk Path Trek
Food during this trekking adventure is simple, filling and perfectly time for the physical effort each day demands. During the trek, our team takes care of all the cooking that is enough to restore your energy for tomorrow’s journey.
Breakfast includes porridge, eggs, toast, and tea/ coffee. This provides a great start for the long walk that you will face each day. Lunch is taken either during camping or at a beautiful point along the trail. There are options like rice, lentils, vegetables, and noodles or pasta that will provide us enough energy for the afternoon.
Dinner will be the largest meal of the day. There will be soup followed by a complete option of food that includes rice, vegetables, meat where available, and Bhutanese dishes like Ema datshi.
For drinking water, we don’t provide bottled mineral water during the trekking days, primarily to avoid using plastic bottles in the wild. We only provide you boiled water at campsites, which can be drunk after cooling down.
It would be great if you also brought water purification pills or a water filter for the Druk Path Trek Bhutan.
Permits for Druk Path Trek
Bhutan follow a “high value, low impact” tourism policy which make the entry requirement different than other nation. Here are the requirements that you should have when booking a Druk Path Trek Bhutan.
Passport
Your passport should be valid for at least six months for your date of travel. This requirement must be followed on entry, so check the expiry date before travelling.
Visa Requirements
All visitors need to acquire a visa before entering Bhutan except those from India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Travelers coming from these countries will get a visa free of charge or on arrival. Other travelers will have to obtain a visa through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator.
Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)
In addition to the visa, a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of $100 per adult per night is required. Half of the fee is charged to children between the ages of 6-11 years, and children below age 6 do not have to pay.
It’s not necessary to get a separate “trekking permit” for the Druk Path Trek. The Bhutan visa and SDF cover your access and movement in the country, and your authorized tour operator will arrange trekking permission.
Visa Processing Procedure
There is also a single-use, non-refundable visa processing fee of USD 40. Due to the requirement of a pre-arranged itinerary by Bhutan for visa issuance, it is mandatory that you make the booking first, and then the tour operator submits the visa application on your behalf. The process takes around a week.
Requirement
Please have ready the following documents for your Druk Path Trek itinerary: a passport in good standing, a passport-sized photograph, a copy of the visa confirmation and proof of payment of the SDF.
But the best thing is that you do not have to worry about any of this because Epic Trek Nepal will take care of everything like permits, visa process, and SDF for you well before you depart.
Trekking responsibly on the Druk Path Trek
Bhutan is known for its clean environment and deep respect towards its culture, and the trekkers should also take them seriously. There are just some practices that can help protect the environment better.
Avoid using plastics wherever possible. Instead of buying plastic bottled water, use a reusable water bottle and take with you water purification tablets or filters.
Monasteries and dzongs require special consideration. Wear appropriate clothes, take off shoes if asked to do so, and never take pictures without permission in sacred places. These structures mean a lot spiritually for the people of Bhutan.
Respect for local traditions doesn’t apply only to religious places but also everywhere else. Be polite, ask permission to take someone’s picture and follow the lead of your guide everywhere you go.
Waste management is compulsory. Pack in what you bring. This means all your garbage, whether wrappers, batteries, tissues, and even biodegradable products should be packed and taken back home.
Making contributions to local communities counts as well. Purchase from local businesses, tip your guides fairly, and select trekkers that employ local guides and porters.
Lastly, always follow to the guide instruction. They know the landscape, weather condition and the cultural protocols much better than any guidebook could tell you.
Epic Trek Nepal guides are well trained to conduct treks responsibly, respecting both the environment and the Bhutanese culture. Being responsible is not something that we add to our treks, it forms the core of our treks.
Travel Insurance
This Druk Path Trek is not like other Bhutan Sightseeing tour, as it goes above 4,000 meters where you can actually get sick, so a travel insurance is a must for Druk Path Trek itinerary.
Standard travel insurance generally does not include trekking. Before purchasing a plan, make sure that your insurance plan includes trekking and hiking as an insured activity and not just traveling.
It becomes important to ensure that the insurance covers high altitudes. Since Druk Path Trek takes place at an altitude of around 4,200 meters, you need to make sure that your insurance covers activities performed at this altitude because some insurers have a limit up to 3,000 or 4,000 meters.
Your insurance policy should include coverage for medical emergencies, hospitalization, and evacuation because the hospitals in Bhutan are very few, hence making evacuation the most important part.
It is also wise to purchase trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance since the country requires visa application in advance and prepayment of Sustainable Development Fee.
Our advice to you is that you purchase the insurance only after fixing your travel date because that way you will have the cancellation coverage before traveling period begins.
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