Biking Across Bhutan

11 June – 26 June
This is one of the rarest and most unique local festivals in Bumthang. This three days festival offers the experience of the Buddhist tradition in a setting of unique architecture, and breathtaking Himalayan landscape. The friendly Bhutanese people share with you their traditional lifestyle untouched by outside influence. A trip gives you unique opportunity to experience Himalayan Buddhist culture.

11th June: Arrival/Paro
Flying into the country’s only airport, in the beautiful Paro valley, the clear mountain air, forested ridges, imposing monasteries and welcoming Bhutanese people in their striking national dress, provides a breath-taking first impression. Your guide who is going to be with you throughout your trip from Bhutan Wilderness Travel will meet you at the airport. A fifteen minute drive follows the narrow winding road to our hotel which is a traditional Bhutanese building with attractive gardens and an exceptionally peaceful atmosphere. We have some time before dinner to put our bikes together, in preparation for the start of our journey.
Overnight: Uma

12th June: Hike to Taktsang
After breakfast, we finish off the bikes and gear up for the first day’s riding. Bike for about an hour to the trail head to hike up to the Taktsang Monastery. This is one of the Buddhist world’s most venerated pilgrimage sites and is known as the Tiger’s Nest. It is said that the Guru Rinpoche came to Taktsang on the back of a tigress and, whilst meditating in a cave, converted the Paro valley to Buddhism. A number of temples have now been built on the site, and these occupy precarious positions, clinging to a black cliff high above the Paro valley. The visit involves a two-hour climb on a steep foot path through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. The views are well worth the effort. After spending some time at the monastery, we descend back to the road and bike to our hotel along the dirt farm road.
Overnight: Uma

13th June: Haa Valley across the Chele La
Biking easily down to the Paro valley from our hotel, we pass through farmland and scattered hamlets to reach the start of our climb to the Chele La. Setting off on our first big climb, we gain height gradually and at some of the turns have glimpses to the north of the snowcapped peaks of the Bhutan. Chomolhari and Jichudrake are the biggest peaks at the western end of the country. After approximately 36 kilometres, which may take as long as 5 hours, we reach the prayer flagged summit of the pass at the lofty altitude of 3822 metres. This is pretty high so early in the trip and anyone not feeling up to this challenge can opt to hitch a ride on the support vehicle at any time. At the pass, we will have a snack lunch and plenty to drink and brace ourselves for a breath- taking 20 kilometers descent. After an initial cruise between the trees, we head down into the valley by way of a series of 10 extravagant hairpin turns. Thankfully, there is almost no traffic on this road.
Overnight: Rigsum Resort

14th June: Bike to Thimphu (7-8 hours)
Our destination today is the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu, which is 110kms from Haa. Thankfully, this is all on a good and fairly level road-with very little traffic. We start out very easily for 40kms we follow the Ha river gently downhill. We head towards the southeast and then northwards to a junction with Bhutan’s main east-west highway at Chuzom (2068m). Incidentally, the road from Paro also meets main highway here. From here, we follow the Thim Chu upstream through a mixture of rice fields and coniferous forest. We find a suitable wayside spot for a lunch stop and then continue, via a narrow gorge section and a widening of the valley at Namseling. Finally, the quaint suburbs of Thimphu begin to appear. Thimphu is the largest settlement in Bhutan and is spread out across a wide valley. Thimphu has a special charm and it is fascinating to sit and watch a gathering of local people in the town square, wearing their traditional dress and going about their business in a typically unhurried Bhutanese way.
Overnight: hotel Jomulhari

15th June: Across the Dochu La to Punakha (4-5hours)
Our stay in Thimphu is only a short one and we breakfast in anticipation of the bike ride that lies ahead of us. The road up to the Dochu La (3050m) involves a 22kms ride and a height gain of 670m. The hillsides on either side of road are covered in a luxuriant temperate forest, with an abundance of rhododendron and magnolia. The lower slopes are even lusher, with orange trees, bananas and bamboo. Several species of deer and monkeys make their home in this forest. We will meet our support vehicle at the pass and have a stop for rest and refreshment. The pass is marked by many prayer flags and chortens and it offers a magnificent panorama of the Eastern Himalaya, including the all of the giant 7000 meter peaks of Lunana in northeastern Bhutan. The downhill from the Dochu La into the Punakha valley will leave you speechless 1700 meters of descent, through lush forest and jungle and spread over a distance of 50 kilometers.
Overnight: hotel YT

16th June: Rest day in Punakha
If you like, you may take the bus for a side trip to Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s old capital. Lying at the junction of the Mo (Mother) Chu and the Pho (Father) Chu, Punakha Dzong is the winter home for over 1000 monks. Every year the Punakha festival celebrates the famous victory over the Tibetans, who were repulsed whilst trying to recapture the sacred statue of the God of long life, brought to Bhutan by Shabdrung. We have a sightseeing tour of the magnificent Dzong which was built in 1637 and partly restored following a flood 10 years ago.
Overnight: hotel YT

17th June: Bike to Gangtey
The Central Road across the Black Mountains was completed only 20 years ago and its completion brought about great changes to the people of central Bhutan. We leave our hotel and cycle down to the river and the valley bottom, one of the lowest points of the trip at 600 meters above sea level. Crossing the bridge, we have a short climb to the village of Wangdi and then a relatively flat road for 20 kilometers to a bridge across the river just past the village of Tikke. We stop for a tea break and then begin a long climb over the Black Mountains. This is a deceptively long climb, gaining almost 2000 meters, to a junction with the side road to Gangtey, a few kilometers beyond Nobding. Crossing the pass, we descend into the Phobjikha valley, which is one of the few winter homes of the black-necked crane, which migrates here from the Central Asiatic Plateau in November. A short descent leads into the valley and to our hotel a few kilometers beyond the small village of Gangtey, whose houses are clustered around the monastery. Altitude at Gangtey: 3000 meters. Ride time: 8 to 9 hours.
Overnight: Dewachen

18th June: Cross the Pele La to Tongsa
Moving on from this fascinating spectacle, we head eastwards once again, continuing our climb to Pele La (3300m). There is a good chance that we will see langur monkeys in the forest on this section of our ride. At the pass, the forest opens out a little and we should find yaks grazing by the side of the road. Looking back from the pass, it is possible to see Jhomolhari (7219m). The Pele La is the third of our big passes and by now we should be getting used to the climbs. This pass is traditionally known as the boundary Western and Eastern Bhutan and the landscape which spreads out on the far side of the pass is different to that on the western side. Another amazing descent follows (1530m). It is downhill almost all the way for 60 kilometers to Tongsa.

We take our lunch at Chendebji, a magnificent Stupa built to ward off the demons of the valley. After crossing a bridge at Nika Chhu, we enter Tongsa district and follow a dramatic section of the road, carved into the side of a cliff, high above the Mangde Chhu. The scenery is beautiful forest as far as the eye can see and with Tongsa Dzong visible from 30 kilometers away, at the end of the valley. Tongsa means new village was founded in the 16th century, which is relatively recent for Bhutan! After so much downhill riding, beware of the final 300m climb up to Tongsa Village it can catch you out! If we have time in the afternoon we will take a look around the Dzong, which is situated on a spur over the Mangde Chhu, with a commanding view in every direction. Altitude at Tongsa: 2200m. Ride time: 5 to 6 hours.
Overnight: hotel Yangkhil

19th June: Bike to Jakar
The road climbs rapidly through a series of hairpins out of Tongsa and there are great views back to the Dzong and out across the valley. After passing through cultivated fields for a while, we re-enter the forest and at a distance of 30 kilometers from Tongsa we reach the Yutung La (3400m).

Descending to a low point of 2650m at a village called Chumey; the scenery is once again totally different as we enter the wide-open Bumthang valleys. If you like, you may bike downhill from the pass along the historical old trade route which had been abandoned ever since the accessibility of road to this part of the country which is about thirty years ago, and the path is back into its complete wilderness form as nobody uses it now. We will take about an hour to get to the roadside at Chumey, the first of the four valleys in Bumthang, and find out a nice spot to have picnic lunch. After a short climb to Kiki La, we turn a corner for a great descent to Jakar. From almost 20 kilometers away we can see Jakar Dzong, high above the village. Altitude at Jakar: 2600m. Ride time: 7 to 8 hours.
Overnight: hotel Yoeserling

20th June: Day at the festival
This festival is celebrated annually in the fall in honor of Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as Guru Rinpoche to commemorate his great deeds. Both lay people and monks perform the dances of the Tsechu. The dancers take on the aspects of wrathful and compassionate deities. The dances known as Cham bring blessings upon onlookers, to instruct them in the teachings of the Buddhist Dharma, to protect them from misfortune, and to exorcise evil influences. Deities are invoked during the dances; through their power and benediction, misfortunes may be annihilated, luck increased and wishes realized. It is also a social gathering where the people rejoice together, dressed in their finest clothing and jewelry.
Overnight: hotel Yoeserling

21st June: Jakar
Today, we will hike up to Tharpaling Monastery perched way up on the ridge above Jakar. The path goes up through beautiful and virgin conifer forest with occasional view of snowcapped mountains in the north. It’s a treat, to be on top of the ridge after the long climb. A perfect place of contemplation!
Overnight Hotel Yoeserling

22nd June: Across the Shertang La
The height gain of 900 metres to our fifth pass, the Shertang La, is achieved after almost 40 kilometres of biking. The Ura Valley, on the far side, is the highest of the Bumthang Valleys. Extensive sheep pastures line the road and just before the pass there is a panorama of the mountains of Lunana to north. We descend from the pass by long loops, through pastureland and fields to Ura village. Here, we camp on one of the few flat places in the valley. Altitude: 3000m. Ride time: 6 to 7 hours.
Overnight: Roadside Camp

23rd June: Cross the Thrumsing La to Mongar
Today is a long day and if we wish to cycle the whole way, we need to set off at first light. After a short descent to a bridge, we start climbing immediately to the Thrumshing La (3800m). The ascent, over 30 kilometers, is quite gradual and the scenery is stunning, as we pass through dense forest of conifer and rhododendron. The climb is actually split into two parts as there is a minor pass on the way to the Thrumshing La, followed by a short descent to a bridge across a river. The pass marks the last of our high altitude climbs. We have lunch (and a celebratory toast!) on the pass before setting off on what must rank as one of the most enjoyable and breath-takingly beautiful descents in the biking world. From the pass, the road plunges 3200m to the valley floor at 600m. The whole descent, over 85 kilometers, passes through dark conifers, then a mixture of deciduous and conifer woodland, before entering the semi-tropical zone at an altitude of around 1800m. Bamboo and an array of rare plant life lines the sides of the road, but no doubt everyone will be too involved in the dizzying descent to notice! The 20 kilometres between Sengor and Namling has the reputation for being the most hair-raising section of the road across Bhutan, but is just perfect for mountain bikes. Hewn out of the side of a cliff, and above a vertiginous drop for most of the way, this is the most exhilarating part of the trip. By the time we reach Lingmithang, the temperature will have risen considerably and we will feel as if we have arrived in the tropics. After 5 hours and 85 kilometers of solid fun downhill, most people will be simply speechless. The sting in the tail is a final 20 kilometers climb to the village of Mongar. Altitude: 1600m Ride time: 12 hours.
Overnight: Druk Shongar

24th June: Bike to Tashigang
Another great descent in store for us today, but first we have a further 20 kilometers of our climb to finish, en route to the Kori La (2400m), the first of two relatively minor passes. The road then descends rapidly through cornfields and banana groves and after 10 kilometers reaches the start of the famous hairpins at Yadi (1500m). Thirty kilometers of interminable bends later we arrive at a bridge across the Sheri River at 600m. This has been the second longest descent of the trip, a sparkling 1850m! Back in the hot tropical climate, we can enjoy a very pleasant ride along the side of the Gamri River to the bridge and check post below Tashigang. A steep 10 kilometers climb finishes off quite a hard days biking. Tashigang sees very few tourists and facilities are limited, but we stay in the best place in the town which is in reality a very basic lodge. Altitude: 1100m Ride Time: 7 to 8 hours.
Overnight: hotel Doejong

25th June: Drive to Samdrup Jongkhar (08 hours)
We have now reached the most easterly point of our journey as the road now heads south for 200 kilometers to Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan’s eastern road border with Assam.
A small celebration will certainly be in order as you will be one of only a tiny handful of people who have completed what is arguably the most beautiful and challenging bike ride in the world.
Overnight: hotel TLT

26th June: Drive to Gauhati Airport
This morning, we drive for three hours to Gauhati, the capital of Assam, where we go straight to the airport to check in for the flight to Delhi.