Hiking Tours in Thimphu

A Day Hike to Phajoding

A hike to Phajoding takes about five hours. It is one of the most popular and enjoyable hiking destinations around Thimphu.

The hike starts from the upper valley of Motithang-Thimphu just above the Takin Preserve.Climbing sharply upwards to Choekhortse Goemba offers the best view of upper Thimphu valley. A gradual climb further through thick blue pine forest leads you to the first of two chortens.

We will make a visit to the temples and have picnic lunch in the temple gardens where goats graze. After lunch, we shall resume our adventure. After one hour hike from the temple along the mountainside to Pumola Monastery, a trail twirls down the mountain to the Takin Preserve, which houses the national animal, Takin (The national animal of Bhutan). The reason for declaring Takin as the national animal is attributed to a legend of the animal’s creation (goat’s head and cattle’s body) in Bhutan in the 15th century by Lama Drukpa Kunley.  you can study Bhutan’s national animal.

Phojoding Ghoenpa is a large monastic complex with 10 temples and 15 monastic residences; many of them are being used for extended period of meditation and spiritual retreats.It was founded in the 13th century by a Tibetan yogi looking for a place to meditate.Most of the temples were built in 1748 through the efforts of Shakya Rinchen, the 9th Je Khenpo ( a chief abbot of Bhutan).

Later in the afternoon, you will retrace your walk back to hike start point from where we will be picked up by our car and drop at the hotel.

A Day Hike to Drolung Ghoenpa

The hike takes about four hours. The adventure begins with the twenty-five minutes drive on to the northern end of Thimphu.

The Drolung Sangacholinh Ghoenpa serves as a meditation centre for monks who undergo for 3-6 years of spiritual retreat. It is a blessed holy place where many Buddhist masters had meditated here. You will enjoy the serene hike surrounded by pristine nature with breathtakingly beautiful views of Himalayan mountain ranges and Thimphu valley below.

We will make a visit to the monastery and after lunch, then walk back down to the road where your car will waiting for you and drive back to your hotel.

A Short Hike to Tango Monastery & Chagri Monastery

Drive to the base camp of Tango Monastery and hike up to the Monastery. Tango is the highest centre of Buddhist learning for monks in the country. It is believed that almost every Je Khenpo (religious head of Bhutan) accomplished the 9-year program there. After completing that program, monks traditionally spend years meditating at the nearby Cheri Goemba retreat, built in 1619 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal(unifier of Bhutan).

The climb aloft will take approximately about 45 minutes. The view from Tango Monastery is breathtaking, which shall rejuvenate your soul surrounded by the calm ambience.

After lunch hike to Chagri Monastery, through the forest of oak trees and rhododendrons. After continuous thirty minutes hike leads to a chorten (stupa). we will do a circle for three rounds. Moving forward for about thirty minutes, you will reach the Chagri Monastery. This is the place where monks undergo extended period three years four months of meditation and spiritual retreat.

The chagri monastery was built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1620 in memory of his father Tempi Nima.

The view from Cheri Monastery is breathtaking.

Later on, we shall walk back to the base where your car will wait for you and then travel back to your hotel in Thimphu.

Hike to Dodedrak Goenpa

Dodedrak Goenpa is a monastery in Thimphu which was prophesied by the 13th Chief Abbot Yonten Thaye the reincarnation of Channa Dorji (The god of power and energy).

The hike to Dodedrak is five hours walk uphill, passing through the fourth King’s Palace.  After Sharp climb upwards, you will see the great views of Thimphu town, Wangditse and Dechen Phodrag temples. The part further leads you the hillside and a huge rock where the monks study. After passing through huge rock the lies a mystical monk village established around the bewildering 12th-century temple, Dodedrak. You will get to see white languor wandering around the trees. we will rest for a picnic lunch at the outside of the courtyard. You may take a moment interacting with the monks who shall explain you detailly about the mystical Dodedrak.

Descending downwards on the same trail will lead you again to the chorten. From here, we will hike towards the upper route gently moving down onto Dechhencholing Goemba and the Queen Mother’s Palace.

A Short Hike to Wangditse Ghoenpa

Drive up to Sangaygang and start the 2 hours hike to Wangditse. The trail takes you to Wangditse Ghoenpa (monastery) through the serene forest and stupa along the mountainside.

You will be awed by the majestic view of the TrashiChhoe Dzong (fortress) and the beautiful upper valley of Thimphu. From Wangditse Ghoenpa, A gradual descent for about twenty-five minutes will lead to Dechenphodrang Monastic school, where your car will pick you up.