18 Days Merak Sakteng Trek

Touch down at Paro International Airport, where your guide will warmly welcome you as you exit the arrival hall. As this is your first day at altitude, we’ll take it slow to help you acclimatise. From Paro, we drive to Thimphu, check in to your hotel, and enjoy your first taste of Bhutanese cuisine. If time allows, we’ll do some light sightseeing around the capital.

Viewpoints around Thimphu

• National Memorial Chorten – Built in honour of the Third King, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, this sacred stupa is a centre of daily spiritual life for the Bhutanese.

• Buddha Dordenma (Kuensel Phodrang) – This 169-foot bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni sits atop a ridge overlooking Thimphu Valley. Even before its full completion, visitors could drive up to admire the panoramic view, especially beautiful at night.

• Textile Museum – Showcasing Bhutan’s treasured tradition of weaving and rich textile heritage.

• Tashichho Dzong – The largest dzong in Bhutan and the seat of the King’s office.

• Paper-making Factory – Learn the art of handmade paper production from the indigenous Daphne plant.

• Simtokha Dzong – Five miles from Thimphu, this is Bhutan’s oldest fortress-monastery, built in 1629.

• Centenary Farmers Market – Every weekend, locals gather to buy and sell fresh produce—an authentic slice of Bhutanese life.

At Dochula Pass, admire the 108 chortens built by the Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, to honour Bhutan’s victory over insurgents and the soldiers who lost their lives. On a clear day, the snow-clad Himalayan range forms a breathtaking backdrop.

Continue towards Wangdue Phodrang, passing one of the major towns in western Bhutan. The district is known for bamboo crafts, slate work, and stone carving. Stop to view the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, dramatically perched above the confluence of the Tsang Chu and Dang Chu rivers.

Phobjikha is the winter home of the endangered black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis). Around 600 cranes migrate here from the Tibetan plateau each winter, arriving early November and staying until late March. The valley is also home to the beautiful 17th-century Gangtey Monastery. Today, enjoy gentle hikes around the valley to soak in its tranquil beauty.

Drive to Trongsa, literally “new town,” and the ancestral home of Bhutan’s royal family. Every king in the Wangchuck dynasty served as the Trongsa Penlop before being crowned.

Visit Trongsa Dzong, one of Bhutan’s most important fortresses. Its foundation was laid in the 16th century by Pema Lingpa, and it grew significantly in the 17th century under Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong towers above the Mangde Chu valley and dominates the east-west route.

Bumthang is the spiritual heartland of Bhutan, home to over 40 temples and monasteries. Its valleys are rich in legend, especially those associated with Guru Rinpoche and Terton Pema Lingpa.

Morning visits:

• Tamshing Goemba – Built in 1501 by Pema Lingpa.

• Kurjey Lhakhang – Houses the imprint of Guru Rinpoche’s body on a cave wall.

• Jambay Lhakhang – Built in 659 AD by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo to subdue a demoness.

Visit Jakar Dzong, built in 1549 overlooking the valley. In the afternoon, hike to Thangbi Valley, crossing a suspension bridge to visit Thangbi Lhakhang, dating back to the 14th century.

Travel through Thrumshingla National Park, Bhutan’s largest protected area in the central-eastern region. Enjoy untouched natural scenery and photograph dramatic landscapes such as the Namling Bra waterfall, which plunges down one of the deepest cliffs in eastern Bhutan.

Drive to Radi and Khardung villages to reach your trailhead. Begin your trek with a steady climb on a forested trail, sometimes following the Murbi Chhu. Today’s walk ends at the Charbaling winter grazing grounds (3–4 hours).

Climb steadily for two hours towards Thumburtsa La (3,273m), where the forest thins and the landscape begins to open into sweeping highland views. As you crest the pass, the world feels wider, the air crisper, and the silence deeper—a perfect moment to pause and take in the raw beauty of eastern Bhutan. 

From here, the trail softens into an easy 3–4 hour walk that winds through yak pastures and gentle ridgelines, passing the little settlement of Gengou before descending into Merak. The approach to the village is unforgettable: stone houses, fluttering prayer flags, and the first glimpse of Brokpa life set against a backdrop of rolling mountains. It’s a journey that feels both remote and soul-stirring, welcoming you into one of Bhutan’s most culturally unique communities.

If you prefer, spend an extra day in Merak exploring the villages and sacred lakes. Otherwise, continue your trek across Nyuksang La (4,140m). A 2–2.5 hour climb takes you to the pass, followed by a steep 3-hour descent and 1 hour along the river before reaching Sakteng. End with a final 1-hour climb to a chorten, then descend 30 minutes into Sakteng.

Spend the day exploring Sakteng, once a village of 60 houses and still deeply spiritual. The surrounding region extends into India, home to many significant Buddhist sites. Learn about Brokpa culture, customs, and unique highland traditions.

Continue your journey across Munde La (2,928m), following a trail that rises and falls gently with the contours of the highland terrain. The walk is peaceful and rhythmic, moving through quiet forests, open meadows and stretches of prayer-flag-lined ridges that offer glimpses of distant peaks. Along the way, you’ll pass grazing yaks and scattered Brokpa shelters that hint at the nomadic life lived in these mountains. 

After 5–6 hours of steady trekking, the path gradually leads you down into Jyonkhar, a serene hamlet tucked into the folds of the landscape. Reaching the village feels like stepping into a hidden corner of eastern Bhutan—calm, unspoiled, and rich with the gentle pace of rural life.

Today is a shorter trekking day, a gentle 2.5–3 hour walk that still offers its own memorable rhythm. The trail begins easily before leading into a single, steady 1-hour climb—a spirited ascent that lifts you above the valley and rewards you with sweeping views of the surrounding hills. As you crest the rise and the path levels out, the landscape softens into terraces, village houses and fields touched by the wind. 

Soon, you’ll arrive in Phongmey, a quiet highland village where life follows the timeless cadence of the mountains. It’s a lovely place to pause, breathe, and soak in the unspoilt beauty of eastern Bhutan.

Enjoy a full day of scenic driving back to Bumthang. Relax and enjoy the dramatic change in landscape as you return to central Bhutan.

Continue westward to Punakha, a warm valley rich in stories and history.

• Punakha Dzong – Built in 1637, this riverside fortress is Bhutan’s winter residence for the monastic body. Magnificently restored after fires and floods, it is one of the country’s most beautiful architectural masterpieces.

• Chimi Lhakhang – A 20-minute walk through fields leads to this temple dedicated to Drukpa Kuenley, the “Divine Madman,” and a pilgrimage site for couples seeking blessings for fertility.

• Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten – A modern stupa built by the Queen Mother, considered a marvel of Bhutanese artistry.

Return to Paro, home to sacred temples and monasteries.

• Paro Rinpung Dzong – A 15th-century fortress that serves as the district administrative centre.

• Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) – Hike to the viewpoint cafeteria for a spectacular panorama of this cliffside monastery, where Guru Rinpoche is said to have arrived on the back of a tigress.

• Kyichu Lhakhang – One of Bhutan’s oldest temples, dating back to the 7th century.

After breakfast, we drive to the airport for your departure. We hope you leave Bhutan with cherished memories, new friendships, and a deep sense of connection to this enchanting Himalayan kingdom. Until we meet again—Tashi Delek!