The majority of this trip is on good paved
roads with only a slight percentage on dirt roads and trails. There are some
challenging climbs on easy angled switch-backs, mind blowing descents that last
for hours and all of these through some of the most beautiful and unspoiled
scenery in the world. As we traverses along this single track road, we
accumulate a total of 15,000 meters of ascent and a mind-boggling 20,000 meters
of descent, whilst crossing ten major passes. The traverse of Bhutan, which
has been completed by only a handful of foreigners, has now gained acceptance
as one of the great cycle journeys of the world. You have to ride it to believe
it!
Brief itinerary
Day 01: Fly to Paro in Bhutan (D)
Day 02: Day Hike to Taktsang (B/L/D)
Day 03: To HaaValley across the Chele
La (B/L/D)
Day 04: Bike to Thimphu
(B/L/D)
Day 05: Across the Dochu La to Punakha (B/L/D)
Day 06: Bike to Gangtey (B/L/D)
Day 07: Cross the Pele La to Tongsa (B/L/D)
Day 08: Bike to Jakar (B/L/D)
Day 09: Across the Shertangla (B/L/D)
Day 10: Cross the Thrumsing La to Mongar (B/L/D)
Day 11: Bike to Tashigang (B/L/D)
Day 12: Southwards towards India (B/L/D)
Day 13: Ridge riding and down to Samdrup Jongkhar
(B/L/D)
Day 14: Drive to GauhatiAirport
(B)
Day to Day Itinerary
Day 01: Fly to Paro in Bhutan (D)
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 Excursion 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.
Altitude
at Paro – 2250 meters.
Overnight – hotel in Paro
Day 02: Day Hike to Taktsang
(B/L/D)
After
breakfast, we finish off the bikes and gear up for the first day’s riding.
Biking for about an hour to the trail head to hike up to Taktsang Monastery.
This is one of the Buddhist world’s most venerated pilgrimage sites and is
known as the Tiger’s Lair. 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 footpath 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-
hotel in Paro
Day 03: To HaaValley
across the Chele La (B/L/D)
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 Himalaya.
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:
hotel in Haa
Day 04: Bike to Thimphu
(B/L/D)
Our
destination today is the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu,
which is 110 ks from Haa. Thankfully this is all on a good and fairly level
road-with very little traffic. We start out very easily for 40 ks we follow the
Haa 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 coniferious 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 and we see the impressive Simtokha Dzong in the middle of the valley and
turn northwestwards into the Thimphu valley.
Thimphu is the only large 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. We check into our hotel and enjoy a
well-earned beer or coca cola at the bar.
Altitude
at Thimphu – 2380m.
A
long day of 7-8 hours biking (approximately 110ks).
Overnight: hotel in Thimphu
Day 05: Across the Dochu La to
Punakha (B/L/D)
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 22 ks 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 more
lush, 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. After a quick shower and change in the hotel, we
take the bus for a side trip to Punakha,
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
Avalokiteshvara, 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 in Punakha
Day 06: Bike to Gangtey (B/L/D)
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: hotel in Gangtey
Day 07: Cross the Pele La to
Tongsa (B/L/D)
If
the black-necked cranes have arrived, there are often between 250 and a 300 in
the Phobjikha valley and from our hotel, close to their feeding grounds, we are
woken by their distinct calling. These birds are tolerant of people and
regularly feed near human settlements and domestic livestock, perhaps because
local religious beliefs protect them across much of their range. 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 Nikachu, we enter Tongsa district and follow
a dramatic section of the road, carved into the side of a cliff, high above the
Mangdechu. 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 TongsaVillage
– 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 Mangdechu, with a
commanding view in every direction.
Altitude
at Tongsa : 2200m.
Ride
time : 5 to 6 hours.
Overnight: hotel in Tongsa
Day 8: Bike to Jakar (B/L/D)
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. 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 in Jakar
Day 9: Across the Shertangla
(B/L/D)
The
height gain of 900 metres to our fifth pass, the Shertang La, is achieved after
almost 40 kilometres of biking. The UraValley, on the far side, is the
highest of the BumthangValleys. 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: Camping
Day 10: Cross the Thrumsing La to
Mongar (B/L/D)
Bhutan’s highest road pass!
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: hotel in Mongar
Day 11: Bike to Tashigang (B/L/D)
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 SheriRiver 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 GamriRiver
to the bridge and check post below Tashigang. A steep 10 kilometers climb
finishes off quite a hard day’s 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: basic lodge
Day 12: Southwards towards India (B/L/D)
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.
This day is another tough one and often catches people out, being so close to
the end of the ride! At first we have a hot climb for 30 kilometers to the
university at Kanglung, then continue for a further 10 kilometers to a small
pass at 2450m, with views of the peaks of north-eastern Bhutan and
Arunachal Pradesh. From here it’s downhill till the village of Khaling,
which is famous for its weaving and handicraft. We camp 10 kilometers beyond
the village on one of the few flat spots in the valley!
Altitude:2100m.
Ride
time:10 hours.
Overnight: Camping
Day 13: Ridge riding and down to
Samdrup Jongkhar (B/L/D)
We
climb to another minor pass at 2450m, before descending to Wamrong (2000m)
where there is a check post. Unlike western Bhutan, where the road goes over
passes between one valley and the next, the road here follows ridges almost the
whole way and is marked throughout with stone chortens. A long climb, with the
road switching from left to right, across the spine of the ridge, leads to the
high point at 2450m and then down through two small settlements to a point
where we can safely say that there is no more uphill! The road descends rapidly
to the plain through a dense tropical forest with an abundance of teak and
bamboo. We re-group at the village of Dewathang where there is a large memorial chorten
dedicated to those who lost their lives building the road across Bhutan. A few
kilometers beyond the village lies the Bhutanese frontier check-post and a few
kilometers beyond that, at the precise point where the town of Samdrup Jongkhar. We cycle to the border gate
for photo’s and then return to our hotel in town. We re-pack our bikes for the
journey home and have dinner. 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.
Day 14: Drive to GauhatiAirport (B)
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 departure flight.
