This New 250-Mile Trail Winds Through Bhutan, from Forests to Temples

“Are you a fan of Snoopy Dog?” my guide, Sonam, inquires. We’re traversing a footpath immersed in rhododendrons on the western edge of Bhutan’s Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, nearing the end of a grueling four-day, four-night trek along the recently reopened Trans Bhutan Trail. Today, we’re ascending to the Pelela Pass, which marks one of Bhutan’s highest points—over 11,000 feet above sea level. It signifies a division between the western region of the country, where I’ve spent the last four days hiking, and the central area.

After ascending about 4,700 feet, enduring four nights in tents, and covering over 40 miles on this newly established 250-mile trail—so isolated and fresh—the discussion has bounced around: from the lineage of the nation’s beloved king (colloquially referred to as K5) to Bhutan’s somewhat late decision to open up to tourism in the mid-1970s to our shared love for music.

“Snoop Dogg?” I clarify. “No, Snoopy,” he replies, and I concede. For the next half hour, I’ll be referencing one of the most iconic rappers in American history by the name of a well-known cartoon dog. After the intense Q&A format of the previous days—“Is that mushroom safe to eat? What should I do if we encounter a bear? Are there tigers in the area? Will a leech crawl up my sock? What are the archery rules? Why is there a scrambled egg in the drink?”—I’m relieved to have something to add. “Are you familiar with Martha Stewart?” I ask.

One thing is clear: the eight Bhutanese men—English-speaking guides, local guides, chefs, sous chefs, drivers—who have accompanied me through the mountains know far more about my culture than I do about theirs. Bhutan, for many, remains a mystery. When I mentioned my destination to friends and family, the most frequent response was, “Where’s that?” The answer isn’t straightforward. On its west, south, and east, Bhutan is bordered by Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, though it doesn’t share a border with any of these. Its northern edge meets China’s towering Tibetan Plateau, with India lying to the south.

Bhutan’s 14,000 square miles are almost entirely nestled within the Himalayan Mountain Range. Drukair, Bhutan’s national airline, offers one of the rare flight paths that reveals four of the world’s five tallest peaks from the right-side window. (Druk means “thunder dragon” in Dzongkha, Bhutan’s official language.) The peaks stand like sentinels guarding the land.

Like Snoopy from both rap and animation, Bhutan’s history—and the Trans Bhutan Trail—is significant. For over 50 years into the early 1900s, when Bhutan emerged as a nation from British rule, this 250-mile east-west footpath, part of the ancient Silk Road, was crucial for Bhutan’s existence. It served as a pilgrimage route for Buddhists journeying to sacred sites in western Bhutan and Tibet. Garps, or trail runners, carried messages and mail along its length. Their tales are legendary, known for their speed across the mountains with minimal sustenance. The trail linked numerous dzongs (fortresses) that thwarted foreign invasions; it functioned as a trade route for local goods; and monarchs traversed it to connect with their people and unify the nation. For over five decades, it was the sole means to cross Bhutan from end to end.

During the 1950s and ’60s, Bhutan began to shift towards modernization, cautiously opening up to the outside world while striving to maintain its identity as “the last Shangri-La.” Public schools were established, and English instruction commenced in 1961; television, internet, and mobile phones arrived in 1999; and from the early 1960s, roads began to fragment the country, leading to the trail's decline. Motorized vehicles gradually took over the roles of ponies, yaks, and human feet. Over approximately 60 years, pathways deteriorated, trails became overgrown, and bridges fell into disrepair.

In 2018, Sam Blyth, founder and chair of the Bhutan Canada Foundation—an organization dedicated to enhancing the happiness and well-being of the Bhutanese through advocacy and partnership—along with his role as the Honorary Consul of Bhutan to Canada, spearheaded an initiative to restore the trail. “Nearly 40 years ago, when I first trekked in Bhutan, I heard tales of an ancient trail that wound through the remote central and eastern regions of the country. I dreamed of walking it,” Blyth recalls.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blyth collaborated with the king and the Tourism Council of Bhutan to take action. They organized workers who lost jobs due to the pandemic, local villagers, and hundreds of desuungs—volunteers trained to foster community spirit, meaning “guardians of peace” in Dzongkha—as well as school-age scouts, to restore the ancient pathway, often guided by village elders who remembered traversing the route as children. The entire trail was cleared and reinstated, 18 bridges were rebuilt or refurbished, and 170 posts with scannable QR codes were installed along the trail to educate hikers about its history. “I am certain no other country could have rebuilt a trail of over 400 kilometers [250 miles], with 115,000 feet of elevation and more than 10,000 stone steps in under three years,” Blyth states. The trail officially reopened in September 2022.

Currently, international travelers on the trail must be accompanied by a local guide. Several outfitters organize trips, but booking directly through the Trans Bhutan Trail guarantees that all profits go toward the maintenance and further development of the trail. The pristine beauty of this country is undeniable; 71 percent is covered by forests. Vibrant rice paddies ascend the mountainsides like a giant staircase. I journeyed through Avatar-like jungles where mist rose between the trees, obscuring the view beyond a few feet. Prayer flags strung between trees, stupas, and golden temples serve as reminders that this is a profoundly Buddhist land, where the five elements of nature—sky, air, fire, water, and earth—are revered with every step.

The trail, traversing the heart of the country, represents a collaboration between the visitors and the people of Bhutan. I explain to my guide that, similar to the relationship between Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart, their synergy enhances each other—one shines brighter alongside the other. As we ascend to the Pelela Pass, gaining an elevation of 5,348 feet, we weave past village homes—where locals generously offer us cucumbers from their gardens and let us use their bathrooms—while soaking in the breathtaking mountain views and monasteries steeped in Buddhist heritage. Our conversation flows easily. "What about Elvis?" my guide inquires. "Are you a fan?"