GR Tour of the Thunder Dragon itin

If big-city lights and sophisticated entertainment are your thing, then Bhutan probably isn’t for you. This charming mountain kingdom, famous for its policy of GNH (Gross National Happiness) presents a fantastic backdrop for a challenging bike ride (don’t underestimate it from the daily mileage – there are 26-mile climbs!). The natural landscape and the people are the stars here, as well as a thriving Buddhist culture with its magnificent dzongs (religious fortresses).

DAY 1 Paro

Arrive at Paro airport where the backup team will pick you up and take you to the hotel. Rest, relax, get used to the time difference, the altitude and the laid-back vibe of tiny Paro, Bhutan’s second biggest city.

DAY 2 Paro – Thimphu (approx 31 miles)

Enjoy the only flat roads in Bhutan on this easy first day to acclimatise you to the altitude. Thimphu may be Bhutan’s capital, but it’s not a capital city as you’d know it – the residents voted out the city’s only traffic light years ago.

DAY 3 Thimphu – Wandge over Dochu La (approx 42 miles)

The first of the passes in a typically Bhutanese landscape of rivers, valleys, water-powered prayer wheels and chortens. From the pass you can see, on a clear day, the entire eastern Himalaya sprinkled along the horizon. Descend through the pine forests into the gorgeous Punakha Valley with its banana trees and cacti to spend the night in Wangde near Punakha Dzong.

DAY 4 Wangde – Phobjika over the Yeli La (approx 37 miles)

The first ten kilometres from Wangde are a gorgeous drift through a narrow valley with a young river and plenty of cherry trees and flowers. Beyond Chuzomsa everything changes as the road climbs for 26 miles (ie hours) up past patchwork paddy fields into the bamboo forest around Yeli La. This is a long, tough climb with a short and sweet descent into Phobjika Valley, famous for its rare black-necked cranes.

DAY 5 Phobjika – Trongsa over Pele La (approx 50 miles)

After yesterday’s long climb it’s just 3 miles over the Pele La and the backbone of Bhutan’s Black Mountains. The descent passes the cheerful Nepali-style chorten at Chendebji before a short haul up to Trongsa’s magnificently glowering dzong.

DAY 6 Trongsa – Jakar over Yotong La and Kiki La (approx 40 miles)

It’s nearly a 17-mile climb up to Yotong La beyond which the road cruises through the pretty Chume Valley, some of whose houses sport larger-than-life murals of Bhutan’s favourite fertility symbol, the penis. Some even have bows on. Kiki La is a tiny pass at the head of the valley and leads into the Bumthang Vally and central Bhutan.

DAY 7 Jakar – Gayza Chu over Ura La (approx 43 miles)

Beyond Jakar and over the Ura La lies the Ura valley, the remotest and highest in Bumthang. There is little traffic here and few tourists make it this far east so tonight we camp on the banks of the Gazya Chu.

DAY 8 Gayza Chu – Mongar over Thrumshing La (approx 67 miles)

After a couple of long, hard days of climbing high passes in the mountains, today’s descent from Thrumshing La (the highest of the trip) catapults you vertically nearly 10,000ft down into a hot and steamy land of monkeys and bananas. Welcome to eastern Bhutan!

Day 9 Mongar – Trashigang over Kori La (approx 54 miles)

From the Kori La you can see Tibet on a clear day, and the Sengor-Namning road from yesterday. Ahead lies a 22 mile descent to Sherichu, via the locally-famous ‘Yadi Loops’ –11 fantastically swooping switchbacks. Enjoy! The road then undulates alongside the Drongmo Chu river before a final climb up to Trashigang.

Day 10 Trashigang – Khaling over Yongphula La (approx 32 miles)

Trashigang is as far east as Bhutan’s roads go; from here it’s south to Samdrup Jongkhar and the Indian Plains. But first – more climbing, albeit through lush forest and villages of rice paddy studded with chortens. The snowy peaks to the north are Tibet, and to the east are India’s remote state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Day 11 Khaling – Pemagatshel over Khardung La (approx 45 miles)

This region is stunning: deep forested ravines contrast with bucolic pastureland, farmsteads, cows and trees while blue hills ripple endlessly into the horizon.

Day 12 Pemagatshel – Samdrup Jongkhar (approx 57 miles)

After nearly two weeks in Bhutan’s mountainous interior it seems impossible that in a few hours you’ll be standing at near sea-level on the plains of India. Don’t feel too sad though, because there’s over 6000ft of descent between Pemagatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar so it’s not all bad. The descent finishes in this border town of Bhutan and India so we’ll have a celebratory feast featuring as many chillies as possible and huge congratulations all round.

Day 13

Bus to Guwahati airport and flight home via Delhi.

Costs

£2950 including £250 non-refundable booking deposit.

Charities, groups, organisations and companies please contact us for special rates.

What’s included

International flights

Bhutanese visa

Transfers

Accommodation and meals

Full on the road support

Maps and GPS support

• Any person wishing to fly at a different time or from another airport/country does so at their own additional expense, including transfers. Greenrock can however make the arrangements for them.

• All prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in the exchange rate, seasonal variations and supplier tariff revisions.

• All bookings and travel arrangements are subject to Greenrock Limited standard terms and conditions.

• All travellers must carry full personal medical and travel insurance before leaving for any trip.

• All cyclists must bring their own bike.

• Greenrock withholds the right to change the route based on the weather or any other changeable factors.

• Single room rates available on request.

Click on the file to download this itinerary as a PDF

Tour of the Thunder Dragon

You can call us on +44 (0)207 739 8697 or email info@greenrock.co.uk