This September – following two years of extensive restoration and a delayed launch due to COVID 19 – the Kingdom of Bhutan will reopen its historic and sacred Trans Bhutan Trail for the first time in 60 years.
The trail will be officially reopened in a formal ceremony in Bhutan on September 28, 2022 and as its exclusive launch partner G Adventures will be the first group adventure operator to take travelers along the Trans Bhutan Trail when its inaugural, sold-out, departure leaves on October 2, 2022.
Other long-awaited destinations returning to G Adventures’ portfolio of more than 1,400 trips this September are Australia and New Zealand, which is perfect timing for people to book a trip down under to escape the northern hemisphere winter now the two countries’ borders have officially reopened for international travel.
Yves Marceau, vice president of product at G Adventures, says the operator is excited to be heading back to these three countries which are some of the last to reopen to foreign travelers, and to be bringing tourism dollars back into local communities, specifically in Bhutan.
“We’re honored to be working with the Bhutan Canada Foundation and the Trans Bhutan Trail to launch this newly restored route in magical Bhutan, and we’ve been thrilled with how popular the new trips have been, even with the delay in reopening. It’s a country we’ve run tours in for more than a decade and have long admired for its commitment to the happiness of its people and sustainable way of life, which are both philosophies that align with our values as an organization. G Adventures is the pioneer of community tourism and being able to give travelers an exceptional travel experience and simultaneously provide much-needed economic benefits to local people is our mission as a business.
“Trails have historically connected remote communities and helped distribute much-needed income to local people as travelers move across the landscape. Our new trips cover the highlights of the trail as hikers traverse forests and meadows and travel through rural settlements around the Dzongs. Travelers can expect an average of three to four hours of hiking each day and delicious local meals each night, whether they are camping or staying in homestays, hotels or local guest houses,” says Marceau.
Sam Blyth, chair of the Bhutan Canada Foundation, and lead donor for the Trans Bhutan Trail, says G Adventures was an obvious partner to help relaunch the trail given the company’s long history and success running small group tours and giving back to destinations through its commitment to community tourism.
“As well as providing income opportunities for local people, especially youth, in rural communities, the restoration of the trail is a community-based project designed to preserve an ancient cultural icon and provide a sustainable experience for travelers. Economic benefit will flow directly into the local communities as a result of community tourism, whether via homestays, the purchase of supplies locally for multi-day trips or the employment of local guides,” says Blyth.
Two new Active trekking itineraries are available to book with G Adventures in Bhutan into 2023. There is an 11-day Camp the Trans Bhutan Trail trip which features camping and homestays, and a 12-day Highlights of the Trans Bhutan Trail itinerary with accommodation in homestays, locally-owned guest houses and hotels.
The two tours focus on trekking specially selected parts of the 403-km (250-mile) trail and connecting with local people to learn about Bhutanese life and culture, thus combining active travel and cultural immersion with the benefits of community tourism.
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Camp the Trans Bhutan Trail – Until the 1960s, the Trans Bhutan Trail was the only real way to traverse the mountain kingdom of Bhutan before it fell into disuse. Thankfully, it’s back, and this 11-day tour will show the world what it’s been missing. Covering some of the best portions of this 403 km trail, travellers use their own two feet to experience breathtaking, diverse landscapes and timeless villages from a different era. Featuring idyllic camping spots and overnights in comfortable local homestays, this tour provides a glimpse into Bhutan’s rural and spiritual life that is only possible off the beaten path. An 11-day trip travelling from Paro return is priced from $3,219pp.
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Highlights of the Trans Bhutan Trail – Explore the happiest country on Earth while walking along the same path used by royals, monks, and traders for thousands of years. On this 12-day tour, travel and trek along the best portions of this historic trail, venturing from east to west, hiking high mountain passes across lush river valleys and through villages from a different era, stopping to soak in local history, culture, and customs along the way. A 12-day Active trip travelling from Paro return is priced from $4,229pp.
For more information on G Adventures, please visit www.gadventures.com.
About G Adventures
Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures is a small group adventure travel operator offering more than 1,000 tours in 100 countries, on all seven continents. G Adventures’ award-winning trips support local communities, giving travelers meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, while offering them the freedom and flexibility to explore on their own. G Adventures’ responsible approach to travel is demonstrated through its ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives, which include travel guidelines for children, wildlife and Indigenous people, community-based social enterprise projects travelers can experience on a trip, and its industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’ assessment which measures how many traveler dollars stay in the local economy. G Adventures offers life-changing tours for individuals of all ages, interests and budgets. Because our world deserves more you. For more information please visit www.gadventures.com.
About the Trans Bhutan Trail
For thousands of years, The Trans Bhutan Trail was used by pilgrims, armies and traders. The trail spans 403 kilometres (250 miles) from the east to the west of Bhutan. Until the 1960s, it was the only way to travel across the country and, in 2022, the Trail will reopen to walkers and mountain bikers, both local and international, for the first time in over 60 years. Not only has the Trail allowed the Bhutanese to rediscover generations’ worth of stories and history, it also highlights the Kingdom’s core principles of sustainability and sustainable tourism.
About the Bhutan Canada Foundation
Founded by Sam Blyth in 2009, the not-for-profit Bhutan Canada Foundation continues a long tradition of cooperation between Canada and Bhutan, particularly in the education sector. In 2018, with the vision of His Majesty, The Fifth King and supported by the Tourism Council of Bhutan, the Bhutan Canada Foundation led an initiative to restore the Trail to make it accessible again for locals, pilgrims, and travelers. This led to the deployment of more than 900 furloughed, local workers during the pandemic to work on the ancient route. 18 major bridges, 10,000 stairs and 405km of trail were rebuilt and today for the first time in over half a century, it is again possible to walk across the country from Haa in the west to Trashigang in the east.