Signature
Bumthang Owl Trek
Three gentle days in the forests above Bumthang, from village to ridge-top monastery — with owls calling around camp after dark.
Duration
3 Days
Distance
19 km
Max altitude
3,450 m
Grade
Easy
Group
8–12
Overview
The Owl Trek is Bhutan at walking pace without the big-mountain logistics: three days on forest trails above the Bumthang valleys, two nights in camp, and a name earned from the owls you will hear — and occasionally see — after dinner. The route links farmhouses, hermitages and the ridge-top monasteries of Tharpaling and Choedrak, where the monks debate in the courtyard at dusk.
Rising no higher than 3,450 m, it suits first-time trekkers, families and anyone folding a short walk into a cultural journey through central Bhutan. The forest itself is the point — old hemlock, juniper and spring rhododendron, with the buckwheat fields of Chumey laid out below.
Day by day
From the small village of Manchugang the trail enters old-growth forest, climbing gently to a clearing camp at Schonath. Listen for the owls as the fire burns down.
Through hemlock and dwarf bamboo to the Drangela pass and up onto the Kitiphu ridge, the Bumthang valleys spread out below and, in clear weather, Gangkhar Puensum — the world’s highest unclimbed mountain — standing to the north.
Down past the monasteries of Tharpaling and Choedrak, where the trail becomes the monks’ own path, ending among the buckwheat fields of the Chumey valley.
What’s included
Included
- A licensed Bhutanese guide & camp cook
- All camping gear & meals on trek
- Pack ponies or yaks to carry the loads
- Permits & the Sustainable Development Fee
- Airport transfers in Paro
- A pre-trek briefing in Paro
Not included
- International flights to Paro
- Travel & medical insurance
- Sleeping-bag hire
- Tips for your crew
- Drinks & personal items
Best time to go
October to December for cold, bright days and the clearest ridge views; March to May for rhododendron in the understorey. Bumthang sits lower than the big treks, so the Owl walks well in most months outside the summer rains.
Keep exploring
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More journeys like this
Epic
Classic
Ready to walk into the kingdom?
Tell us how much time you have and how high you’d like to stand. We’ll send back a tailored route — usually within two days.