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Escape the Wheels
Sonam Dendup • June 11, 2020
Take a Break, Get Out of the Car, Go with Nature
If you want to escape from the wheels, take a break from driving through the meandering Himalayan road, and want to sync with nature of broad leaved forest and enjoy the fresh fragrance from exotic Himalayan flowers, Escape the Wheels is the right hiking trail as you travel from Thimphu to Punakha, Wangduephodrang, Gangtey and further East
Description
A 45 minutes drive from the Capital Thimphu will bring you to the scenic Dochula Pass (3,150 meters) and the beautiful 108 stupas. The start point of this Trail is from the Pass and there is a short trail and an extended trail for those wishing to escape the wheels longer. This is a leisurely hike recommended for all ages as it is mostly downhill without any steep climbs or cliffs. The full length of the Trail is 5.4 kilometers and takes about approximately 3.5 hours along well maintained pathways.
Trail 1:
From the Dochula Pass, leave the highway and hike downhill for about 45 minutes through Rhododendron flower trees till you reach the road at Lamperi. If you are tired you can get into the car and continue drive towards Punkaha.
Trail 2:
From the endpoint of Trail 1 continue for another 4 kilometers downhill which will take approximately 2.5 hours till you reach the small highway settlement of Thinleygang. From Thinleygang you can drive till Punakha; however if you are still up for more hiking then you can continue onto The Divine Madman’s Trail.
Background History
Escape the Wheels is actually an ancient popular trail used before the 1970s when there were no motorable roads in Bhutan, and apart from the local people it was mostly frequented by messengers, merchants and semi nomads. As with most of the Trails, this was also used by our Central Monastic Body as they migrated between their summer and winter residences of Thimphu and Punakha respectively. Earlier it used to take about 3 days to walk from Thimphu to Punkaha and now it is only a 2.5 hours drive.
All along the Trail the vegetation is a mixture of alpine and broad leaved forests with spotting of Himalayan wild strawberries, monkshood (Aconitum) and with possibility of sighting the Red Panda. During the ancient times, people extracted poison from the roots of the Monkshood plants, applied on the arrowheads or darts for the purpose of hunting and warfare.
Through this undisturbed tropical, sub-tropical and Alpine regions of virgin forests, waterfalls and lakes, highland nomadic villages, undisturbed nature and views of the Greater Himalayas and Snow Capped Peaks, Bhutan offers some of the best trekking experiences all year round.
The view from there is the panoramic sight of almost all the tallest Himalayan Mountain of Bhutan like majestic Gangkar Puensum, formidable Table Mountain and Tiger Mountain. As it is located at the top, the view of the Himalayan ranges is better than anywhere in the area, even as compared to famous Dochula Pass.
For Bhutanese, Gross National Happiness means a good government that creates an enabling environment for people to pursue happiness in a meaningful way. The result is a country at peace with itself, and people at peace with themselves!
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Clinging on a huge rock towards the north end of the Tang valley lies the Thowa Drak Hermitage just like the famed Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro. From the valley or road point it is a stiff 3 hours hike uphill through the serene and peaceful forest. Sweeping views of the Tang valley and the landscape can be enjoyed along the way with a bird’s eye view from the main site.
A quick visit to the Swiss Cheese Factory and Brewery is a refreshing alternative after visiting many temples and religious sites in the Bumthang valley. The Factory was started in the late 1960’s by a Swiss national Mr Fritz Maurer who visited Bhutan and settled in Bumthang.