Gangtey Valley Nature Trail, Bhutan - 4 kms of an incredible walk

This is a great view of the scenery in this area 

We could call this blog - “Lost in happiness” as it was one of the most wonderful experiences I have had in my "young" life!!

We were at Gangtey, a few miles from Phubjikha, our base. We had just finished seeing the small monastery right at the end of the road and enjoying the beauty of its inner sanctum. Unfortunately, they do not allow photographs – in a way I can understand and appreciate that they don’t want their sanctum santorums to be commercialised.

I decided to walk a bit – so I left the family behind and walked down the single mud road of Gangtey. It was a nice sunny day, a bit overcast and not chilly. I passed a row of low houses on each side. In one a group of women were busy discussing matters. In another, chillies were being dried on the rooftop. Each building was similar in style. At the end of the short road, say 200 – 300 metres, a group of young Buddhist boys were lolling around on the grass verge and playing as all boys do. One asked my name and I replied in Bhutanese which surprised them!! We chatted in English for a while – they were fluent English speakers having learnt it at the monastery.

             

Right across the path, adjacent to a field, was a board promoting the Gangtey Nature Trail. The car arrived; the guide and my daughter stepped down. The guide suggested we walk as he knew my love for walking, not uphill walks. He confirmed that it was not strenuous and I would enjoy the walk. It should take around 40 mins.

So we began. The first 20 minutes were strictly down a slope. Carefully, to ensure we did not slip as sometimes we had to cross small streams by walking cross wooden logs or step on slippery stones, green with algae.

 

After the slope and the initial streams, the path, clearly marked, went straight along for quite a while – we went through sections of chir and black pine forests. Sonam, our guide, showed us the difference between the two: one has 5 spokes per leaf and the other 3 spokes; else same. We did not rush. 




Most of the time in this stretch, you could not get the long view of the valley as we were in the forest or clearing area, with minimal forward views.  At places, the path climbed gently but we did not feel any stress. I had my walking stick which was useful for balance when the path was muddy and at times I used it to leverage myself across difficult bits. 

We had not stopped for water so after a while, Sonam suggested a water halt at the Black Necked Crane bird hide.  I think it was exactly one hour after we began our hike, we stoppedThe path veered right down a slope and right until we came to the wooden platform, we did not realise the beauty beyond!!

                                                                             

Before us stretched the whole valley. Actually the part we could see. It is difficult to explain the view – the valley floor was different shades of dark and light brown as well as green. 

The valley sides merged with the mountainous slopes rising from the valley. I took photos which are shown here from one end to the other to try and explain the vast expanse in front of me. 

As we learnt later that evening, when we went for a drive, there is a large section of the valley which was not visible as it’s more in the shape of a boomerang. We were standing in front of the right half of the boomerang. There were no birds there. The silence was awesome. We sat for quite some time drinking in the serenity and having some water too.

We left feeling recharged. Its then that we actually saw how far we had to go!! My God, it appeared far far away. The slope was gentle. We passed some people selling joss sticks (agarbattis) out there in the wilderness!! 

After we had walked about 3 kms, we came to a stretch which passed through or close to a farm. The track was really mud and luckily it was dry. 

Then again through to the flat lands where we could in the far distance see our car parked. It was a total of nearly 1.40 hours for us to traverse this trail – we never rushed and we sat leisurely at the bird hide.

It was a super walk and something which every tourist should really do, keeping to Nature’s guidelines on silence etc, as then it awakens one’s senses to the beauty in front of us and lights our own inner beauty. 

Go ahead, if in Gangtey, don’t miss the trail. 

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