Trekking tour · 13 days, 12 nights

13 Day Nabji Korphu Community Trek: Villages, Monpa Culture and Golden Langurs

A low-altitude winter trek through the villages of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park in central Bhutan, where the communities host you and share the income.

1,670 m

Highest camp, about

Trekking days

395+

Bird species recorded in the area

Easy to moderate

Grade

Trip overview

A trek built by and for the villages

The Nabji Korphu trek is unusual in Bhutan. It does not climb to high passes or glaciers. Instead it follows old village paths through the warm, forested hills of Trongsa and Zhemgang, inside Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, between about 1,000 and 1,700 metres. The trail links the villages of Nimshong, Korphu, Nabji, Kudra and Jangbi, where people farm rice and millet, keep cattle and gather bamboo and cane from the forest.

The route was developed as one of Bhutan’s first community-based tourism projects. Villages provide local guides, porters, campsite services and cultural programmes in the evenings, and they receive a share of the fees, which helps protect the forest and wildlife around them. You camp at community campsites near each village and spend your evenings with local people rather than in remote wilderness.

Along the way you visit Nabji Lhakhang, which holds a stone pillar said to mark a peace agreement in the 8th century witnessed by Guru Rinpoche, and meet the Monpa of Jangbi, believed to be among the earliest inhabitants of Bhutan. The forest is home to the golden langur, one of the rarest primates in the world, and to hornbills and hundreds of other birds. Because the trail is low, it is at its best in the cool, dry months from October to April, when the high treks are closed.

Highlights

Highlights of the trek

Community camps

Village campsites and evening cultural programmes.

Nabji Lhakhang

The temple of the 8th-century peace pillar.

Monpa of Jangbi

One of Bhutan's oldest communities, and their cane crafts.

Golden langur

A rare golden monkey often seen along the trail.

Birdlife

Rufous-necked hornbills and hundreds of other species.

Trongsa and Bumthang

Bhutan's largest dzong and oldest temples.

Itinerary at a glance

Thirteen days at a glance

Walking times are approximate. Daily distances total about 56 km.

Day 1: Arrive in Paro

Land in Paro, easy afternoon.

Day 2: Tiger's Nest

Acclimatisation hike to Paro Taktsang.

Day 3: To Thimphu

Drive to the capital, sightseeing.

Day 4: To Punakha

Over Dochula to Punakha Dzong.

Day 5: To Trongsa

Over Pele La to Trongsa Dzong.

Day 6: Riotala to Nimshong

Drive south and start the trek.

Day 7: Nimshong to Korphu

Up to Korphu on its ridge.

Day 8: Korphu to Nabji

Down to the Nabji valley.

Day 9: Nabji to Kudra

Into deep forest to Kudra.

Day 10: Kudra to Jangbi

Down to the Monpa village of Jangbi.

Day 11: Jangbi to Tongtongphey, to Bumthang

Last walk, drive to Bumthang.

Day 12: Bumthang, fly to Paro

Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey, then fly to Paro.

Day 13: Depart

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Arrive in Paro

Your trekking guide meets you at Paro airport and drives you to your hotel. After lunch you visit Rinpung Dzong and walk across the cantilever bridge below it. In the evening your guide goes through the trek plan with you and checks your gear. Keep the first day light so your body can adjust to the altitude of about 2,200 metres.

Day 2

Acclimatise on the Tiger's Nest trail

The hike to the Tiger’s Nest, at about 3,120 metres, is the best warm-up for any trek in western Bhutan. It takes five to six hours return through blue pine forest, and gaining height slowly today helps your body cope with the higher camps later. Your guide watches how you walk and adjusts the pace for the trek.

Day 3

A day in Thimphu

You drive to Thimphu and visit the Memorial Chorten, the Buddha Dordenma, the National Institute for Zorig Chusum and Tashichho Dzong.

Day 4

Dochula and Punakha

You cross Dochula and drive down to Punakha. You visit Punakha Dzong, built in 1637, and walk through the rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang.

Day 5

Over Pele La to Trongsa

You drive over Pele La to Trongsa, stopping at Chendebji Chorten. In the afternoon you visit Trongsa Dzong and the Ta Dzong museum above it.

Day 6

Trek day 1: Riotala to Nimshong

You drive south from Trongsa towards Zhemgang to the road head at Riotala, at about 1,040 metres. The trail crosses the river and climbs through warm forest to Nimshong, a village of about sixty households at about 1,170 metres. In the evening the villagers often perform songs and dances at the campsite.

Day 7

Trek day 2: Nimshong to Korphu

The trail climbs through broadleaf forest, where golden langurs are often seen in the trees, to Korphu, a village of about seventy households on a ridge at about 1,500 metres. You visit the village temple and meet local families.

Day 8

Trek day 3: Korphu to Nabji

You descend to the rice fields of Nabji, at about 1,370 metres. In the afternoon you visit Nabji Lhakhang, which holds the stone pillar said to mark a peace agreement between the King of Bumthang and a king from the south, witnessed by Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century. The temple’s yearly festival, Nabji Lhakhang Drup, is listed for 12 to 14 January 2028.

Day 9

Trek day 4: Nabji to Kudra

The trail climbs into thick forest of oak and rhododendron, with the best birdwatching of the trek, to the tiny settlement of Kudra, at about 1,670 metres. This is the highest camp of the trek.

Day 10

Trek day 5: Kudra to Jangbi

You walk down to Jangbi, at about 1,370 metres, home to a Monpa community. The Monpa are believed to be among the first people of Bhutan, and they once lived by hunting and gathering in the forest. Today they are known for cane and bamboo crafts, and you can watch them work and buy baskets made in the village.

Day 11

Trek day 6: out to the road

A short final walk brings you to the road at Tongtongphey, where the car meets you. You drive back to Trongsa and on over Yotong La to Bumthang, about four hours, for a hot shower and a hotel bed.

Day 12

Bumthang and the flight back

In the morning you visit Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey Lhakhang, two of Bhutan’s oldest and most sacred temples. Then you fly from Bumthang to Paro, about 30 minutes. If the flight does not run, we drive back with a night in Punakha.

Day 13

Fly home

After breakfast your guide drives you to Paro airport for your flight home.

Where you stay

Hotels before and after, and community campsites on the trek.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1, 2 and 12	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Near the airport
3	Thimphu	3-star or 4-star hotel	Central
4	Punakha	3-star or 4-star hotel	Valley views
5	Trongsa	3-star hotel	View of the dzong
6 to 10	Village campsites	Tented camp	Nimshong, Korphu, Nabji, Kudra, Jangbi
11	Bumthang	3-star or 4-star hotel	Chamkhar valley

Community campsites have basic toilets and water. We bring tents, mattresses and a full kitchen.

What the price covers

Included and not included

Included

Bhutan visa (USD 40) and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night
Hotels as listed, 3-star as standard, with 4-star and luxury upgrades on request
All meals in hotels and on the trek, cooked by our trek cook
A licensed trekking guide, plus a cook and camp crew
Pack animals for the luggage, tents, mattresses, dining and toilet tents
Trekking and park permits
Private car with driver for the road sections
Community fees for the Nabji Korphu trail
Domestic flight from Bumthang to Paro

Not included

International flights into and out of Paro (we can book them for you)
Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend
Sleeping bag and personal trekking gear (we can rent a sleeping bag)
Emergency evacuation costs, which your insurance should cover
Tips for the trek crew, guide and driver

Price on request

Tell us your budget and we will send our best price

We don’t publish one fixed price, because hotels, season and group size change the total a lot. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this Nabji Korphu trek.

How we price

What decides the cost of this trip

Government fees

The SDF is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, plus a USD 40 visa. These are fixed by the Government of Bhutan and paid through us.

Hotels you choose

Group size, hotel style and the domestic flight change the total most. Community fees are included.

Season and dates

Spring and autumn are peak season. Winter and summer dates are often easier to price well.

Group size

Guide and car costs are shared, so the price per person drops for two, three or four travellers.

We send a written, itemised quote before you pay anything. No booking fees.

Good to know

Planning your Nabji Korphu trek

How hard is it?

Nabji Korphu is an easy to moderate trek. The trail stays between about 1,000 and 1,700 metres, so altitude is not a concern, and daily walks are three to six hours. There are climbs and descents on forest paths, which can be muddy after rain, and the low valleys are warm in the middle of the day. It suits families with older children and walkers who want culture more than mountains.

Best time to go

The best season is October to April, when the weather is dry and mild. December and January are very pleasant here, even when the high treks are closed by snow. From May to September the trail is hot, wet and full of leeches, and we don’t recommend it. If you want to see the Nabji Lhakhang Drup, the next listed dates are 12 to 14 January 2028.

Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park

The trek runs through Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, once called the Black Mountains National Park, which stretches from the high Black Mountains down to subtropical forest. The park protects tigers, red pandas, golden langurs and hundreds of bird species, including the rufous-necked hornbill. Strict land-use rules apply, and the community model helps people living inside the park earn from protecting it.

How the community model works

The Nabji Korphu trail was set up so that tourism income stays in the villages. Local people work as guides, porters and cooks’ helpers, run the campsites and perform in the evenings, and a fee from each trekker goes to a community fund. When you buy crafts or share a meal in a home, the money goes straight to the family.

Permits, guides and the trek crew

All visitors to Bhutan travel with a licensed guide, and on a trek you also need a licensed trekking guide and the route and park permits, which we arrange. Your crew includes a cook, camp staff and horsemen with pack ponies or yaks, depending on the altitude. They set up the tents before you arrive, serve hot drinks in the morning and cook three meals a day. Trekking fees and permits are included in our price, along with the SDF for every night.

Food and water on trek

Our trek cook prepares fresh meals every day: porridge or eggs and toast for breakfast, a hot packed lunch, and soup, rice, curries, vegetables and often a dessert for dinner. We can cook vegetarian, gluten-free or other diets if you tell us in advance. Drinking water is boiled and filtered at camp. Bring a refillable bottle and a few snacks you like from home.

Getting to Bumthang

Bumthang is about 270 km from Thimphu, but the road crosses three passes and the drive takes most of two days. We break it with a night in Punakha or Trongsa. Drukair also flies between Paro and Bumthang on set days of the week, in about 30 minutes, and on most of our central Bhutan trips we fly back to save a day on the road. The schedule changes by season, so we confirm the flight when you book.

Visa, SDF and guide rules

Every visitor except Indian nationals needs a visa, which costs USD 40 and is issued online before you fly. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, with half rates for children aged 6 to 11. A Department of Tourism notice from April 2026 confirms that visitors travel with a licensed guide. We file the visa and pay the SDF for you. Read more in our Bhutan visa guide and SDF guide.

Flying into Paro

Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro, mainly from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata and Singapore. Pilots land by sight between the ridges, so morning flights are the most reliable. We suggest a night in your hub city on the way in. Our flights to Bhutan page lists every route.

Nabji Korphu trek: questions

How much does the Nabji Korphu trek cost?

It depends on your hotels, group size and dates. Tell us your budget and we will reply within 24 hours with our best price, including the SDF, visa, hotels, meals, guide and car.

How long is the Nabji Korphu trek?

Six trekking days and about 56 km, within a thirteen day trip.

What is the highest point?

About 1,670 metres at Kudra. There are no high passes.

When is the best season?

October to April. Summer is hot, wet and full of leeches.

Will I see golden langurs?

Often, though wildlife is never guaranteed.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes, for children used to walking several hours a day.

Who benefits from the trek?

The villages along the route, through jobs, campsite fees and a community fund.