BHUTAN BIKE RIDE (PART III – EASTERN BHUTAN)

Further eastwards from the beautiful Bumthung valley in Bhutan lies the wild countryside of Eastern Bhutan. The route from Bumthung all the way up to Thrumshingla Pass at 3750m – the highest motorable pass in Bhutan, is one of the best stretches in the country for riding a motorcycle. The scenery is comparable to the Alps highlighted by Bhutanese villages, with fantastic twisty sections on empty roads which is a delight for any biker. It also goes through Ura Valley, which is one of Bhutan’s  quietest but most breath taking valleys. After crossing the Thrumshingla pass you are officially in ‘Eastern Bhutan” and the scenery changes drastically. Roads are covered on both sides with extensive growth of rhodendron flowers and rainforests bring welcome change from the barren stretches.

The first of the main towns on Eastern side is Mongar, located along a range of mountains which runs from north to south, all the way from Tibet to the Indian border. It’s a small sleepy town, an overnight stop for people travelling from one side of Bhutan to the other. Further ahead of Mongar all the way to Trashigang, you can experience and sharpen all your biking skills through twists & turns on the offer. The road climbs considerably into some challenging hilly portion of the ride, but the decent state of the road condition makes it a challenging but pleasurable ride. It also passes through small villages like Yadi Mongar, where the road is lined with trees laden with oranges, and through forests of oak, with thick undergrowth of ferns, orchids and bamboo.

Beyond Trashigang, the route goes southwards towards the Indo-Bhutan border on the Eastern side and is the longest portion of journey of more than 300 kms to be done, one-third of which is within India. The mountains finish in Bhutan, and you descend rapidly on winding gravel roads, approaching the last civilisation in Bhutan – Samdrup Jhonkar. By the end of this fantastic bike ride, I must say that the Himalayan Shangri La of Bhutanis one of the best kept secrets of Asia and offers pristine nature to its few numbers of visitors. The unpredictable weather conditions makes it a perfect mix of adventure and pleasure for any biker. It certainly was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry, as it was everything that a long distance motorcycle trip should be.

# Please buy my Book “Confessions of a Traveloholic” to read the complete Travelogue.