4 days/ 3 nights · Private tour
Tour highlights
About this tour
This short ride takes you over Chele La pass, one of the highest roads in Bhutan, and down into the hidden Haa Valley. In just four days, you climb through fir and rhododendron forest to almost 4,000 metres, look out at Jomolhari on a clear morning, then drop into a valley that few visitors ever see. A road captain rides with you, and a luggage van follows.
Most motorcycle trips in the Himalaya take two weeks. Instead, this one fits into a long weekend or the start of a bigger holiday. If you want a real mountain pass, empty roads and a night in a farming valley, this is your ride.
The road climbs about 1,700 metres in 35 kilometres, with tight bends and long views back over the Paro Valley. At the top, thousands of prayer flags crack in the wind. On the far side, the road winds down through forest to Haa, where wooden farmhouses sit among barley and potato fields.
The surface is mostly paved, with some rough patches. Meanwhile, the altitude is the real challenge, so the first day is an easy one. You ride sturdy touring motorcycles chosen for mountain roads, and a mechanic travels with the group.
Haa opened to visitors only in 2002, and it still feels like a secret. You visit Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo, the White and Black Temples, and walk a village lane at dusk. In addition, a farmhouse dinner of buckwheat noodles and local cheese is part of the evening.
Want a longer ride after this? Join our 7-day Bhutan motorcycle tour over three high passes to Bumthang. Or browse every Bhutan adventure tour.
Spring, from March to May, brings rhododendrons in flower along the climb. Autumn, from October to November, brings the clearest mountain views. However, snow can close the pass for a few days in winter, so we keep a backup route through the river valleys. For visas and packing, read our Bhutan travel information guide.
Your Chele La pass ride starts from US$1,800 per person, and group discounts are available. The price covers your motorcycle and fuel, a road captain, a mechanic, a luggage van and driver, the Sustainable Development Fee, hotels, all meals, permits, taxes and entry fees. Flights, insurance and drinks are extra.
The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per night right now, half the standard rate set by Bhutan’s official tourism site. However, this lower rate is confirmed only until 31 August 2027. We have been licensed since 2012 and have welcomed more than 2,000 travellers.
It sits at about 3,990 metres, which makes it one of the highest motorable passes in Bhutan.
Yes. Passengers are welcome, and they can ride in the van whenever they like.
Yes. Many cyclists love the long descent from the pass. Ask us, and we will plan it with a support van.
Day by day
This itinerary shows one way to enjoy this trip. We can change any day, add or remove places, change the pace or the hotels, and add a festival. Every journey we run is curated around you.
Paro valley · about 30 km · easy · 2,200 m Your flight drops into the Paro Valley, and your road captain greets you with a white scarf. After lunch, you meet your motorcycle, go through a safety briefing and take a gentle ride along the river. Farm roads lead past rice fields to Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan. This easy start helps your body adjust before tomorrow's climb. Overnight: Paro
Paro to Haa · about 65 km · 3 to 4 hours · Chele La about 3,990 m Today you climb the long road to Chele La, bend after bend, through fir and rhododendron forest. At the top, you stop among thousands of prayer flags, and on a clear morning Jomolhari fills the skyline. Then the road drops steadily into Haa. In the afternoon, you visit the White and Black Temples and enjoy a farmhouse dinner. Overnight: Haa
Haa to Thimphu · about 115 km · 4 hours · 2,300 m You follow the Haa river down a narrow, wooded gorge to Chuzom, where three small stupas mark the meeting of two rivers. From there, the road climbs gently along the Wang Chhu to the capital. In the afternoon, you visit Buddha Dordenma above the valley. In the evening, you walk the main street of Thimphu. Overnight: Thimphu
Thimphu to Paro · 55 km · about 1.5 hours After breakfast, you take one last ride along the river to Paro and hand back your motorcycle. Your road captain and driver then take you to the airport and see you off with a farewell scarf. We hope to welcome you back for a longer ride into central Bhutan.
Package does not include insurance of any kinds, and that you are required to obtain separate coverage from your home country or any insurance company of your choice.
Tell us your dates, and we will shape this trip around you.
