Bhutan - the exotic, remote Himalayan Kingdom most well known for measuring its citizen's "Gross National Happiness". A gigantic staircase rising from the Indian border to the high Himalayas of Tibet, the soaring peaks of Bhutan are an untapped treasure of whitewater. The rivers are powerful and challenging. The mountains are magnificent. The people are delightful. The architecture and art is superb.

All together, this is a world-class odyssey in a magical land. Far from being a static, restricted environment, Bhutan is a dynamic country whose development is focused on meeting the practical, spiritual and aesthetic needs of its people.

The Bio Bio Expeditions Drangme Chhu trip will introduce you to this amazing culture as we travel by van to the far eastern side of the country. Along the way we will visit fortresses (known as Dzongs), monasteries - including the famous Tiger's Nest built into the cliff, and local homes.

We will enjoy festivals and warm up on two different rivers as we make our way towards the mighty Drangme Chhu. Very few travelers have been to the far east of the country, and only a handful have run the river. Upon arrival at the put-in we will sort our gear, set our safety, and prepare to plunge into this deep and formidable canyon. Once we leave the road access at the top of the river there is no other access for 100 km. We’ll be totally self-sufficient carrying all expedition gear on our rafts as we explore one of the last untouched rivers in the world.

Although we ran the first descent in 2009, it is still relatively unknown as the monsoon floods often change rapids and we will still need to treat it as a first descent. The first few days feature the most intense whitewater and then the rapids gradually begin to soften as we make our way towards India. Along the way we will camp on sandy beaches, enjoy meeting some remote villagers, and feel the thrill of this amazing adventure.

At the journeys end we will take out in India and drive a short distance to the town of Guhawati where there are multiple daily flights to Delhi and connections back to the US. We look forward to experiencing the magic of Bhutan with you.