Merak & Sakteng – A trek in the clouds
Acontinuous wave of foothills and valleys, the highland hamlets of Merak and Sakteng that lie in the far east of Bhutan opened up to tourism only in 2010. It is remote simply because it is a land apart in terms of geography, flora, fauna and local culture.
The people of the highlands are semi-nomadic and speak a different dialect, have their own deities, and even have their own style of dress. It was to preserve this uniqueness that the government closed the area to tourists in 1995, though a few foreign travelers had entered the region before. Today, however, Merak- Sakteng is open for tourists. A multi-day trek to the villages, along river valleys and over a 4,300m pass, is the best way to get a taste of the two unique Bhutanese villages with their own customs, traditions and way of life.
Not just for tourists but even for locals Merak-Sakteng stands out as a distinct attraction in Bhutan. Unlike elsewhere in the country, it offers visitors a unique semi-nomadic lifestyle, culture and vernacular in one of the most scenic pastoral valleys in the protected area of Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary. Should you decide to hike, the trek is a moderate one (between 1,500m and 4,100m) and will take you through villages of Gengu (3400m), Merak (3500m), Sakteng (2800m), Thakthi (2200m), and Joenkhar(1700m).
There are many trails one can follow, but the most popular trail is one that begins from Chaling and ends in Phongmey. What is an added bonus on this particular trek is that the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary lies along it. The sanctuary was designated so in April 2003 to conserve and to protect the unique assemblage of biological and cultural diversity in the region. The sanctuary covers an area of 650 kms and is bordered by the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh in the north and east.
Getting to Merak-Sakteng
If you haven’t entered Bhutan through Paro, the other way to get to Merak-Sakteng is to cross the land border with India at Samdrup Jongkhar. Samdrup Jongkhar is a two-hour drive from Guwahati Airport, in Assam. Once you get to Samdrup Jongkhar, it is a six-hour drive along winding roads to Trashigang in Eastern Bhutan. Merak-Sakteng falls in Trashigang district. From Trashigang it is a two-hour drive to Chaling, the start-point for the loop trek to Phongmey. It is possible to complete the trek in four days, though this requires a high level of fitness – five/ six days would allow a more leisurely pace.