Dating back to the 16th century, the trails, used by rulers, monks, pilgrims, traders and message carriers known as garps,[1] were the only way to travel across Bhutan.
[2] The trail fell into disuse and disrepair after the construction of Bhutan's first national highway in 1962;[1] much of it was subsumed by the new roads.
[4] It involved restoring or rebuilding 18 major bridges,[2] more than 10,000 steps, and placing QR codes that can be used to access the local area's history.
[4] In a ceremony in Thimphu, Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck formally opened the trail to tourists on 28 September 2022, coinciding with the resumption of international tourism after the pandemic.
[4] The restored Trans Bhutan Trail spans a total of 403-kilometre (250 mi)[4] from west to east, connecting 400 cultural and historic sites across the country.