Emma Slade Trans Bhutan Trail Hike
Emma Slade (Ani Pema Deki), a British Buddhist nun, is walking the full length of Bhutan along the Trans Bhutan Trail. She has already crossed four of the route’s twelve high passes and climbed beyond 4,000 metres, pushing both body and mind. Her steps follow Bhutan’s historic footways — the country’s arteries long before roads arrived in the 1960s.
Completing the entire trail is among the hardest treks in the Himalayas and has been accomplished by only 14 non-Bhutanese. Emma is the first ordained nun to attempt it. Ordained in Bhutan, she is also the only Western woman to have received full ordination there, known for a calm, contemplative practice now carried onto the path.
She has traded a meditation cushion for hiking boots to raise funds and awareness for children with special needs in Bhutan, a community she believes “deserves a champion and a voice.” The demands are relentless — steep climbs, shifting weather, blisters, and exhaustion — yet she continues, drawing on training and a commitment to serve. “It’s without doubt the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” she says. “But each step is a reminder of why I’m walking — for compassion in action.”
Trans Bhutan Trail: Reviving a Historic Path for Sustainable Adventure and Cultural Connection
The Trans Bhutan Trail has connected communities across Bhutan for centuries, serving pilgrims, messengers, armies, and traders. Until the 1960s, it was the country’s primary route for travel and communication. Today it has been revitalized for a new era of adventure and connection. This not-for-profit sustainable tourism initiative showcases a unique piece of Bhutan’s cultural heritage for the benefit of its people and offers a range of itineraries that invite travelers to experience the Trans Bhutan Trail for themselves.
From Finance to Buddhist Nun: Emma Slade’s East–West Path of Compassion and Service
Born in Kent, UK, Emma Slade studied at Cambridge University and the University of London. She began her career in fund management, working in London, New York, and Hong Kong. A transformative experience in Jakarta led her to leave finance and dedicate herself to yoga, meditation, and wellbeing.
In 2011, a chance meeting with a Buddhist Lama—who later became her teacher—deepened her commitment to Buddhism. In 2014, she became the first Western woman to be ordained as a Buddhist nun in the Drukpa Kagyu lineage in Bhutan. “I have been given a unique opportunity to combine being a woman from the West with training from Lamas in the East. I hope this will allow me to bring benefit to many,” Emma says.
Opening Your Heart to Bhutan: Compassionate Support for Children with Special Needs Across Bhutan
Opening Your Heart to Bhutan is a UK-registered charity founded in 2015 by Buddhist nun Emma Slade (Ani Pema Deki). Working closely with local communities, schools, and the Bhutanese government, it ensures that 92% of donations go directly to projects, with only 8% covering operating costs. The charity focuses on practical, lasting support for children and young people with special needs in areas with limited resources.
Its initiatives include building and equipping specialist classrooms, funding therapy and care, providing educational resources and teacher training to strengthen inclusion, and supporting families so children can thrive at home and at school. Every project is co-designed with local partners to meet real needs and ensure long-term impact. Guided by compassion and the belief that every child is precious, the charity invites global supporters to donate directly or via JustGiving, and to learn more or get involved through its website.