Introducing the Himalayan Kingdom

Nestled in the Himalayan range lies a tiny Kingdom of Bhutan, which the world today recognizes as a destination of happiness. Yes, the happiness matters. The pioneering vision of developmental philosophy called Gross National Happiness (GNH) has kept the country environmentally and culturally rich, with 72% of it under forest cover. The constitution demands minimum of 60% forest cover in all times. The country has been recently declared as the only carbon negative country where the amount of carbon dioxide produced is less that that absorbed by the vegetation.  In order to know what makes Bhutan a unique destination for the travelers, one definitely has to experience its natural beauty in its depth.

Visiting the entire world is an immensely difficult task yet every new experience energizes you with greater passion to travel. However there are parts of the world, unique in its own way, unsoiled by man’s materialistic pursuit, where the past and the present, man and nature, live in harmony. Bhutan is one of those destinations where you will feel like you are traveling the time backward.

How and When to Travel?

All visitors who wish to travel to Bhutan require a visa and must book their holiday through a Bhutanese tour operator or one of their international partners. The tour operator will take care of Visa arrangements for visitors. The strong environmental and cultural policy of the country demands the visitors to be guided by a registered tour guide. The transportation, accommodation, food and safety are all arranged by the tour operator. Unlike visiting other parts of the world, one doesn’t need to worry about anything once you are issued a visa.  In keeping with the Tourism Council of Bhutan’s policy of “High Value, Low Impact” tourism, a Minimum Daily Package is required for tourists.

The best seasons to  travel to Bhutan is Spring and Autumn, with March, April, May, September, October and November being the best months. One can fly to Bhutan from any of the three Indian cities ( New Delhi, Calcutta and Bagdogra), Dhaka in Bangladesh, Katmandu in Nepal, Singapore or Bangkok in Thailand.

What can I Experience?

Cultural tours of the spectacular dzong monasteries, temples and festivals is what 90% of visitors book, but it’s a bit of a tourist conveyor belt, and once you’ve seen a few, the best way to escape and experience more of the real Bhutan is on a trek. There are a dozen or so to choose from, but the Jomolhari circuit, or Yaksa trek, a nine-day loop through spectacular mountain scenery, is one of the most popular, challenging without involving 25 days in snow (the Snowman trek), or being too easy (the Druk path).

The Jomolhari trek initiates with the Pa Chhu river, thunderous, milky emerald, and swarming with dragonflies and butterflies, leads the way towards the high mountains across turnip fields and rice paddies. After the first camp at Shana, at 2,898m one enters a forest of pink birch, peeling like sunburned skin, and climbed through Daphne bushes, maples, poplars, bamboo and rhododendron, which cover entire hillsides in color in spring. Bulbuls, snow pigeons and laughing thrushes fly by, and one can cross little suspension bridges under strings of prayer flags, passing small waterfalls, lagoons the color of expensive infinity pools, and roughly built stupa and mani walls, carved with Buddhist mantras.

 

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