Prayer flags flutter on bridges and mountain passes. Glacial rivers flow past gold-roofed temples and fort-like “dzongs”. Wooden and mudbrick farmhouses dot the hillsides. Temperate forests of Himalayan fir, oak and blue pine, contrast with fields of rhododendron and alpine flowers.
Welcome to Bhutan, land of the Thunder Dragon - where villages have more walking tracks than roads, where more than 5000 plant and over 600 bird species exist in a biodiversity hotspot and where sacred and secular life converge on a daily basis. Bordering Tibet and India in the eastern Himalayas, the people of this isolated Buddhist kingdom celebrate a spiritual past, live in the present moment and carefully consider a sustainable future.
From the western towns of Paro and Thimphu, we journey to central Bhutan. The daily lives of monks and councillors are witnessed in the dzongs, distinctive fortresses combining administrative centres and monasteries. Village life revolves around vegetable gardens, alpine farmhouses, bustling markets and local temples. Our walks are mostly short strolls, some half day explorations and the occasional full day hike. Be enchanted by mountain and village views each day, while staying in four key locations and minimizing the driving time in this dream-like country.
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