| The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked haven | | | | included in the ticket price, and you must ensure |
| between India and China , and it is often described | | | | you have a visa organised before you set out |
| as the last place you will find traditional Himalayan | | | | from home. |
| Buddhist culture. It is virtually surrounded by the | | | | You can enter by road through Phuentsholing on |
| Himalayas, and for centuries has been a difficult | | | | the southern border with India, and you could |
| place to visit. | | | | have a fantastic trip from Kathmandu to |
| Bhutan opened its doors to tourism on a limited | | | | Darjeeling then to Sikkim prior to entering Bhutan. |
| scale over thirty years ago, so now it is possible | | | | To get around in Bhutan you need to hire a |
| to think in terms of a Bhutan vacation. | | | | motor vehicle or walk!! There are no railways, no |
| The Kingdom of Bhutan is known locally as The | | | | helicoptors, and public transport is packed and |
| Land of The Thunder Dragon, and it is one of the | | | | uncomfortable. |
| most isolated and least well developed nations in | | | | The entire country of Bhutan is mountainous |
| the world. | | | | apart from a small sub tropical plain area in the |
| It is difficult to comprehend a place like Bhutan | | | | south. The mountains rise to as high as 7000 |
| which is a kingdom whose main issue is with | | | | metres, so the climate has enormous variation. |
| happiness. Everybody seems happy, cultural | | | | The rainy season lasts from May to September, |
| values and traditions remain unchanged since | | | | and visits to altitude are at their best in October |
| Buddhism began to be the dominant religion in the | | | | and November. |
| 7th Century. In other words the world that we | | | | Apart from the sheer beauty of the Himalayas |
| live in today has left Bhutan largely untouched. | | | | there is much to see and enjoy on your Bhutan |
| You will fall in love with the beauty of Bhutan, the | | | | Vacation, and space precludes large descriptions, |
| lack of pollution, be it 21st century rubbish, or the | | | | but you ought to visit. |
| noise of pop music machines. The scenery and | | | | Bumthang which is the spiritual epicentre of |
| architecture will hold you spellbound, and you will | | | | Bhutan and home to its most ancient and precious |
| find the people quite the most charming, and very | | | | Buddhist sites. |
| hospitable. | | | | Thimpu is the only world capital without traffic |
| A Bhutan vacation will normally begin by entering | | | | lights, has a real medieval feel to it. Dechenphu |
| the country by air using the national carrier Druk | | | | Lhakhang at over 8000 feet this imposing chapel |
| Air. The airline flies into Paro from Bangkok, Delhi, | | | | is accessed by a stone staircase Taktshang |
| Kolkata, and Kathmandu every week, and it is the | | | | Goemba is the most famous monastery in Bhutan |
| only airline that flies in and out of Bhutan. If you | | | | on the side of a cliff 2925 feet above the Paro |
| fly from Kathmandu ensure you get a seat on | | | | Trongsa Dzong is the most impressive fort |
| the left hand side of the airline, because the views | | | | monastery in Bhutan and can be seen from far |
| of the Himalayas are exceptional. Departure tax is | | | | away. |