One of the most mysterious countries in the world, Bhutan government has strict control on the numbers of tourist visiting the country. This policy has been implemented since the 80s, to protect and maintain Bhutan’s unique culture and environment. Today, more and more people are attracted to this last sanctuary on Earth to unveil the mystery. Now let’s go through the steps to get the visas for Bhutan.
Image credit: Aymaan Ahmed
As mystery as the country, it is confusing how to apply for a travel visa to Bhutan as there isn’t a Bhutanese embassy in most countries. It may seem troublesome at first glance, but let us guide you through this journey step-by-step and you’ll realise that it is much easier than you think!
1. Fix a travel date
Being a popular holiday destination, it is always a good idea to plan early, especially during holiday seasons. The peak seasons are in Spring and Autumn when the air is crisp and clear, and the climate is dry and cool. We recommend setting aside at least one to two months for the visa application!
Image credit: Robert GLOD
2. Find a Bhutanese travel agent
After fixing the travel dates, you will have to find a registered Bhutanese travel agent to apply travel visas on your behalf. As Bhutan has not established formal diplomatic relations with most of the countries, Bhutanese government required all tourists that wish to visit Bhutan to apply the travel visas through a registered Bhutanese travel agent or their international partners. You can find the list of registered Bhutanese travel operators on Bhutan Tourism website.
After deciding on which travel operator to go with, the process is pretty simple – where you will just require to submit a colour copy of your passport and pay a fee of USD 40 to the travel agent for visa application.
Image credit: Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn)
3. Book a tour with the travel operator
Bhutanese government does not allow tourist traveling in Bhutan independently without joining a tour or having a tour guide. Hence, all travelers to Bhutan are required to book themselves a tour with their respective travel operators. Travellers can discuss with their travel operators where to go and visit in Bhutan, and they will arrange the schedule for you.
If you are travelling solo to Bhutan, fret not, the travel operator will also arrange a driver and tour guide for you during your stay!
Note: If you are holding a passport from India, Bangladesh or Maldives, you do not require a travel visa nor sign up for a tour to visit Bhutan.
Image credit: Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn)
4. Pay the fee
After deciding on which tour package to take, visitors have to pay the fee according to the number of nights staying in Bhutan, according to the Bhutanese government policy. Part of this fee paid is used in supporting free education, healthcare and poverty alleviation in Bhutan.
Do note that tourists travelling in a group of two or less will be subjected to a surcharge, in addition to the minimum daily package rates. Single travellers will have to pay USD 40 per night, and groups of two will be charged USD 30 per person per night. This surcharge is not imposed on representatives of foreign travel agents on business study or promotional visit duly approved and cleared by the Tourism Council of Bhutan.
Upon receiving your payment, your travel operator will then start to apply for your travel visa. It usually takes one to four weeks, depending on the seasons.
Be mindful that some travel companies may offer a lower price, which is illegal – the travel visa might not be done properly and you may end up to be refused from entering Bhutan!
Image credit: Juan Carlos Madrigal
5. Get your visa when arriving at Bhutan
After the travel visa application is approved, your travel operator will provide you with a scanned copy, which must be printed out, as you will be asked to show the printed copy when clearing customs at the Paro Airport in Bhutan. The officer will then issue you the official travel visa accordingly.
Image credit: Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn)
6. If you’re canceling your trip…
If something crops up and you are no longer traveling to Bhutan, you have to notify your travel company at least 30 days before the travel date to request for a full refund. If you cancel the trip 21 days before the travel date, 10% of the fee will be deducted. For notice shorter than 7 days, 50% of the fee will be deducted. If you only cancel your trip after arriving in Bhutan, you will not get any refund.
Image credit: Mai An Hoa
Now you’re all set – ready for your next trip to Bhutan? [tg_button href=”https://www.alwaysbhutan.com/enquire-now/” color=”red” bg_color=”” text_color=””]BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW[/tg_button]
Written by Sophie Yong
Always eating something, or on her way finding good food, Sophie has the ultimate dream of becoming a full-time traveller and freelance writer to share her travel and food-hunting story. Interested in learning new languages, she has learned French, Japanese and Vietnamese, and hopes to speak like the natives in future. Things she enjoys? French pastries, Impressionism artworks, non-fiction books, Korean drama, and a good cup of coffee (or wine!).
The Tiger’s Nest Monastery, or Paro Taktsang, is located outside the city of ParoCREDIT: TOM MULLEN
The small and predominantly Buddhist nation of Bhutan, tucked between China and India, is lanced by deep ravines and coated with thick woods. The country has no traffic lights. Smoking as well as tobacco products are illegal, as are hunting and fishing (except for catch and release). It is forbidden to climb high peaks (where spirits dwell), and employees must wear traditional clothing—a gho robe for men and kira dress for women—during work hours. Years ago, Gross National Happiness was identified by the nation as being more important than Gross National Product (GNP).
Monasteries—often massive and commanding—abound; monks, when not in prayer or meditation or chores are often found playing board games, sharing stories, laughing or all three. Archery is the national sport and green chili peppers together with ‘cheesy sauce’ is the national dish. Ask any resident, and likely you’ll find they truly do love their king and queen.
This country—with an area of 14,824 square miles (38,394 square kilometers) is slightly larger than the U.S. state of Maryland, or the European state of Montenegro. This sounds relatively small until you spend hours crossing thin and switch backed roads through jungles and over mountain passes. Suddenly the land appears gigantic. Seventy percent of the terrain is coated with forests, while seven percent is pressed beneath glaciers. The highest Himalayan peak—Gangkhar Puensum—soars to almost 25,000 feet (7,570 meters) above sea level. That’s higher than any peak in Europe, Africa, the Americas or Australasia.
Bhutan’s projected population for this year is about 790,000 people—or about 10% more than the city of Seattle in Washington State, or roughly the same as that of Nottingham in the U.K.
Between 2012 and 2016, the number of annual visitors increased 24%—up to 54,600. That is about the seating capacity of Yankee Stadium in New York, or the number who visit Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris every two days. American visitors are increasing, while the number of arriving Europeans remains steady. The influx of Asians is booming. The number of Chinese has more than doubled in the past six years, and the influx is ramping up for those from Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea—mostly during May and October. As visitors increase, favored visiting spots such as the trail ascending toward the Tiger’s Nest Monastery are becoming more crowded—both with people and the ponies that ferry many.
Much else has changed during the past four years. There are more hotels, coffee outlets and souvenir stores in the cities, though the emerging urban sprawl of Thimphu lacks adequate parking. Phallus paintings and carvings, once ubiquitous on virtually every Bhutanese building, have vanished in most urban centers. These represent not only fertility and shameless acceptance, but the legend of a national hero who subdued a bewitching mountain hag with his physical prowess.
Dining room at the Terma Linca Resort & Spa in Thimphu, BhutanCREDIT: TOM MULLEN
To deter low cost tourism, Bhutan requires visitors to spend a minimum amount per day—some hundreds of dollars. To ensure compliance, visitors must sign up with a registered Bhutanese tour agency before arriving.
“The fee is just to control the number of visitors entering Bhutan per day,” explained Tshering Chojur, a Bhutanese guide who took a two-month government course followed by a challenging exam to get his certification. “If the government says that visitors only need to spend $100 per day, then everyone will come, and it will be a problem, impacting both nature and our culture.”
Before visiting Bhutan, visitors must pay a lump sum fee to any of many authorized Bhutanese travel agents. These funds are directly deposited within a bank account belonging to the government Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB). This money is not released to that agency until visitors have completed their visit—providing a check on the quality of service rendered.
Travelers once considered such fees, and the need for a specific itinerary, as a costly hassle. Many visitors now realize that these pre-paid dues—which cover accommodation, meals, vehicle and driver, fuel, a guide, permits for visits and daily excursions—are not unreasonable for guided visits to still largely uncrowded sites. Variations in quality between rated guest houses is reducing, but four and five star destinations are best, in order to avoid the possibility of poor insulation (which necessitates cranking up portable heaters during chilly nights), or spotty internet connections. Local food—while palatable and filling—is more geared for sustenance than sensory pleasure.
A huge attraction of Bhutan is its perceived (and actual) focus on peacefulness. In hotels and restaurants, attractively dressed locals are astutely polite and genuinely helpful. Their encouragement to visit the countryside and monasteries instead of shopping malls gives visitors more of an opportunity to immerse themselves within, rather than simply pass through, the spirit of Buddhism.
Registered guide Tshering Chojur leads trips through BhutanCREDIT: TOM MULLEN
The focus on peace of mind in Bhutan is reflected in law. The National Assembly, with 47 elected members, enacts and repeals laws, agrees on a budget, approves Five Year Plans, and also, according to the charter, ‘deliberates on issues that affect the security and well-being of the country and promotes the welfare and happiness of the people.’
Higher end tourism is booming, and the business attraction for foreigners is sometimes more than financial. Louk Lennaerts from the Netherlands spent 23 years running his own business. His most successful project there was in creating the brand as well as designing and developing the multimillion dollar Fusion Maia Danang in Vietnam, a ‘spa inclusive’ resort that became successful because it provides visitors ‘with the luxury of finding more space for themselves,’ as Lennaerts explained when we recently met outside Paro.
He recently sold his shares in that project and is moving to Bhutan, where for the past two years he has been developing the 24-unit and five house Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary outside Paro, slated to open later this year. Also a ‘spa inclusive’ concept, this faces the Neyphug Valley above the town of Shaba. The layout includes inner meditation gardens, personal spa rooms and an ever-open kitchen run by German Executive Chef Jan Moeller, who will also bake fresh loaves and croissants daily.
“I think there’s magic in the air,” Lennaerts said, explaining his own reason for wanting to move to Bhutan. “People get off the plane and feel that it’s different. You don’t see aggression. Whereas many of us focus on weaknesses—just consider any newspaper—here it’s just the opposite. People try to see all things positively. It’s not easy to define; it’s a feeling.”
The view from the site is wide open and the relative proximity to Paro is convenient.
“The design is based on the dzong concept,” explained Amanda Harvey, the Calgary born Finance & Business Development Director for the project. ‘Dzong’ refers to local ancient fortress architecture. “Whitewashed stone, though not domineering, and with a view of the monastery across the valley,” she continued as she led me through the impressive three story structure. “Our focus is on mindfulness and embracing the calmness of Bhutan, so we’re providing spaces to promote that. There’s a labyrinth garden for a quiet zone, relaxation areas throughout and a space just for meditation” she said, pointing to items on the verge of completion. “The traditional red doors before and after the courtyard lead to transformation areas, each with different colors and music, which starts guests on their ‘sanctuary journey.’ And then there’s an open space, instead of a traditional check-in counter, so entering here feels more like being at home. We aim to make each area a new experience” she continued. Even the swimming pool, with its generous valley view, will have different piped in music than that in adjacent spaces.
Amanda Harvey at the site of Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary near Paro, BhutanCREDIT: TOM MULLEN
Evidence of how Bhutan maintains its independent and peaceful rhythm was fortified this Sunday, which marked the inauguration of the 8th reincarnation of Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, the likely future spiritual leader of Bhutan.
This individual originally lived from 1638 to 1696, when he became both a spiritual and political leader who improved the country’s relations with neighboring territories (Bhutan and Tibet signed a peace treaty), established regional festivals to help unify spiritual leaders, improved administrative structures within the monastic order, boosted the number of monks and renovated the monastery at Tango (where his reincarnation was inaugurated this past Sunday). He also initiated construction of the dramatically placed, and photogenic, cliff side set of structures known today as the Tiger’s Nest Monastery (also known as Paro Taktsang, or the Temple of the Guru with Eight Names) near Paro.
According to religious and historical texts, it appears this 17th century leader may himself have been a reincarnation of an 8th century individual. Here is the gist: The ancient text describing the life of 17th century Rabgye is a particular category of document that combines literature and historical fact. It was used only to relate the stories of Buddhist holy men.
Monks at Tango Monastery near Bhutan’s capital city of ThimphuCREDIT: TOM MULLEN
This text, authoritatively compiled from several authors, provides evidence to imply that 17th century Rabgye was himself the same individual as the 8thcentury Guru Rinpoche (‘precious master’), a spiritual leader so prominent that he became known in his time as a second Buddha. In addition to this weathered text, Bhutanese monks speak of this congruence between these individuals as established truth. This earlier Rinpoche—legend tells—transformed his consort into a flying tiger, climbed onto her back and careened through the sky to touch down where the Tiger’s Nest Monastery now stands. After alighting from this airborne feline, he spent three years, three months, three weeks and three days in meditation at the site.
During a visit four years ago, through a curiously serendipitous and unexpected series of events, I personally met with Tenzin Rabgye (the 8th reincarnation) at his personal residence above the Tango monastery. I was told that he would vanish into the seclusion of solitary meditation for three years, after which he would be inaugurated, and I would receive an invitation to attend. The invitation arrived via email some weeks ago. I bought a ticket, flew in and met my guide and friend Tshering to attend this event.
Tango Monastery, secluded in mountain woodsCREDIT: TOM MULLEN
Sunday’s inauguration, attended by hundreds of Bhutanese residents as well as by dozens of monks (and only one other non-Bhutanese attendee in sight) was a colorful affair held inside Tango Monastery near Thimphu. The monastery is accessible only by hiking for 45 minutes through wooded switchbacks up a steep mountainside. The event included the music of gongs and horns, ample food, spiritual chanting, prayers and the chance, after the main event, to once again meet and receive a personal blessing from Rabgye—who appears to be a beaming and happy young man after close to 40 months of meditative seclusion.
The event—buoyant, uplifting and positive—seems a fitting and accurate reflection on the predominant attitude of most Bhutanese residents.
That attitude alone is reason enough to visit this fiercely independent and vibrant land.
The iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery, or Taktshang Goemba, perches on a steep cliff about 2,700 feet above Paro, in Bhutan. The most famous of the small nation’s monasteries, the holy place was originally built in 1692. (Alexandra Reynolds/AP)
Originally published April 4, 2018 at 5:52 pm
Last remaining Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas embraces sustainable development, education and health, valuing societal good over economic growth.
By ELLEN HALE
The Associated Press
LAYA, Bhutan — Prayer flags whip in the wind, flying across steep valleys and roads. Buddhist temples, stupa shrines and majestic fortresses called zhongs dot the landscape. Giant water-powered prayer wheels spin from tumbling falls. Farmers tend yaks.
Never conquered, never colonized, tiny Bhutan retains much of its deep and ancient culture. But it’s attempting to chart a unique path in today’s world: Modernize and democratize without sacrificing independence, culture or its pristine mountains and forests.
It’s also taken a unique approach to tourism, promoting itself as an “exclusive” destination through “high value, low impact” tourism. Tourists may visit only by booking through licensed tour operators with packages that cost $200 to $250 a day, depending on the season. Some of that money is earmarked by the government for health care, free schools and infrastructure. Despite the high price tag, Bhutan was listed by both The New York Times and Afar magazine on “where to go in 2018” lists.
Democracy arrives
Wedged between India and China, Bhutan is the last remaining Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas. But the country has transitioned from absolute monarchy to a democratic, constitutional monarchy. Parliamentary elections were first held in 2008 despite resistance from Bhutanese who revered their royals.
The country’s fourth king, and father of today’s ruler, introduced the concept of gross national happiness in the 1970s as more important than gross domestic product. The GNH measure, far from a bumper-sticker slogan, embraces sustainable development, education and health, valuing societal good over economic growth. Cigarettes are banned, and Bhutan is the world’s only carbon-negative country, producing less carbon than its forests absorb.
The fifth and reigning king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (affectionately known as K-5, also the name of a local whiskey), created a festival two years ago to attract tourists to a poor region with an ethnic nomadic population. The Laya Royal Highlander Festival, held in October, includes events such as yak judging, wrestling matches, pony races, native dancing and a contest for best mastiff dog.
Tourists heading to the festival face a 36-mile round-trip trek from 6,000 feet to more than 12,500 feet in altitude mostly on rocky, precipitous trails also used by donkeys (laden with propane tanks, tents and other supplies). Rain can turn those trails into a slippery mess of mud and poop.
The challenging route didn’t stop the king from trekking up in a few hours last October. Nor did it stop a woman in native dress — handwoven duri (skirt), top and shamu la, a golden crownlike hat — from marching up in red pumps. Most tourists, though, take two days with constant pauses to catch their breath. The payoff: breathtaking views of the Himalayas and roaring glacier-fed rivers below.
One festival highlight is the nyagay, or strongman race (strong woman, too). Six women in yak-wool skirts dragged massive planks of wood halfway across a field, then dropped the planks and heaved 50-pound grain sacks onto the backs of their male partners. The women then climbed on the men’s backs, and the men retrieved the wood, then raced back to the starting line. All this in four minutes at an altitude of nearly 13,000 feet.
Yak wool and sleepy dogs
Yak-wool tents, impervious to the damp, ringed the festival field and provided protected seating. Booths offered instruction on sustainable products and practices, from animal husbandry (“use only inferior mares for mule production”) to the benefits of Bhutanese honey (bees are healthy because there are few insecticides).
Ubiquitous Bhutanese dogs, unflappable and friendly, curled up on the field like commas and snoozed. The Merak nomads wore their signature black beanies, which have dreadlock-like braids that divert raindrops away from the face. Vendors sold yak bells, yak wool hats and purses, yak cheese wrapped in leather (smelling like a good parmigiana) and vials of the pricey fungus, cordyceps, said to be powerfully healing.
A tent decorated with gold swag and a thronelike chair was designated for the king. But he spent most of his time greeting guests warmly and without pomp. He even greeted me, reaching into his gho, a kimono-like robe, for a bottle of cordyceps, saying: “I just bought this. Would you like to have it? It is said to be very beneficial.”
Before a race where stubby ponies galloped up and down hills, feathered headdresses flying, lunch was served. Hundreds of villagers and visitors alike sat cross-legged as helpers (including royals) ladled rice, vegetable curries and hot butter tea, all compliments of the king.
As our plane begins its descent towards the small airstrip at Paro International Airport, the Captain asked us to brace ourselves for what was expected to be a very bumpy landing.
I was painfully reminded that this remote Himalayan airport was reputed to be so dangerous that only eight pilots in the world are qualified to land there.
Paro Airport in Bhutan is 1.5 miles above sea level and surrounded by the tortured topography of jagged mountains, with towering peaks of up to 18,000 ft tall. The treacherous runway is just 6,500 feet long – one of the few in the world shorter than their actual elevation above sea level. Until July 2011, just one airline, Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, was allowed to use the facility.
Despite the perilous landing conditions, the views over the lush and verdant Paro Valley, with its sacred Buddhist temples, a scattering of historic buildings, pristine rivers and remote mountain villages, instantly remind you this is also one of the most beautiful countries in the Himalayas.
The short flight from Kathmandu in neighbouring Nepal, with Drukair’s new 48-seat, ATR 42-500 twin-turboprop, short-haul regional airliner took little over an hour, and being propeller-driven, provided what was unquestionably one of the most nostalgic scheduled flights I have ever had the good fortune to board, and possibly the most dramatic view of Himalayan scenery I have ever seen.
At this high altitude, flights into Paro are only allowed during the daylight hours and under visual meteorological conditions, in which the pilot must make his judgements by eye, rather than rely on instruments as would be the case in night flights.
The cool mountain air embraces us as we step off the plane in the tiny, dusty valley town of Paro, our faces immediately freshened from the stifling humidity of the cabin and anxieties of the hairy landing. Beyond the rudimentary airport buildings, and vision of the imposing Rinpung Dzong monastery, standing sentinel in the distance, the lush foliage of the Paro Valley shimmers in the bright morning sunlight, at once mesmerizingly beautiful and peaceful.
Tucked away between China and India in the heart of the Himalayas, Bhutan remains a uniquely distinct country. Few explorers have been granted permission to visit this long-inaccessible Kingdom, now a democracy, where life quietly unfolds to the rhythm of traditions amidst the magnificent, unspoilt landscape.
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, has been remarkably successful in preserving its Buddhist culture while also drawing on the benefits of Western know-how, such as environmental conservation and improvements in public health and education.
This landlocked country was influenced early on by Tibetan civilization, but over time it developed its own original culture. Today Bhutan’s culture is unique in its characteristics and achievements in ecology, spirituality, politics, architecture, textiles and other crafts, and remains clearly distinct from other Himalayan regions. It continues to be a place of stability and serenity within a part of the world that is increasingly conflicted.
Bhutan – known to its people as Druk-Yul, ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ – is pivotally positioned between those two Asian giants, India and China. To the north lies Tibet, along with the imposing barrier of the Himalayas, while extending to the east, south and west are the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Sikkim.
Much of the land is covered in lush and varied forests. Broad-leaf trees and conifers occupy three-quarters of its 46,500 square kilometres, which is roughly the size of Switzerland, and with an estimated population of only 700,000, it is one of the least populous nations in South Asia, second only to the Maldives. The verdant valleys and steep mountain slopes of the rich central zone are carpeted with a patchwork of rice paddies and fields of barley, wheat, millet and buckwheat.
Bhutan is situated on the same latitude as Morocco. Its climate is governed by monsoons which contribute to its extraordinary ecological diversity. From south to north, in the space of a mere 130 to 150 kilometres, weather conditions shift from semi-tropical to temperate (in the country’s central zone) to alpine. With its narrow plain of dense and often impenetrable jungle to the south and the Himalayan barrier to the north, the country has its own natural defences.
Bhutan’s central zone is its cultural cradle and the historical heartland of its people. The region is composed of a series of basins, whose inhabitants were totally economically self-sustaining until fifty years ago, and from west to east there is a string of glorious valleys, like reliquaries enshrining the many spiritual and artistic aspects of Bhutanese culture. To the west lie the town of Paro, and Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan and its largest city, and, to the centre and east of the country, the rich valleys of Bumthang, Trongsar and Lhuntse situated at between 2,000 and 3,500 metres.
Further to the east, there are the low-lying valleys of Tashigang, Merak and Sakteng, home to the Sar-chupa, the ‘People of the East’, who speak a different language from Dzongkha, a Sino-Tibetan language that is the Kingdom of Bhutan’s sole official and national language, spoken by over half a million people.
North Bhutan is a series of towering peaks rising from 3,000 metres to over 7,000 metres. Jomolhari, sometimes known as “the bride of Kangchenjunga”, is the highest peak in Bhutan, and reaches 7,326 metres, capped with the eternal snows of the Great Himalaya. Bhutan’s semi-nomadic yak-herders live on these northern slopes, enduring the rigours of the Himalayan climate and bringing their herds to graze in spring at between 4,000 and 5,000 metres.
The Tibetan name for Bhutan, Lhojong Menjong, means ‘The Southern Valleys of Medicinal Herbs’ and the dense forests of these Himalayan foothills are rich in plant life known for their medicinal properties. The steep slopes shelter a number of rare and endangered species such as the Himalayan blue poppy (Meconopsis grandis), Bhutan’s national flower, as well as a great variety of beautiful orchids and rhododendrons. Most of the region – 26 percent of the country as a whole – has been designated as a national park, a further indication of how highly the Bhutanese government values and respects the environment.
Bhutan is home to the elusive snow leopard, or ‘ounce’ (Panthera uncia), and the white-bellied or Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster), as well as numerous other species, and even tigers have been photographed here at an altitude of 4,000 metres. The wealth of Bhutan’s diverse flora and fauna, its exceptional forest cover, the abundance of clear-flowing rivers, generous rainfall, and its small population, are all resources that have played an important role in the evolution of Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage and represent major economic assets for the country today.
In Bhutan, history and spirituality are indissolubly linked. It is said that there, ‘the earth is Buddhist and the sky is Buddhist’. The mountains are seen by the Bhutanese as ‘recumbent elephants’, ‘proudly poised lions’ and ‘garuda birds taking flight’. The plains are lotus flowers with their eight petals unfolded; the little cut-out pieces of sky in a rock face are ‘gakyil’, “circles of joy”, or ‘phurba’, triangular daggers. The lakes are shaped like horns of plenty or cups of ambrosia. The whole landscape is sacred. Every valley is a site of pilgrimage and every rock, cave, forest and river has a history. In one place, a hermit meditated; in another, a spiritual master left his footprint on a rock; in yet another lies the home of a guardian spirit of the earth.
Many of these sites are barely known outside the valley where they are located, while others have a quasi-mythical reputation throughout the world of Himalayan Buddhism. Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, the 8th century Indian Buddhist master, is said to have concealed a great many spiritual treasures at Paro Taktsang, the prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex located in the cliffside of the Upper Paro Valley.
Famously known as ‘The Tiger’s Lair’, the monastery clings to a cliff, 3,120 metres above sea level and is one of the most imposing visitor attractions in Bhutan. Small wonder, during their Royal visit to India and Bhutan in 2016, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge trekked to the summit of this famous monastery, going one better than the Duke’s father, Prince Charles, who on a 1998 trip broke off his hike to the sacred site to paint a watercolour of the complex from afar.
Several months after Prince Charles visited Paro Taktsang in 1998, a fire broke out in the monastery and it was completely destroyed: the temple being hard to access and emergency assistance was near impossible. However, Bhutan’s own popular monarch, His Majesty, the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the fifth ruler in his family to take possession of the crown, immediately ordered the reconstruction of this national treasure, and it has since been restored to its former splendour.
My own three-hour trek to the monastery at Paro Taktsang was an unforgettable experience, thanks largely to its isolated location and the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and emerald green valleys. Looking at the complex from the bottom of the cliff, it seems almost impossible to reach the monastery. In fact, there are three mountain paths leading to the sacred site. The first path is a trail passing through the pine forest and decorated with brightly-coloured bannerettes symbolizing protection from evil forces, positive energy, vitality and good luck. The other two paths pass through the central plateau, called “a hundred thousand fairies plateau”.
Kurje Lhakhang, at the heart of Bhutan in the Bumthang Valley, is another major pilgrimage site. This imposing 8th century monastery is the final resting place of the remains of the first three Kings of Bhutan and is well worth a visit. Mönka Nering Senge Dzong, ‘The Fortress of the Lion’, will take any visitor to this holy site on a journey of spiritual immersion. Blessed by Padmasambhava and his female disciple Yeshe Tosogyal, this renowned place of worship is a small plateau ringed with rocky peaks and glaciers, located at over 4,000 metres, which takes several days to reach by walking along boggy paths in semi-tropical rain forests, but living as I do on the west coast of Ireland, I had no hesitation in joining a trek to this sacred site, for a brisk walk through a peat bog in search of a nesting bird or rare butterfly has become an almost daily ritual for me in recent years, although in County Kerry, I am very unlikely to encounter birds such as the Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), or the beautiful Satyr tragopan (Tragopan satyra).
Bhutan is a veritable paradise for bird lovers and ornithologists. Over 670 species of birds have been recorded here and many more are yet to be discovered. Around 50 species of the known birds are winter migrants, and these include ducks, waders, numerous birds of prey, thrushes, warblers, flycatchers, bee-eaters, finches and buntings.
The values of Buddhism and the natural world are deeply imbedded in the minds of the Bhutanese people. Some of the larger monasteries, like the one at Thimphu, house more than a thousand monks. Every hilltop has its little temple or shrine surrounded by prayer flags fluttering in the wind and the mountain streams keep the prayer wheels turning night and day. There are hermitages scattered throughout the mountains and the forests, where many monks, nuns and lay practitioners devote themselves to meditation. The religious calendar is filled with majestic ceremonies and sacred dance festivals and, since the principal monasteries celebrate the festival of the Tenth Day (tsechu) at different times in the year, the celebrations tend to be ongoing throughout the country, literally one after another.
Bhutan has two main religious schools, both derived from Tibetan Buddhism: the Drukpa Kagyu tradition, which is followed by virtually all state-run monasteries, and the Nyingma tradition, observed by a large section of the population and of the independent monasteries.
There is so much to see and do in Bhutan, which is rapidly developing a reputation as a premier destination for adventure sports. Set as it is amongst the majestic Himalayas, the Kingdom is the perfect location for all manner of exciting outdoor activities including hiking, trekking, kayaking, mountain biking and fishing. Whether its rafting down crystal clear, glacier-fed rivers or trekking through lush, virgin forests, Bhutan offers a one-of-a-kind experience for travellers seeking adventure in an unspoiled and unexplored environment. All the necessary arrangements for these activities can be made through your local tour operator. They will provide you with well-trained and experienced guides to ensure your safety at all times.
A wide variety of accommodation is available in Bhutan ranging from luxurious 5-star hotels and mountain retreats, resorts and spas, to much smaller community-based boutique hotels, cosy little guest houses and “homestays” in traditional Bhutanese family homes and settings. However, the most distinctive characteristic of Bhutanese daily life is its mouth-watering cuisine but be prepared for its spiciness. Extremely hot chillies are an essential part of nearly every dish and are considered so important that most Bhutanese people would not enjoy a meal that was not spicy.
Ema Datshi is among the most famous dishes in Bhutanese cuisine, and widely recognized as the national dish of Bhutan. It is a spicy mix of chillies, green beans, ferns, potatoes, mushrooms and a delicious local yak cheese known as Datshi, which is sometimes swapped for regular cheese. The dish is a staple of nearly every meal and can be found throughout the country.
Often referred to as the ‘Land of Happiness’ by its people, this secluded Himalayan idyll is one of the world’s most beautiful, yet mysterious places. Bhutan’s ancient cultural traditions have continued to grow despite the current technological restructuring. Only since the mid 1970’s technology has come to this otherwise sacred land. Small wonder many notable mountaineers, such as Eric Shipton, Chris Bonington, Joe Tasker and Dougal Haston, fondly named this blessed place the ‘Kingdom of the Sky’.
Bhutan has since become the ultimate tourist destination for adventurers, spiritual awakenings, and serene visages. Should you find yourself in South Asia over the coming months, I would urge you to pay a visit, for you’ll be well rewarded for including the Kingdom of Bhutan in your itinerary. This place is quite simply a land where solitude is sublime.
The Tiger’s Nest Monastery hangs on a cliff and stands above an enchanting forest of blue pines and rhododendrons. As this beautiful and very exceptional monastery is a sheer climb the hill (900 meters), a pony can be arranged for the ride up, but only until the cafeteria. From then on, it is another steep walk and some narrow stairs towards the monastery itself. The trail crosses a chapel of butter lamps and descends to a waterfall by the Snow Lion Cave. The view of the Paro valley from here on is breathtaking, and the atmosphere very holy, a place where every Bhutanese will want to come at least once in his/her life. The place where Guru Rinpoche brought Buddhism into Bhutan, arriving on the back of a tigress.
2) Punakha Dzong
Being the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan, Punakha Dzong, or some call it Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness), is also the countryâs most gorgeous and majestic dzong. Punakha is accessible from a 3 hours drive east of the capital Thimpu, and after crossing a pass in the mountains, the place is a breathtaking and glorious sight on the first glimpse from the road. It is placed strategically in between two rivers, Pho Chu (male) and Mo Chu (females) that has noticeable color differences between the riversâ water. Punakha Dzong joined to the mainland by an arched wooden bridge and contains many precious relics from the days when successive kings reigned the kingdom over this valley. Furthermore, it is blessed with a temperate climate, and lovely lilac colored jacaranda trees grow around the dzong during the spring season.
3) Zuri Dzong Hike
The peak of the Zuri Dzong Trek is probably the perfect spot to have a bird-eye view of the entire Paro valley. The Zuri Dzong is the oldest Dzong in Bhutan, and in there lies a cave where Buddha came to meditate in, in the 8th century. This peaceful place allows both Bhutanese and tourists to soak in the tranquil that radiates from the extraordinary view, something one can stare at for hours in wonder and awe. The total journey time to get there will take approximately 30 minutes if one starts from the museum watchtower, and an additional 1 hour to exit out towards Uma. Tourists can expect to sit and relax there, and also remember to catch the amazing side view as you hike through Trek.
4) Uma Paro Hotel
Just a 10 minutes scenic drive from Paro airport, Uma Paro Hotel perches proudly on a Himalayan mountain, flanked by thick pine forests with views that overlay the Paro district. One of the remote kingdom’s only boutique hotels, it offers elegant interiors, exquisite food, a pampering Como Shambhala spa, and a cool pool amid the mind-bending ravishing scenery. You could lose hours just mesmerizing at the magical Himalayan landscape. The rooms available specialize in different sceneries and needs for every individual’s preference, such as:
– Forest view rooms, overlooking the surrounding pine forests.
– Valley view rooms, offering panoramic views of the Paro Valley.
– Como suites, with 180-degree views of the Paro Valley in the bedroom, a kitchenette, a sitting, dining and study area.
– One-bedroom villas, which are spacious freestanding villas that include a sitting area with a traditional Bukhari wood burning stove, as well as a private spa treatment area. (Both villas offer personal butler services)
– Two-bedroom villas come with a living area with panoramic views of the Paro Valley with an open-air courtyard with a fire pit. The villas provide an outdoor hot-stone bathtub, a private spa treatment and offer Personal butler services.
5) Gangtey Valley in winter
The valley of Gangtey is one of the most stunning valleys in the Himalayas, and many call it the Shangri-La of Bhutan, just as how Bhutan is well known for being âone of the worldâs happiest nations,â and âthe last Shangri-La on Earth.â The surprise of finding such a wide, flat valley without any trees after the hard climb through dense forests is augmented by an impression of vast space, which is an extremely rare experience in Bhutan as most of the valleys are tightly enclosed. This moderate trek visits the villages of Gogona and Khotokha, passing through meadows and fields, then forests of juniper, magnolia and rhododendrons, which will be in full bloom in April. Besides the attractive scenic valley and mountain trails passing through the magnificent forest with its undergrowth changing from rhododendron and magnolia to ferns and dwarf bamboo, we can also visit the historical Gangtey monastery and the blacked necked crane information centre. Additionally, there will be a special treat for those visiting the Gangtey during the winter season, as they will be able to catch the graceful Black-necked Cranes in action as they head to the roost.
Source:The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/travel/bhutan-nepal.html
By Jennifer Moses
Last May, as a 30th anniversary gift to ourselves, my husband, Stuart, and I went on a tour of Nepal and Bhutan. Post-child-rearing but before (fingers crossed) grandchildren, we wanted something big, something different, something outside our comfort zone that wouldn’t actually be uncomfortable. Which meant hiring someone else to do the planning for us, in this case, a Massachusetts-based tour company called Odysseys Unlimited.
Squeezed between the northeastern tip of India, where it loops around Bangladesh, and the southernmost curve of Tibet, Nepal has a population that is mostly Hindu. Bhutan, in the same neighborhood, is largely Buddhist. Bhutan is also the last of the Himalayan kingdoms to remain a kingdom, with a hereditary monarchy and a culture largely untouched by the ravages of Hollywood’s fashion and pop dominance on the one hand, and that of environmental degradation on the other.
Until 1974, Bhutan didn’t let foreigners in. Since then, it’s been reinventing itself, casting itself as the world’s happiest nation and measuring its overall welfare not in terms of G.N.P. but by “gross national happiness,” as set forth in 2008 in the Constitution of Bhutan. For tourists, this means a $250 a day tariff (typically folded into other costs, including the required guide).
A country that, for many of the most ambitious mountaineers, all but invented trekking, plus a pristine sliver of the Himalayas that celebrates both happiness and Buddhism? We signed on.
Golden statues at Buddha Point in Thimphu, Bhutan.Credit Poras Chaudhary for The New York Times
But we had some concerns, mainly having to do with our preconceived ideas of organized tours. My husband and I are youngsters in our pre-60s. What if the others on the trip turned out to be downright old? And what if the guides spent too much time on stuff we weren’t interested in? Could you even get off the bus if you wanted to? We’d never been on an organized tour.
Yet what did we know about stupas? Maybe we needed the kind of tour provided by professionals after all.
Speaking of stupas, I’d never seen one until the morning after we arrived in Kathmandu. Delirious from lack of sleep, we met our fellow tourists in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency, boarded the first of the buses that would take us to and fro for the duration of the trip, and set off for Swayambhunath, a temple complex built atop a hill reached by hundreds of steps. At the very top is the stupa itself, white, with a 13-tiered golden spire.
Stupas are hemispherical structures, focal points for worship and meditation. As our excellent tour guide, Sanjay Nepal, explained, they’re typically painted with four sets of eyes pointing in four directions to symbolize the Buddha’s all-seeingness. My own set of eyes didn’t know what to look at first: the prayer flags fluttering in the sky, the prayer wheels being spun by the devout, the monks on their cellphones or the monks at their devotions?
By Jennifer Moses