Bhutan presents a spectacular natural landscape
with snow peaks to the north and green mountains
and deep gorges. Many ancient buddhist monastries
dot the landscape . The Bhutanese are a deeply
religious people. Followers of Mahayana Buddhism,
their beliefs intricately weave into their daily
lives.
The country's relative isolation and unabused
scenic beauty makes it for all practical purposes
the last post to paradise. here's a destination
that charms the visitor to a never before experience.
The kingdom offers a geographical diversity of
tropical forests and foothills with elevations
of only 300 meters to the south of the country
while it peaks at 7000 meters at high Himalayan
altitudes. Temperatures vary drastically between
day and night and between altitudes.
Bhutan is accessible both by land and air.
Place of Interest:
PARO VALLEY
Generally visitors enter the kingdom at Paro,
by the National Airline Druk Air. This is a beautiful
valley. It appears as though nature and man came
together to create their dearest place, the valley
of Paro. Mt. Chomolhari 7320m. reigns supreme
in its white glory at the northern end of the
valley and its glacial waters plunge though deep
gorges to from the Pa- Chu (Paro river). Paro
is also home to some of Bhutan’s oldest
temples & monasteries. Request more information and cost details
THIMPHU
The capital of Bhutan, lies at an elevation of
2300m in a valley traversed by the Wang Chu river.
Tashichho Dzong, is the main secretariat building
which house the throne room of His Majesty and
the summer residence of the central monk body.
Thimphu is a fitting and lively place as a capital
city. Home to civil servants, expatriates and
the monk body, Thimphu maintains a strong national
character in its architectural style. It is also
offers great opportunities for day walks. Phajoding
monastery is a four hours hike from the Motithang
area, Tango & Cheri monasteries are also another
three quarters of an hour hike from the capital
or all the way to the top of telegraph hill from
where thousands of prayer flags easily obscure
the view over Thimphu. Request more information and cost details
PUNAKHA
Punakha Dzong built between two rivers is the
17th century by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, served
as the capital of Bhutan until 1955 and is still
the winter residence of the central monk body.
In spite of four catastrophic fires and an earthquake
that destroyed many historic treasures here, Punakha
Dzong is still a museum of many sacred artifacts
and the embalmed body of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.
Punakha’s climate and warmer temperatures
make this valley one of the most fertile in Bhutan.
Chime Lhakhang located on a hillock among the
rice fields is picturesque and is a pilgrimage
site for childless couples. The temple is associated
with the famous saint Drukpa Kuenlay "The
Divine Madman", who built a chorten on the
site during the 14th century. Request more information and cost details
WANGDIPHODRANG
To the south of Punakha lies Wangdiphodrang Dzong
at an elevation of 1300m. It is the last town
on the highway before entering central Bhutan.
This Dzong built during 17th century played a
critical role in unifying the western, central
and southern Bhutanese districts. Further up is
Gangtey Gompa, an old monastery dating back from
the 16th century. It is in fact the only monastery,
which follows the Peling Nyingmapa school of thought.
This valley of Phobhikha is also a home of the
rare black Necked Crane, and other endangered
birds, which migrate from the Tibetan plateau
in winter. There are about 450 – 500 cranes
in Bhutan, out of which 250 – 300 live in
this beautiful valley. Request more information and cost details
TRONGSA
Trongsa situated at an altitude of 2200m. is part
of the central hub of the nation that is historically
identified as the place from where attempts at
unifying the country were launched . The Royal
family has strong links with Tronsa. Both his
Majesty King Ugyen Wangchuk and his successor,
King Jigme Wangchuk ruled the county from this
Dzong. Request more information and cost details
Trongsa Dzong:
Built in 1648 the Dzong is an impregnable fortress.
The massive structure is built on many levels,
into the side of the hill that include innumerable
courtyards, passage ways and corridors in addition
to the twenty three temples inside the Dzong.
Due to its highly strategic position as the only
connecting route between east and west, the Trongsa
Penlop (Governor) was able to control the whole
region effectively for centuries. Above the Dzong
a Ta Dzong (watchtower) was built to look out
for invaders and incoming travelers. Now it’s
a temple dedicated to the great hero Ling Gesar. Request more information and cost details
BUMTHANG or JAKAR
To the east of Trongsa lies the Bumthang valley
at an altitude of 2,600m, with an individuality
to charm its visitors and make it distinct from
other regions. Comprised of four smaller valleys,
the deeply spiritual region of Bumthang is surrounded
in religious legend. Here, tales of Guru Padmasambhava
and his reincarnation known as Tertons still linger
at all nooks and corners. The town of Jakar is
the largest between Thimphu in the west and Trashigang
in the east. Jakar is famous for its honey, cheese,
apple juice and apricots. Visitors to Bumthang
should plan a few days to enjoy traversing the
valley’s relatively gentle slopes, to walk
to nearby medieval temples and absorb the lifestyle
of Bhutan’s mostly rural population. It
is also famous for its indigenous woollen material
(yathra), which can be seen displayed outside
residences for sale. Further east there is the
Ura valley, with the village of Ura as center
stage. A small but old Dzong, and cobblestone
paths give the village a medieval look. Many excursions
can be done in this valley. Request more information and cost details
MONGAR & LHUENTSE
Arriving in Mongar is a great relief from the
turns and height of the journey over the pass.
The town is small with a sprinkling of shops.
Mongar Dzong is modern compared to others in the
Kingdom. It was reconstructed by the order of
the Third King. No drawings and nails have been
used. A visit to the Dzong gives visitors an impression
of how traditional Bhutanese architecture has
continued to thrive through the centuries. A hydroelectric
project is under way and after completion it will
have the capacity to output 60 megawatts of hydro-electricity
which will change the industrial emphasis of the
eastern area. Request more information and cost details
Lhuentse:
It is 77 kilometers from Mongar and is one of
the most isolated districts in Bhutan. The landscape
is spectacular with stark cliffs and gorges and
dense coniferous forests. The region is notably
famed for its weavers and special textiles and
fabrics, generally considered to be the best in
the country. The Kurtoe region of Lhuentse is
also the ancestral home of the Royal dynasty. Request more information and cost details
TRASHIGANG &
TASHI YANGTSE
Trashigang lies above the Gumri River and is the
largest district in Bhutan. It is much busier
than other Bhutanese towns and its proximity to
Samdrup Jongkhar in the south has enabled it to
grow as a center of commerce. Trashigang is also
the market place for the hill people from Merak
& Sakteng who are known for their exceptional
features and for their costume made of Sheep skin
and Yak wool. The hat that they wear is unusual
but has a significance of its own. It is very
different from customary Bhutanese clothing. The
17th century Dzong is built on top of a cliff
and serves as an administrative center.
Tashi Yangtse, formerly a subdivision of Trashigang
is one of the new districts. Yangtse Dzong is
half an hour walk from the road. A town has of
only two chortens built in a Nepalese style and
spot where Guru Padmasambhava is believed to have
had a vision that a temple and a chorten would
be built. The area is also known for its exceptional
woodcraft. Another temple lies on the banks of
the Gumri River known as the Gom Kora dedicated
to Guru Padmasambhava who subdued a demon in from
of a Garuda. A festival is held every year at
this temple. Request more information and cost details
SAMDRUP JONGKAR
The road from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar was
completed in and the early 1960s. The town is
small and bustling and acts as a commercial hub
and entry and exit point for the south-east. Request more information and cost details
PHUENTSOLING
Phuentsoling, a border town to the south bordering
the Indian state of West Bengal, is a hub of commercial
activity. Jaigaon, a small Indian town is located
near Phuentsoling and you can take road connections
from Jaigaon or Phuentsoling to the airport in
Bagdogra or the railway station in Siliguri, both
in the state of West Bengal (169kms a drive of
about 4-5 hrs) of India. There are also convenient
connections to the Indian hill stations of Kalimpong,
Gangtok and Darjeeling Request more information and cost details
