Explore and experience Bhutan, the mystical Kingdom in the Himalayas. Bordered by Tibet (China) in the north and India in the south, a land locked mountain kingdom had been on the “Roof of the World” for hundreds of years. We were not involved with the Industrial Age, the World Wars, nor the Arms Race, and not even cyberspace until recently. Bhutan is a peaceful country, with warm and friendly people, breathtaking scenery, great place to bike on the mountains, and rich culture that maintains its traditional ways. Bhutan has always had a stringent tourism policy number of visitors in order to preserve its environment and culture. But the rest of the world is gradually becoming aware of this pristine country, and its doors open more every year. A trip to Bhutan is not a run-of-the-mill vacation. Its culture, architecture, food, people, and landscapes are unique. It’s not a place that’s packed with tourists, though it is tourist-friendly, and our tours will give you a deep sense of the country and its people The early inhabitants of Bhutan practiced ‘Bonism’, a practice of making animal sacrifice and worshiping non-living objects such as mountains, lakes, rivers, trees and rocks. With the advent of Buddhism in 7th century the Bonism gradually disappeared from the country. The country’s official religion is Drukpa Kagye, school of tantric Mahayana Buddhism, which is similar to Tibetan Buddhism but has unique beliefs and practices. The religious affair of the country is looked after by the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) who also enjoys equal power as the king. The Bhutanese people of Nepali origin in the south practice Hinduism.
The staple food of Bhutanese is rice and vegetables with abundant chillies. Bhutanese eat incredible amount of chillies. It is used as vegetable rather than as spices. Most Bhutanese prefer ‘Emadatse’ a dish made entirely of chillies mixed with cheese. Meat is widely eaten in Bhutan. Common meat includes pork, beef, chicken, fish and yak meat. The Bhutanese also eat a variety of vegetables, including potatoes, fern, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, beans and mushrooms.
The annual festival is called ‘Tshechu’. It is one of the most exciting experiences that the visitor can have in Bhutan. It is celebrated in honor of Guru Padmasambava who visited Bhutan in 7th century. During the Tshechu, the monks and laymen perform mask dances and the religious skits. It is also the time for the people to socialize and rejoice. Men, women and children are attired in their best silk and brocade, and intricately woven colorful ghos and kiras. In some festivals you can witness the unveiling of a "thongdrel," (a giant appliquéd thangka) that is hung from a wall in the Dzong’s courtyard. Punakha Dzong has the largest thongdrel in Bhutan.
Bhutan has about 72% of its area under forest cover. Over 5000 species of plants grow in Bhutan. These include 300 species of medicinal plants, over 50 species of rhododendron and 600 species of orchids. The great variety of fauna includes: elephants, tigers, buffalo, one horned rhinoceros (rhinoceros unicornis), leopards (panthara pardus), gaur, red pandas, languor monkeys, wild boar, deer, white-collared black bears, yaks (bos gruniens), tahr (hemitragus jemlahicus) and goral (naemorhedus goral). Brown trout and local fishes are found in northern rivers and lakes, while in the south the rivers are full of masheer.
