Bhutan, or the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon, is nestled in the lap of the eastern Himalayas bordering with India in the south and China in the north. This tiny kingdom is primarily agrarian and is still a rural country almost devoid of industrialization. Globally, Bhutan is renowned for environment conservation, good governance, religious and cultural preservation. As a “Gift to the Earth”, Bhutan maintains more than 70 % of its entire land cover under pristine forest, and was the recipient of the United Nations Environment Programs’ Champion of the Earth Award 2005 for environment conservation. Culturally, Bhutan is a country with well-preserved heritage, where religion and traditions of every ethnic group are not the things of the past but an active part of every day life of all Bhutanese citizens.
Why everyone wants to visit Bhutan:
With the initiation of development plan from 1960’s by the Royal Government, the self imposed isolation policy was revoked by blending the process of modernization with centuries old ways of life, culture and tradition. Decades of development have propelled Bhutan from the medieval age into the 21st century’s modern nation like no other.
Bhutan is ranked among the top 10 countries with the highest flora and fauna density and has been declared a global hot spot for environment conservation. Today, Bhutan is a most sought destination, the every reason for it to be so are: • the last Mahayana kingdom
• an unrivalled culture, tradition and art
• the beauty of the pastoral landscape and the best that nature offers
• a smiling and friendly people,
• its unique philosophy of development “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.
• modernizing the Bhutanese lives the Bhutanese way The unique culture, and the untouched nature of the country and its people, gives Bhutan its unique appeal. All of these makes Bhutan an exotic travel destination and definitely deserves a visit.
As soon as you enter into Bhutan, you will see its unique cultural wealth. The country’s rich cultural heritage has remained remarkably unblemished. The colorful and vibrant living culture co-exists with a rich biodiversity in an unpolluted habitat. Those who have had the rare chance to come to this wonderful kingdom will agree that this is truly an exclusive place with a truly indigenous experience to offer. One can experience the unique aspects of Bhutanese culture through the visits to the impressive dzongs and monasteries, sacred festivals & pilgrimage sites, excursions to remote Bhutanese villages and close interaction with the Bhutanese people.
Meditation is a process of familiarizing with one's own mental life where you are blessed with more happiness into your life. Bhutan’s very special and pristine surrounding makes for a very conducive environment for mediation. Also, Bhutan is home to some of the most revered Buddhist sites in the Himalayas and the country is blessed by many high lamas with an invaluable spiritual legacy. These make Bhutan a very favorable place for the meditation and, hence, in pursuing one’s own spiritual goal. Those who are interested in mediation, we can arrange the itinerary clubbed with some other cultural or trekking tour, which suits our clients after confirming the tour with us.
Trekking in Bhutan is very adventurous and it provides the best opportunity to explore the life of the people in the remote villages and high-up mountains and also enjoy the pristine environment with most exotic and endangered species of flora and fauna. It also provides an outstanding experience of the spectacular views of the Bhutanese landscapes and breath-taking views of the Himalayas. There are trekking routes which suite both summer and winter seasons.
We, at the Authentic Bhutan Tours, organize treks of varying duration and location. We have what is called the Samtengang Trek which is as short as 4 days and the Snowman Trek that last about 21 days. Depending on the duration of your stay and your personal convenience, we will make specific recommendations suiting your needs and requirement.
The festivals in Bhutan showcase its living culture and also give an insight into how significant it is to the Bhutanese people and their distinct way of life. These festivals are popularly known as Tsechus and are organized in the honor of Guru Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism into this country in the 8th century. The event is marked by colorful and well choreographed mask dances depicting various facets of the Buddhist teachings. Tshechus are also an occasion of social gathering for the Bhutanese families. The people come dressed in their finest for the very special occasion. Women wear their most beautiful jewelry, families pack their best food for lunch, men and women joke and exchange tales, and children crane their necks to catch a sight of the day-long dances. Every district organizes these festivals as an annual traditional event.
The Bhutanese textiles are rich, vibrant, colorful and a complex art and form an integral part of the Bhutanese culture. The Bhutanese textiles are integrated into all aspects of life in Bhutan- reflects the country’s distinctive identity. The textile plays a great economic significance for many of our people. You can see our young and old Bhutanese women weaving a tapestry of colors and patterns with their hands, while walking the streets of the modern Bhutan or hiking on the trails of rural Bhutan. Some of the important places for textile are Radhi & Khoma in the east and Bumthang in the central part of Bhutan. Apart from the textile, one can also visit the school of Zorig Chusum (thirteen arts and crafts). The arts and crafts also reflect the unique spirit and identity of this country. They are very much vibrant and alive even today. There are two institutes of Zorig Chusum in the country- one in the capital, Thimphu, and the other in the Trashi Yangtsi in eastern Bhutan, where the unique traditional arts and crafts are being taught. We have an experienced and professional staff to facilitate you in understanding these textiles and handicrafts.
Your visit to Bhutan will have immense opportunities for you to take your photography further. Photography in Bhutan is permitted everywhere accept inside the dzongs and temples. If you wish to take the pictures of the local people, houses, shops and so on, always be polite to get their consent. They will be happy to say OK. Royal Government of Bhutan permits filming in the country after seeing the script. Any commercial filming must pay the filming royalty separately from the tourist tariff to obtain the filming permit from the Royal Government of Bhutan. We do the research and location hunt and other necessary works as per the subject of your film before your arrival so that you can have a fantastic filming experience in Bhutan.
The sceneries and landscape in Bhutan are so fascinating, attracting and appealing for the painting. Each place has its own beauty and appealing. So why don’t you come and try yourself before it is too late.
Your visit to Bhutan will have immense opportunities for you to take your photography further. Photography in Bhutan is permitted everywhere accept inside the dzongs and temples. If you wish to take the pictures of the local people, houses, shops and so on, always be polite to get their consent. They will be happy to say OK. Royal Government of Bhutan permits filming in the country after seeing the script. Any commercial filming must pay the filming royalty separately from the tourist tariff to obtain the filming permit from the Royal Government of Bhutan. We do the research and location hunt and other necessary works as per the subject of your film before your arrival so that you can have a fantastic filming experience in Bhutan.