BHUTAN:THE LAND OF THE DRAGONS
Grade: Easy Plus
Duration: 11 days
(Bhutan: 5 days trek and 2 days tour, 4 days Kathmandu)

Bhutan is perhaps the most pristine of all remote lands in this world. Surrounded by high mountains, following a culture that is strange and interesting, ruled over by a king, protected bu Druk Yul, the thunder dragon, the country still retains the flavor of the past. As you walk on the streets, view the deep green hills abut you, see the dances and the festivals, and talk to the people, you feel that this place is somehow different , more precious, perhaps the Shangri-Laof James Hilton. Our journry to Bhutan starts from Kathmandu. After a day's tour of Hindu and Buddhist monuments and the magic that attracted so many 'flower' children to Kathmandu in the 1960s, a direct flight takes you past spectacular mountain scenery to Bhutan. On the first day you visit Bhutan's national park and learn of the nation's history and culture through thangka paintings, weapons, and artwork.

You will find the town of Paro quiet and gentle. The next day you embark on a short trek that takes you past lakes of intense colour, dense alpine forests, pleasant meadows, rhododendron trees, yak herdes and Bhutan's most important mountains from the Doupchula Pass.

The religion of Bhutan is strong and its traditional ways are still intact. The festivals and the masked danes are a powerful expression of their beliefs and the monasteries, the fortresses, and the hamlets of the Bhutanese people give a clear idea of how life was in this kingdom centuries ago and how it is now. Precariously placed buildings, large palaces, ruins, stone work, the painting tradition of the Bhutanese people, and the sense of being one of the few who come to this Himalayan kingdom add to the magic of travel. Your trek ends at Thimpu the capital city of Bhutan. Ancient Buddhist manuscripts, the school of thangka painting, and the Traditional Medicine Institute and a visit to Tashchozong fortress built in 1641 makes the trip rewarding.