Fortresses. Monasteries. Steep mountains. Vast valleys. While it may sound like a backdrop from a Game of Thrones episode, what I’m really describing is the scenery from my recent trip to the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Bhutan was a mesmerizing experience. So I thought I must come up with a post to tell steemians about this tour.Before my trip to Bhutan, I had no idea about this place, except, that it is still ruled by a king and that it the ‘Happiest Place on Earth‘.
But when I got there, I realised that Bhutan is much more than just the happiest kingdom. It’s much more than that. My little discoveries about this place, during my short trip of 6 days made me fall in love with this place. By reading this post you will get to know why you should consider Bhutan as your next travel destination.
So, I booked my tickets and headed towards the mysterious land. I did not have to carry my passport, because I was traveling from India. Being a friendly neighboring country, both the Indian and Bhutanese governments have exempted their people from carrying any of these travel documents on their visit to each other’s countries.
Crossing the border by road instead by air
Bhutan is known to be one of the world’s most dangerous airports. I know that sounds uncool, but I was really petrified when I learned that it is so dangerous that there are only 8 licensed pilots in the world who are authorized to land at the Paro airport.
For many of you, it might sound like a great adventure to fly to one of the most dangerous airports. But to me landing at an airport that is located amidst towering mountain peaks of 18000 ft height and is at an altitude of 1.5 miles above the sea level, did not sound like a great idea. Even the runway is one of the world’s shortest runways. Because the Paro valleys always experience strong winds blowing at high speed, almost all flights face severe turbulence at the time of landing.
so I decided to cross the Bhutan borde by road, I took flight form mubai to bagdogra(nearest airport from bhutan,situated in india) then we reach to Jaigaon by bus( the Indo-Bhutan border on the Indian side) and then take a cab from Phuetsholing(the Indo-Bhutan border on the Bhutanese side) after completing the immigration procedure.
Once you reach Jalgaon, just cross the Indian border gate to reach the other side. we went directly to the Bhutan immigration office where we get our documents checked. This did not took too long, and we can easily got it done in 20-25 minutes time.
The officials break away for lunch from 1-2 o clock. So, try reaching there before 1. The office does not check documents after 5. So, this is another thing you need to remember.
The Jouney Starts
Paro
Wow!! Just the feeling you get when you enter this beautiful city. One of the best cities that I have traveled to. The view is breathtaking from every corner, it is surrounded by mountains and Paro Chhu River flows through the main town. It’s like a replica of the paintings we used to draw in our childhood. There is such peacefulness everywhere that you will definitely fall in love with the city.
Thimphu-“The Capital City”
After spending amazing day in Paro, we headed for Thimphu which is an hour drive from Paro.
The entire route is embraced with some spectacular views. Thimphu offers a fascinating glimpse into Bhutanese life. I then travelled to Thimpu, a unique capital city. It's hard to miss the stark contrast of the city starting to become Cosmopolitan, as compared to the rest of Bhutan. Did you know? Thimpu is the only capital city in a country in the world that has no traffic signal! Yes, there is just one junction on the main street, and you can always see a traffic police regulating the traffic using hand signals. It's a pleasure to explore Thimpu, which is a city that blends the urban life with the traditional ways of Bhutan
After obtaining the additional permit in Thimpu, I began my travel to the central regions of Bhutan. Due to the lack of time, I had to hire a taxi to reach, and it was a different experience. The driver shared interesting stories on the culture, politics and the people of Bhutan.
The first stop was Chelela Pass, the highest motor-able road in Bhutan. At an elevation of over 3500 meters, I was shivering, absorbing the breathtaking view of the valleys, which stretched as far as my eye could behold in the horizon. Next stop was Dochula Pass, which has a shrine constructed in memory of the Bhutanese soldiers. You can view the himalayan range of mountains, with many peaks of the hills visible from a viewpoint here.
It also features the impressive Tashichho Dzong, which stands above the city.
Mainly the hotels and lodges are present near clock tower area. Also, clock tower has an open amphitheater where different programs are organized all over the year. I was lucky enough as a cultural program was going on at the clock tower. It was amazing to witness the cultural dance program depicting the true style of the Bhutanese
Tigers's Nest trek- A lifetime experience
I woke up the next day and was mesmerized by the landscape that I saw. A row of mountains stood tall, some of their peaks covered by the clouds that added to their elegance – a river quietly meandered by my guest house, the fields in front of the neighbouring homes were filled with flowers coloured red, pink and yellow. People had quickly begun their routine, hustling on the roads. After taking a stroll in the cold morning, I set out for the trek to the Tiger's Nest monastery, one of the most revered monasteries and the icon of pride of Bhutan.
'tigers nest' the iconic symbol was the main reason, I wanted to visit Bhutan. It is 10 km from Paro city, perched high on the mountainside above the Paro valley. I had been dreaming of Tiger’s Nest trek for years and it absolutely did not disappoint me. The views from the hike to the top are stunning and the best part was yet to come.
It’s a three hours hike, but I was so excited to reach the top, that it took me just one and a half hour to reach. As I reached very early, I was the alone tourist out there, thus I got a chance to click amazing pictures with no human in the background. Otherwise, it is generally very crowded.
I had always seen Tiger’s Nest in some random photos and was skeptical of its existence. It is just over 10 Km North of Paro central town. As I came near the foothills of this amazing structure, a long-term dream to hike it just got fulfilled and another started – Discover Tiger’s Nest!!!
glimpse of Tiger’s Nest from the foothills is enough to inspire you to hike all the way to the very top.
If you are good at your fitness, you can hike all the way to the top in around 1.5 to 2 hours. But those looking for an easier option can book a horse ride till an allowed point and then hike from there. But taking a horse is not a safer option as there have been few incidents in the past.
About a point on nest- The view of Tiger’s Nest from here is just spectacular. You can enjoy tea time at tea house which is just a minute walk down from here. Many people end up their hike at this point.
As there are several temples within the Tiger’s Nest, photography is strictly prohibited. You have to submit all your stuff outside. Paro Taktsang Monastery consists of the 4 main temples and several caves. The atmosphere throughout the monastery was mystical.
Visiting Tiger’s Nest was an unforgettable experience. It will always remain one of my favorite destinations from traveling for life. There is nothing else like it anywhere in the world. You will love every bit of the trek.
Phunaka Dzong
It is known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong meaning ” “the palace of great happiness or bliss”. It is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan and one of its most ravishing structures. The Dzong is located at the junction of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in the Punakha–Wangdue valley.
currency
If you are traveling from India, you do not have to convert your currency. Bhutanese accepts and offers Indian currencies at every place. However, I would like to advise you not to carry the 2000 INR currency as this note might not be valid in Bhutan (not sure about it). I mostly carried currencies worth 500 and below which I could easily use during my stay there.
People traveling from countries outside India can convert your currencies either to Indian or the Bhutanese currency.
is it safe for solo girl traveler?
If you are a girl traveling alone to Bhutan, you will not face any kind of threat from people out there. Bhutan according to me is one of the safest places you can be. It has lovely and warm people everywhere who are ready to help you anytime you need help.
The only problem for solo travellers is that you might have to provide an undertaking to the Bhutan government that you are traveling alone and that you are responsible for any risk that might come up during a trek. Bhutan is a place that is surrounded by extremely high mountain peaks and tourist love the idea of trekking in the mountains during their stay out there.
While some easily complete these adventure trips, some return midway for several reasons like fatigue, difficulty in breathing etc. It is therefore advised that you travel in a group or at least one person to accompany you throughout your travel. So basically, other than the geography of the country, nothing in Bhutan is unsafe.
Except for Paro, Thimpu, Punakha and Haa valley in the western Bhutan, the connectivity within the rest of the country is not that great. The public transportation facilities are limited. While there are frequent buses to Paro and Punakha from Thimpu, there are a few scheduled buses to Bumthang, Mongar, Gelephu and other eastern towns. It takes 10 to 12 hours to travel from Thimpu to central regions by Bus.
Bhutan loves Bollywood. You will hear many familiar Bollywood songs playing in cabs, cafes, and restaurants. You might also see people gathering around TVs in public places to have a glimpse of their favorite Bollywood actor. Other than Bollywood, they also listen to popular English songs.
If you are traveling in groups, cabs are the best way to travel around in Bhutan. Make sure to agree on a price before you begin traveling. The many warm and charming personalities that I met in Bhutan lead simple lives and are very contented. Whether its the people living in the urbanized capital of Thimphu or in the remote villages along my treks, they exude a sense of peace and happiness from their hearts which is definitely impossible to impose. They exchange greetings with each other on the road and are happy to meet a fellow sentient beings. Perhaps this is the effect of upbringing and living in small knitted communities they have. For example, there are only 2,000 villagers living in Gangtey and 110,000 people living in Thimphu Town.
Despite having a low per capita income, there are no beggars in Bhutan. They live a dignified and contentedlife. Most of them are also self-sufficient, employment in the city is a means to a living but subsistence farming is also a common means for the Bhutanese.
I am most intrigued by Bhutanese hospitality they consistently displayed. Every visitor to a family is definitely welcomed with milk teas, cookies and some local tidbits. The Bhutanese spare no attention for their guests and ever welcoming. The company and attention they showered on their guests made each visits and conversation memorable.
Bhutanese are always so kind, caring and sincere. I met two beautiful ladies Bhutan office, They are always so lively, always with a smile and bantering with them is such fun.
I came across many local Bhutanese and they are truly humble and honest people by nature. They would help you in the best way they can and won’t ever cheat you.
I came home from Bhutan feeling rejuvenated, more experienced and with a lot of memorable experiences. it became one of the best travel experiences. I stepped out of my cosy zone many times. I realised the importance of being happy. (The Bhutanese are a bunch of happy people, with a healthy, optimistic attitude about life!) It made me try things that I hadn't tried before – food or stay or experiences and gave me a better perspective of bigger things in life.
WEATHER:
Most of Bhutan is covered with snow between the end of December until March. April is the season when the flowers bloom, especially the famous rhododendrons. If you want to witness any of the local festivals and get a glimpse of the rich Bhutanese culture, and also weather wise, you should visit Bhutan between the end of September to December.
TAKEAWAY
Travelling in Bhutan is an extraordinary awesome experience; the clean & green country teaches you how to be happy in small things, and that to be grateful for all that you have.
Perched high in the Himalayas, Bhutan is a small dreamy paradise. A country where rice is red and chilies are considered to be a vegetable, where development is measured not by Gross National Product, but by Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is the world’s last remaining Buddhist Kingdom.
I’m definitely going back to Bhutan, and I will have no problem paying the high daily fee again, and to be honest, I hope Bhutan will never remove the high daily fee. Bhutan is the last country in Asia where you can truly experience an authentic culture.
(Celebrating last day with cake cutting)
Luckily Bhutan holds a strict visiting policy that I hope will last forever, so it doesn’t sell its soul.
