Bhutan

The Kingdom of Bhutan is wedged between India and China along the lofty mountains of the eastern Himalaya. With an area of about 38,394 square kilometres, Bhutan is comparable to Switzerland in both size and topography — a giant staircase rising from a narrow strip of lowland in the south to some of the highest unclimbed peaks on earth.

Bhutan set out on the path of development in the 1960s, and its progress has not come at the cost of its culture or environment. With more than 70% of the country covered by forest and an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals, it is recognised as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.

In towns and hamlets across the kingdom, people live a way of life rich in tradition and steeped in an age-old system of hospitality. The pristine environment, the vibrant culture and the kindness of the people are the impressions visitors cherish long after they leave.

Bhutan opened to its first tourists in 1974, the year the fourth King was crowned in the land of the Thunder Dragon. Development has come hand in hand with preservation: the government actively protects the many temples, monasteries and dzongs (fortresses) that dot the countryside, and monastic schools and meditation centres across the kingdom are home to thousands of monks. Bhutanese weaving and handicrafts are famous for their beauty and make perfect gifts.

All in all, Bhutan beckons the traveller in you — come and travel to Bhutan with us for a unique and enriching experience of a lifetime.