Bhutan, the final frontier: a Magical paradise (Shangri-la) in a child’s imagination. The Kingdom of Bhutan, a landlocked country in the Himalayas between India and Tibetan region of China is today a unique and exotic tourist destination. When the rest of the world has mostly adopted the blue jeans, we, the Bhutanese have deliberately safeguarded our ancient way of life in its all aspects. Immediately on landing at the country’s only airport by the national airlines (Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines), the visitor is in the midst of people dressed in Ghos (male dress) and Kiras (female dress), a landscape with Dzongs (castle), temples and houses with architecture found nowhere else in the world. While crowds, traffic jams and multi-storeyed concrete structures mark most countries in the region, Bhutan is a serene land in the heart of the Himalayan mountains. With an area slightly larger than Switzerland, there are only about 600,000 people.

The kingdom is spellbindingly beautiful. The landscapes and people change from north to south and east to west. From the lowlands close to the Indian borders, the land steps upwards to the Great Himalayas in the far north and the border with Tibet. The country is rich in flora and fauna and you can find rare species of birds and animals. Bhutanese people are gracious, gentle and generous. Bhutanese are mostly Buddhist by faith, driven by their respect for the Tantric strain of Mahayana Buddhism and practice their beliefs as an integral part of our everyday lives.

Visitors can trek, enjoy the culture, the intriguing religious festivals called Tshechus and also enjoy the green and snow clad mountainous scenery. Each part of the year has its special attractions and tourists can come during any season.
 

Bhutan has four distinct seasons. Each has its advantage and disadvantages for the visitor. Notice should be taken of the predictable weather patterns before making decision when to visit. Remember even predictable weather can vary dramatically in different areas and in 24-hour periods. The southern plains are close to the Indian borders are warmer and more tropical than higher central valleys. Spring is arguably the most beautiful time of the year in the kingdom. The fierce cold that characterizes the winter months tends to subside towards the end of February (coinciding with the Bhutanese New Year, Losar). Rhododendron begins to bloom, first in the warmer east. At the height of spring, the end of March, the whole kingdom comes to life with the spectacular flaming red, pink and white of the Rhododendron blossom. The annual monsoon affects the south and central regions. The north is inhabited in the summer months when nomads return to the higher plains to tend to their Yak herds. The end of the monsoon, also a popular time to visit, marks the closing months of summer. The days are filled with glorious cobalt skies and warm weather. The autumn months of September to November bring shorter days and cooler evenings. The days remain lovely with crisp clear skies. Views over the high Himalayas are usually possible from September to March. Come the end of November and the weather takes on its winter coat. The days remain crisp and the nights turn cold. The southern areas, being much lower, have a more temperate climate and considerably warmer winters. Clear skies in the winter months bring with them cold weather but it’s also the best time of the year to view the snow capped peaks of the high Himalayan mountains.

One may be able to do all these things in other countries but in Bhutan there is a difference. The air and the environment is not polluted and there are no crowds. Almost all visitors approach Bhutan by air but there are still land crossings to northern India in the south west through Phuentsholing and in the south east through Samdrup Jongkhar. Few visitors leave uninitiated. The kingdom and its people cast a kind of spell: a luring, additive potion that ensures they come back to Bhutan again.