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Our trip to Bhutan was long due, we were just planning to go when the weather would be good and we could get to see the beautiful country ,our travel agent was sceptical whether we could cover the country in five days but we were insistent that we could cover only the important places due to our tight schedules in career
Bhutan is a Buddhist kingdom in South Asia also popularly known as 'Land of Thunder Dragon on Himalayas’ eastern edge, known for its monasteries, fortresses (known as dzongs) and dramatic landscapes ranging dramatically from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys.
It is a landlocked country bordered along the People's Republic of China to the north, having India to the south, east, and west.
The land consists mostly of high and steep mountains criss-crossed by a network of swift rivers .The country has the world’s highest un climbed peak, Gangkhar Puensum, at 24,836 feet.
At 7,326m Jomolhari is a popular trekking destination. Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest) clings to cliffs above the thickly forested Paro Valley and was a place which was a must see and climb on our bucket list!
Bhutan is known for its natural beauty, forest conservation, great culture & heritage and biodiversity. It covers 72% forest area of the country is one of the large biodiversity places in the world. Half of the country is a national park. The forest, animals, and environment are strictly protected
The general prosperity of the country is measured by the ‘Gross National Happiness’ index, explained by its four pillars - sustainable development, good governance, cultural preservation and environmental protection. It has been continually ranked as the happiest country in Asia and one of the top happiest countries in the world
In Bhutan, globalization has happened over the last ten years but in a manner which allows their citizens to balance their material possessions and their spirituality
Bhutan’s GDP (gross domestic product) has been growing steadily over the last several years. As India invests heavily in hydro -power in their country, Bhutan is quickly becoming rich, according to national surveys, around 2/3 of all Bhutanese people get at least eight hours of sleep per night.
It surprisingly has no traffic lights and the traffic is regulated by free flowing traffic circles
There are no newspapers printed on a Sunday nor do they want to read it.
Tourists from no other country except for India, Bangladesh and Maldives have to visit through a registered tour guide and costs around 250$ per day which includes everything. This is to help protect Bhutan's culture and environment.
Bhutan's unit of currency is called Ngultrum (BTN) and has the same value as the Indian rupee, INR 100 & 50 Rupee denomination may be used in Bhutan, but Ngultrum cannot be used in India. Notes of INR 500, INR 1000 and INR 2000 are not accepted in Bhutan
Famous food in Bhutan : Ema Datshi (Chillies and Cheese) , Red Rice, Jasha Maroo or Maru (Spicy chicken) ,Phaksha Paa (Pork with Red Chilies) ,Suja (Bhutanese Butter Tea) ,Ara (Traditional Alcoholic Beverage) ,Zow Shungo,Jaju Soup.
Bhutanese cuisine is known for its spiciness, Rice and chillies are the main ingredients of most meals, accompanied by side dishes consisting of vegetables or pork, beef, and chicken. Ema Datshi is the national dish of Bhutan. Rich in cultural diversity, every village in Bhutan has a unique festival, Tshechu is the most important and widely celebrated of all festivals.
October to December is ideal time to visit Bhutan as the air is clear and fresh with sunny skies. January and February are colder, but from then until April the climate remains dry and pleasant and in late spring the famous rhododendrons bloom spectacularly, flooding the valleys with vivid colors
Bhutanese have a strong reverence towards nature and the country leads in environmental conservation.
People use cotton bags instead of plastic bags to keep the environment free of non- biodegradable items. Also, the Tobacco Control Act regulates tobacco, banning the cultivation, harvesting, production, and its sale in Bhutan.
A traditional Bhutanese male generally wears Gho a knee-length kimono style robe tied by a belt called ‘kera’ at the waist.
Women prefer to wear ankle-length dresses called ‘Kira’ with an outer jacket called ‘Tego’. The people wear scarves while making a visit to any administrative centre. The scarves worn by men are called ‘Kabney’ while those worn by women are called ‘Rachus’. The color of the scarf determines one’s social status
Dzongkha is the official language of Bhutan, several other languages such as Nepali and Lepcha are also spoken in the region, but the medium of instruction in most schools is English, with textbooks being published both in English and Dzongkha. English is also well understood by a majority of the population.
Now that our tour was booked for 5 days we started packing .As May would be quite cold and we would be travelling through hilly areas ,we packed some woolen wear .We would fly to Calcutta ,halt there for the night and take the Bhutan Airlines from Calcutta airport at 8.15 am
Our trip to Bhutan was long due, we were just planning to go when the weather would be good and we could get to see the beautiful country ,our travel agent was sceptical whether we could cover the country in five days but we were insistent that we could cover only the important places due to our tight schedules in career
It is a landlocked country bordered along the People's Republic of China to the north, having India to the south, east, and west.
At 7,326m Jomolhari is a popular trekking destination. Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as Tiger’s Nest) clings to cliffs above the thickly forested Paro Valley and was a place which was a must see and climb on our bucket list!
Bhutan is known for its natural beauty, forest conservation, great culture & heritage and biodiversity. It covers 72% forest area of the country is one of the large biodiversity places in the world. Half of the country is a national park. The forest, animals, and environment are strictly protected
The general prosperity of the country is measured by the ‘Gross National Happiness’ index, explained by its four pillars - sustainable development, good governance, cultural preservation and environmental protection. It has been continually ranked as the happiest country in Asia and one of the top happiest countries in the world
Bhutan’s GDP (gross domestic product) has been growing steadily over the last several years. As India invests heavily in hydro -power in their country, Bhutan is quickly becoming rich, according to national surveys, around 2/3 of all Bhutanese people get at least eight hours of sleep per night.
It surprisingly has no traffic lights and the traffic is regulated by free flowing traffic circles
Tourists from no other country except for India, Bangladesh and Maldives have to visit through a registered tour guide and costs around 250$ per day which includes everything. This is to help protect Bhutan's culture and environment.
Bhutan's unit of currency is called Ngultrum (BTN) and has the same value as the Indian rupee, INR 100 & 50 Rupee denomination may be used in Bhutan, but Ngultrum cannot be used in India. Notes of INR 500, INR 1000 and INR 2000 are not accepted in Bhutan
Bhutanese cuisine is known for its spiciness, Rice and chillies are the main ingredients of most meals, accompanied by side dishes consisting of vegetables or pork, beef, and chicken. Ema Datshi is the national dish of Bhutan. Rich in cultural diversity, every village in Bhutan has a unique festival, Tshechu is the most important and widely celebrated of all festivals.
Bhutanese have a strong reverence towards nature and the country leads in environmental conservation.
A traditional Bhutanese male generally wears Gho a knee-length kimono style robe tied by a belt called ‘kera’ at the waist.
Now that our tour was booked for 5 days we started packing .As May would be quite cold and we would be travelling through hilly areas ,we packed some woolen wear .We would fly to Calcutta ,halt there for the night and take the Bhutan Airlines from Calcutta airport at 8.15 am
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