1. BHUTAN A country where no colonial flags fluttered, Bhutan is a nation, which has retained all the charisma of the old world, embodied in the monastic fortresses, ancient temples, monasteries and chortens (stupas), which dot the countryside and prayer flags fluttering above farmhouses, on hillsides, lush forests and rushing glacial rivers. Every moment in Bhutan is special. It is more than a journey. It is an expedition, where one discovers a country that has been preserved in the most sublime form, with all its magical purity. Bhutan has caught the attention of the world by its development philosophy called Gross National Happiness (GNH). It is a champion of cultural and environmental preservation, which rose above the fallacies of development with the adoption of preservation and sustainable development principles.

2. History Several chieftains ruled different parts of Bhutan as the country was cut by several rivers and gorges. However, with the arrival of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1616, Bhutan’s political milieu changed. A statesman par excellence, warrior and architect, Zhabdrung unified the country, built several Dzongs (Fortresses) and codified a comprehensive system of laws. The dual system of Governance, the temporal and theocratic – with Je Khenpo (chief abbot) as the religious head and the temporal leader known as the Desi was established. However, civil wars continued and the country remained fragmented until another new era in Bhutanese history was unveiled, the emergence of the Trongsa Penlop (Governor), Ugyen Wangchuck, whose power could not be matched by his rivals. This led to one of Bhutan’s most historic day. On December 17, 1907, representatives of all the people, clergy, and the official administration, gathered at Punakha Dzong. Believing that the time for unification had come and that there would be no greater leader than Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck, the latter was unanimously elected as the first hereditary King of Bhutan. It marked the beginning of a new era in Bhutan.

3. People Apart from culture, nature and other treasures of the Himalayan Kingdom, travellers experience the full glory of this magical Kingdom, including something exclusively Bhutanese and perhaps most important of all – the warm smiles and genuine friendliness of the people. Physically strong and fiercely independent, Bhutanese have an open and ready sense of humor. Hospitality is an innate characteristic of the Bhutanese and respects for elders an inherited social value. More than 70 percent of the people live on subsistence farming, scattered in sparsely populated villages across the rugged terrain of the Himalayas. With rice as the staple diet in the lower regions, and wheat, buckwheat, and maize in other valleys, the people farm narrow terraces cut into the steep hill slopes. Culture Culture is a way of life and in Bhutan, religion which plays a very important role has dictated many aspects of its culture. These are embodied in the arts and crafts, ceremonies and events, and basic social and cultural values. Despite development, the tradition of fine art still exists and are manifested and expressed through exquisite traditional paintings on monasteries and houses, adding not just color but beauty to the unique architecture. Bhutanese architecture epitomises one of the most striking physical features of Bhutan. The characteristic style and colour of every building and house in the kingdom is a distinct source of aesthetic pleasure. Patterns of rich colours adorn walls, beams, pillars and doors in traditional splendour. Art and paintings are also important aspects of Bhutanese culture and they bear testimony to the spiritual depth of Bhutanese life. While festivals, known as Tsechus are great social and spiritual ceremonies that awe both Bhutanese and visitors, performance of religious ceremonies and rituals are an integral part of Bhutanese lives, both in urban and rural Bhutan. Buddhist scriptures are the basis from which the horoscopes of Bhutanese life are drawn. Bhutan’s cultural wealth is also embodied in the music, dance, and handicrafts, which play an important role at the national, village, or domestic functions and festivals. These are performed both by the clergy and the lay population.

4. Geography of Bhutan The princely Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked country, about 300 km long and 150 km wide encompassing an area of 46,500 square kilometers. Located between longitude 88045' and 92010' East and latitudes 26040' and 28015' North in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bounded by India in South and South-West and Tibetan autonomous region of China in the North and North-West respectively. Virtually the entire country is mountaineous, and ranges in elevation from 100m along the indian border to the 7,554m Kulha Gangri peak on the Tibetan border. These two extremes frame a landscape which stretches from sub-tropical to arctic like conditions. The maximum East-West stretch of the country is approximately 300 km and north-South about 150 km.

5. Places to Visit in Bhutan: Paro Paro valley extends from the confluence of the Paro Chhu and the Wang Chhu rivers at Chuzom upto Mt. Jomolhari at the Tibetan border to the North. This picturesque region is one of the widest valleys in the kingdom and is covered in fertile rice fields and has a beautiful, crystalline river meandering down the valley. Accentuating the natural beauty are the many elegant, traditional-style houses that dot the valley and surrounding hills. Paro town has been growing rapidly in recent years and there are plenty of restaurants, bakeries and cafes to choose from. One of the distinctive features of Paro town is that it is situated in a flat valley bottom and follows a grid-like pattern. The central plaza is adorned with a large prayer wheel and a small amphitheater at which events such as concerts are often organized Visitors often spend several days in Paro as there are over 155 temples and monasteries in this area, some dating as far back as 14 th century. Among them is the temple that is considered Bhutan’s most iconic landmark Taktsang Monastery, the Tiger’s Nest. This awe-inspiring temple was constructed upon a sheer cliff face, hundreds of meters above forests of oak and rhododendrons and the valley floor. Dzongdrakha Temple and Kila Gompa are secondary examples of cliff-side temples that are also located in Paro Dzongkhag. The country’s first international airport is located in Paro. Due to the close proximity of the airport and the many historical and religious sites in the region there are a large number of luxurious, high-end tourist resorts in Paro.

6. Taktsang Lhakhang The Tiger's Nest Temple Taktsang Lhakhang is Bhutan’s most iconic landmark and religious site. The name Taktsang translates to “The Tiger’s Nest”. This temple is one of the most holy sites in the kingdom and clings impossibly to a sheer cliff face 900 hundred meters above the Paro Valley. It was first built in 1692 at a cave where Guru Rimpoche meditated in the 7 th century A.D. Legend states that Guru Rimpoche flew to the site atop the back of a tigress and meditated in the cave for 3 years, 3 months, 3 days and 3 hours in order to subdue evil demons residing within it. The cave has been considered a sacred site ever since and many famous saints have travelled to meditate in it. Taktsang Lhakhang is located approximately 10 km north of Paro town at an altitude of 3.120 meters. In order to arrive at the temple visitors must trek for around 2-3 hours through beautiful, shady pine forests. No trip to Bhutan would be complete without a visit to this remarkable heritage site.

7. Thimphu The Kingdom’s capital city is home to approximately 100,000 inhabitants including the Royal family. This bustling little city is the main center of commerce, religion and government in the country. Thimphu is the most modern city in Bhutan with an abundance of restaurants, internet cafes, nightclubs and shopping centers, however it still retains its’ cultural identity and values amidst the signs of modernization.Thimphu is one of the few towns in Bhutan that have been equipped with ATM banking facilities and is a good place to stock up on some currency. One of the most curious features of Thimphu is that it is the only capital city in the world that does not use traffic lights. Instead a few major intersections have policemen standing in elaborately decorated booths (small pavilions), directing traffic with exaggerated hand motions. The juxtaposition of ancient tradition and modernity make Thimphu the ideal location for visitors to break away from their tour itinerary and just immerse themselves in the lifestyle of contemporary Bhutanese.

8. Tashichho Dzong It was first constructed in 1216 A.D. by Lama Gyalwa Lhanangpa where Dechen Phodrang now stands above Thimphu. In 1641 Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal acquired it but finding it too small, he built another one, known as the lower Dzong. The original dzong was destroyed by fire in 1771 and everything was moved to the lower dzong. The new building was later expanded several times over the years. It was damaged during an earthquake in 1897 and rebuilt in 1902. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck had it completely renovated and enlarged over five years after he moved the capital to Thimpu in 1952 in traditional style using neither nails nor written plans. Tashichho Dzong has been the seat of the government since 1952 and presently houses the throne room and offices of the king, the secretariat and the ministries of home affairs and finance. Other government departments are housed in buildings nearby. The dzong is located close to Thimphu town, next to the banks of the Wangchhu River. It is an impressively large structure, surrounded by well-kept lawns and beautiful gardens.

9. Punakha Punakha Dzongkhag has been inextricably linked with momentous occasions in Bhutanese history. It served as the capital of the country from 1637 to 1907 and the first national assembly was hosted here in 1953. It is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan and one of the most majestic structures in the country. On October 13, 2011, the wedding of the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and his fiancé, Jetsun Pema, was held at the Punakha Dzong. Punakha valley has a pleasant climate with warm winters and hot summers. It is located at an average elevation of 1200 meters above sea level. Owing to the favorable climatic conditions, rice grows very well in this region and is the main cash crop cultivated here. Two major rivers in Bhutan the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu converge in this valley. Punakha Dzong is built at the confluence of these two rivers and is an especially beautiful sight on sunny days with sunlight reflecting off the water onto its white-washed walls. In addition to its structural beauty, Punakha Dzong is notable for containing the preserved remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifer of Bhutan as well as a sacred relic known as the Ranjung Karsapani. This relic is a self-created image of Avalokiteswara that miraculously emerged from the vertebrae of Tsangpa Gyarey the founder of the Drukpa School when he was cremated.