Bhutan Adventure Trek

One of the last remaining isolated adventures on the planet...
trekking through the magical
Kingdom of Bhutan

Bhutan is a magical kingdom of spirit set high in the Himalayan Mountains, known as The Land of the Thunder Dragon. It’s Buddhist Monarch, perhaps in combination with the surrounding setting, has managed to inspire a people that are rich in peace and happiness. The close relationship we have with our Bhutanese hosts/guides, Lotay and Phuntso Rinchen, give each one of our clients the opportunity to experience Bhutan on a very intimate level. You will be invited into homes, take part in traditional Bhutanese ceremonies and have access to some of the more isolated monastaries around the country. We give you access to the purity and magnificence of Bhutan that you will not be able to find with any other outfitter.

We are proud to offer several different trekking itineraries...from the hardest and most rugged "Snowman" trek to the more moderate Jhomolhari trek as well as treks that you will never find in a guide book. We know Bhutan and are happy to design a trek that works for you with regards to the level of difficulty as well as itinerary and budget.

For those friends and family members who want to experience the wonders of Bhutan without the more strenuous high mountain trekking, we offer a "Tour of Bhutan" which is a lower impact way to travel through this magical destination. This journey will primarily be taken by private car service with occasional day hikes. The itinerary will coincide perfectly with those that are doing the trek on foot so that travel to and from Bhutan can be shared as well as the first and last days of the journey in Paro.

Bhutan lies in the heart of the vast Himalaya and to both its west and east, rugged mountain ranges stand between it and the hill districts of India. Towering to the northwest, the stark and dramatic mountains of the Chomolhari Range form the frontier with Tibet. Very few visitors have entered this tiny Himalayan kingdom and even fewer have been privileged to trek into her high mountains. Of the few areas open to trekkers and climbers the route to the base camp of Chomolhari (7314m), the sacred mountain of Bhutan, is probably the most aesthetically beautiful.

Bhutan is not just about scenery and unbelievable mountains; it is also about friendly people and an enduring and living Buddhist faith with magnificent monasteries, rich religious traditions and about a turbulent past. The great fortresses or 'dzongs' found throughout the country are mute testimony to the wars, sieges and attempted invasions in times gone by. Today the country is a stable and peaceful kingdom where the king is revered and the economy is measured in 'Gross National Happiness'! Trekking through the dense forests, walking above the tree line with the nomadic yak herders, enjoying rare sightings of musk deer and blue sheep, and standing beneath the dramatic ice peaks of Chomolhari - these all make this one of the most rewarding treks in the entire Himalaya.

Any of our Bhutan trips offer the rare opportunity to experience high mountain wilderness during the Spring and Fall. The trails are unspoiled and will be shared with few other people. The mountain views are magnificent, and so are the wildlife and wildflowers, but most of all it’s the Bhutanese people that make this truly a once in a lifetime experience. Determined to preserve not only their land but also its inspiring and dynamic culture, the Bhutanese people may change us forever.

View 10 Day Jomolhari Trek, Bhutan in a larger map  

A little about Bhutan...

Bhutan's climate is as diverse as it's land. Depending on the altitude, area and amount of sunlight, the climate can range from bitter cold to a humid, hot tropical climate. The precipitation that Bhutan gets comes between the months of June to September and averages for the year about 25 inches (650 mm). A small country covering a little over 18,000 sq mi (47,000 sq km), Bhutan's land is very varied. Snow peaks in the Himalayas, swamps and highlands are just some of the land conditions that are found in a short range from each other. The three main areas in Bhutan are the Great Himalayan Region, Middle Himalayan Region and the Duars.

The Duars, a plain only 5-8 miles wide (8-13 km), are located along the Indian border and have a tropical climate. The northern section of the Duars is home to wildlife such as tigers and deer with its rugged, coarse terrain. The southern portion of the Duars is cultivated for rice, but had at one time been a jungle filled with bamboo.The Middle Himalayan region is part of the Himalayan range that spreads down from the north and surrounds rich, broad valleys. The valleys, with their mild climate are cultivated and populated. The rainfall in this region is average, not humid and wet like the Duars.

The Great Himalayan Region borders Tibet and is relatively uninhabitable. The highest peak in Bhutan is located here, Kula Kangri (4,900-9,200 ft/1,500-2,800 m). The high valleys are home to a few people, but the main inhabitants in the bitterly cold climate are Bhutanese yaks.

History of Bhutan
Not much is identified with Bhutan's history before the 7th century, which is when Buddhism was introduced. After this time, the chronicles kept by Buddhists record Bhutan's history. Buddhism was brought in to Bhutan when feudal lords in their separate valleys, not a central government, ruled the country.After monks from the Kargyupa sect of Mahayana Buddhism built monasteries throughout the valleys, the Drukpa subsect became the most popular form of religion. A Drukpa monk, Ngawang Namgyal, started the first formal government in 1616 - that of a theocratic government. Namgyal was able to unite the influential Bhutanese families, this after he defeated many challengers’ subsect leaders.

Namgyal's government consisted of two leaders - one with spiritual responsibilities (dharma raja) and the other with civil responsibilities (deb raja). This split form of government continued until the early 1900's. Conflict occurred in Bhutan approximately 100 years after the deb raja formed a peace treaty with the English East India Company. Rivalry was rampant between two governors in Bhutan (of Tongsa and Paro) who held staunchly opposite views toward the British. Ugyen Wangchuck, the pro-British governor, was able to unite the country after defeating all his opponents.

In 1907 Ugyen Wangchuck became the first druk gyalpo of Bhutan and he ruled from 1907 to 1926. Jigme Wangchuck, Ugyen's son, ruled from 1926 to 1952 and was followed by Jigme Dorji Wangchuck who ruled from 1953 to 1972. The fourth druk gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck began his reign in 1972.

Peoples of Bhutan
The official estimate of Bhutan's population in 1990 was about 600,000 but other sources estimate the population for 2000 was just under 2 million. Those living in Bhutan of Nepali origin have been excluded from the official census since 1990 which results in such a large discrepancy in population numbers.

Bhutan has four major ethnic groups: Bhutia, Sharchops, Nepali, and other indigenous groups. The Bhutia, who are descended from Tibetans, live in the central and northern regions of Bhutan. This ethnic group basically dominates politics in Bhutan particularly with it's contribution of government officials and monks that come from it.

Believed to be Bhutan's earliest settlers, the Sharchops live in the southeastern and eastern region. They speak both Tibeto-Burman languages as well as Hindi.

The Nepali people are the latest immigrants to Bhutan. Living in the southwestern and south central section of Bhutan, immigration of Nepali's has been forbidden by the Bhutanese government since 1959. Fear of Bhutan becoming too heavily populated with Nepalis brought about this and the ban on living in the central Himalayan region. Bhutan traditions and culture are to be retained and not dilute Bhutanese distinctiveness.

There are small groups of ethnic minorities that live all throughout Bhutan with the largest group living in the Duars. This group is related to those groups living in India's Assam and Bangla states.

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Bhutan Trekking Map

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