Travel Tuesday Office Travels: Bhutan
Bhutan: An Introduction
I knew this week was going to be good the moment I came in to my office on Monday morning, spun around five times, and landed my little passport on the country of Bhutan. This small, landlocked country in South Asia keeps popping up in my radar—in books, movies, conversations, online. I can’t seem to get away from it, and after researching the nation, I know why! I must go to Bhutan! It’s calling my name, and when the road calls, I listen!
Bhutan is an incredibly fascinating country, whose landscape and people are only a few of the many reasons to travel there. The country is tucked into the Himalayan Mountains, which means the culture and environment are largely isolated from outside influence. Much of the traditional culture has been well preserved, which makes for an incredible experience. Although the country transitioned in 2008 from an absolute monarch to a constitutional monarchy, there is still question as to how democratic the country has actually become, and what kind of hold the royal family still has on the country. Regardless, this is a nation that is rich with history, full of awe-inspiring landscapes, and an enigmatic culture that is bound to fascinate all who travel there.
The Basics
Name: The Kingdom of Bhutan
Location: Asia
Language: Dzongkha
How To Get There
There is only one airline that flies in and out of Bhutan and is called Druk Air and you can only fly to Paro since it is the only airport in the country. The flights are pretty expensive and will require at least one flight change, usually in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Singapore, or Thailand.
The Tourist Tariff
One downside to Bhutan requires all tourists to pay a daily tariff per person while in the country. The tariff covers your hotel stay, meals, a licensed tour guide, all transportation within the country, camping equipment, all internal taxes, and a royalty to the Tourism Council of Bhutan. The minimum tariff for a group of 3 people or more is $250 per person per night during the months of March-May and September-November, and $200 per person per night from January-February, June-August, and December.
If you are in a group of two or less, the charge will usually cost more (between $30-$40), but you should talk to a tour provider about it. There are a number of ways to get a discount on the rates by being a student, having larger groups, staying for a certain number of nights, etc. For this kind of information, the Wikitravel page for Bhutan is a fantastic resource, but your tour provider will give you all of the details.
Other Travel Details:
- Visas are only issued upon arrival in Bhutan, but you must still apply in advanced though a tourn operator and receive approval before you travel there.
- You must book your travel either through a local licensed tour operator or an international partner.
- You must have paid for your tour in full for the country to issue you a visa using a wiretransfer.
Things To Do
Monasteries: places like the Taktsang Monastery and the Kurje Lhakhang are amazing structures build on the side of mountains and give you an opportunity to overlook some of the most pristine and remote areas around Bhutan. There are hundreds of monasteries to chose from.
Fortresses: There are also known as dzongs and are ancient fortresses that have been converted into administrative headquarters for the different districts of Bhutan. They are amazing archetetually and also often house many old treasures from the past.
Hiking: There are a number of set treks that tourists can enjoy, including the most popular: The Druk path, which takes tourists from Parto to the capital city of Thimphu.Bhutan has some of the most pristine environment, 60 perfecnt of the forest resources is required by law to be maintained for all time, and 35 percent of Bhutan is protected national parks.
Festivals: Every tenth day of a month, a festival, or Tshechu, is celebrated, where people gather from the surrounding villages to watch religious mask dances and to celebrate.
Other Fun Facts
- Some mountains in Bhutan reach 23,000ft above sea level
- Bhutan is the last remaining Buddhist country in the world and this has a strong influence on all aspects of life.
- It developed the philosophy of Gross National Happiness where development is measured using overall social well being, not just based on gross domestic product.
Am I hopping on a plane now?
If I had $250 per night, plus the price of an expensive plan ticket, I would be on a plane to Bhutan in a heartbeat. This is a country that has fascinated me for a long time, and the more I get to learn about it, the more I fall in love and want to be on the next flight out. Although there are a number of hurdles one has to overcome to get here, I really believe that Bhutan is a place I would love to visit one day, and I’ll get going as soon as I can!
Traveling Kelsey 
http://backpackerlee.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/ascending-the-stairway-to-heaven/