Kelwang Hotel Thimphu

... to November<br>Day 01: Arrive at Paro from Bangkok and Drive to Thimphu.<br>The<br>flight to Bhutan offers scenic views of some world&#8217;s highest peaks.<br>Paro is at an altitude of 2200m above sea level and this valley serves<br>as an ideal area for rice, apple, wheat, potatoes and vegetable<br>growing. <br>Our representative will meet you at Paro airport, and<br>after completion of arrival formalities we take a scenic drive to<br>Bhutan&#8217;s capital ...

... Visas are not available upon arrival at any of the borders or the airport. Visas must be processed in advance of arrival, and clearance given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before tickets are issued to enter the country. All visa applications for tourists are processed through TAB, as are all visa extensions. This means that TAB is at all times aware of the number of tourists in Bhutan and ensures that the government royalty ...

... used to it he says laughing and tapping my hand, and carries on telling me about the local apples. By the time we get to Thimpu I am as white as a sheet, and about to pop a whitey, You&#8217;d have been proud of me Mr. Foster!<br><br>We get dropped off in thimpu town centre as Ian has a few errands to run. He takes me to a bookshop, all the books are in English. That&#8217;s the other great thing being in Bhutan, everyone here speaks English, and very good English at that. The ...

... we provide tours on Culture, Treks,<br>Textiles, Festivals, Flora &amp; Fauna, Bird watching, Religious Tours,<br>Biking and other adventures.<br>We will also design a farmhouse visit or home stay so that our<br>guests can experience an authentic Bhutanese lifestyle firsthand. This<br>is based on individual interest or client request and must be booked in<br ...

... Bhutan's most famous landmark, the Tiger's Nest monastary, or Taktshang Goemba, once again perched on top of a mountain. This monastary is one of the most beautiful things we have seen so far on our trip. It sits halfway up a sheer rock cliff, and reaching it has been known to bring on severe bouts of vertigo. Luckily for us, this was not the case, and the views across the valley were amazing. We were rewarded for our climbing efforts that evening with a bhutanese stone bath, which is a ...

... in the 13 traditional crafts of the country (wood working, metal working, painting, weaving, basket making, etc). For the painters at least, it takes six years to graduate. The style of painting is dictated by traditional forms laid out in the 17th century. I saw someone painting a mural of the Buddha that was about 6 ft by 9 ft tall. It was commissioned by someone in the U.S. for $7500. It takes the painted 5 months to complete. Likewise, there was a ...

... people are friendly and warm. Its such a contrast to India - I don't feel like I have to watch my back, that people are going to rip me off, that I need to be on guard. And with a set itinerary and a tour guide and driver I'm being enjoyably floated from one activity to the next. No stress. No worries. No problems with poo. Women have equal rights as men, actually it's more of a matriarchy, and men don't typically ask a woman to marry him. They have 'love ...

... of the reserve, we proceeded further up the mountainside to the broadcast tower of the Bhutan state radio station, which afforded amazing views of the valley and city below. It was also breathtaking given that the whole of the mountainside - including virtually every tree was covered with colourful prayer flags, fluttering in the breeze. I have many, many pictures from this spot and they are amazing! We moved on to a monastery and a nunnery ...

... from Emirates airlines a day earlier, and it was the Emirates tags that got the clearance stamp. While I got through, Kitty did not and was sent back to the initial security gate for another stamp. All this 10 minutes before flight time! I can tell you that it was a bit hectic but we both made it. I can tell you that the flight was amazing, and the stop in Kathmandu, Bepal was completely unexpected. We were not allowed to disembark the plane ...

... it were paintings which I had seen on the Annapurna circuit. When I questioned this, I was told that their Buddhism was Tantric Mahayana, similar to Tibet's, but different. It actually explained alot. As we drove, there were stupas and prayer wheels everywhere. The place was so clean !!! Next up was Kyichu Lhakhang, which is the oldest monastery in Bhutan. It was built in the seventh century but didn't look it. There were the usual Buddha wheel of life ...