Classic tour in Bhutan – Experience the Local

Bhutan is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People’s Republic of China. Bhutan is separated from the nearby country of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim, and from Bangladesh to the south by the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal.Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms until the early 17th century, when the area was unified by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who fled religious persecution in Tibet and cultivated a separate Bhutanese identity. In the early 20th century, Bhutan came into contact with the British Empire, after which Bhutan continued strong bilateral relations with India upon its independence. Bhutan’s landscape ranges from subtropical plains in the south to the sub-alpine Himalayan heights in the north, with some peaks exceeding 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). The state religion is Vajrayana Buddhism, and the population of 691,141 is predominantly Buddhist, with Hinduism the second-largest religion. The capital and largest city is Thimphu. Although Bhutan is a small country,its diminutive size some what belies the diversity the country is blessed with. Its also what makes Bhutan a very special country.This tour is called the “Bhutan Dragon Trail Tour” as it goes from West Bhutan till East Bhutan and goes through all the important and lovely places in Bhutan.Located in a Geographic hotspot ,the kingdom’s southern parts lie in the tropical plains. Beginning at 100-175 mtrs.above sea level,the altitude keeps climbing as you go higher,at places reaching a whopping 5000 mtrs.(as in the alpine north). The highest habitable parts are places scarcely populated, as in Laya and Lunana regions. The natives are predominantly herdsmen rearing the yak..The inherent Bhutanese diversity extends to the culture too. The majority of the people are Buddhists. Hinduism is practiced mostly in the Southern belt. The East still has pockets where certain Shaman practices still exist. Black magic used to be an eastern specialty though the practice of the dark arts is waning. A village near Khaling, about 55 Kms from Trashigang was actually called the “Black Magic” village.The Central highlands of Bumthang are renowned for its Yatha Weavers. The Westerners(as in Paro,Haa,Thimphu, Punakha,and Wangdue)speak varying dialects of Dzongkha.