Bhutan
Bhutan, officially known as the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a small landlocked country in South Asia. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by Tibet to the north, the Chumbi Valley of Tibet and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal in the west, and the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh in the south and east. This Buddhist kingdom is known for its monasteries, fortresses, and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. The High Himalayas offer many popular trekking destinations, including the iconic Paro Taktsang monastery (also known as the Tiger’s Nest) that clings to cliffs above the forested Paro Valley. Bhutan may be a small and relatively unknown country to the regular tourist - but it more than makes up for its size with countless landscapes and landmarks that will leave you in awe.
Our trip to Bhutan begins in the country's small capital city of Thimphu - which occupies a valley in the country's rugged western interior. The massive Tashichho Dzong is one of Thimphu's most notable sights - this fortified monastery and government palace with gold-leaf roofs 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, with other government departments are housed in buildings nearby.
An aerial overview of the mountainous Thimphu Valley with the heart of the city located in the center of the scene - with the iconic Tashichho Dzong in the lower left hand corner.
Another one of Bhutan's most notable landmarks is the impressive Buddha Dordenma. This massive Buddha statue is located on a steep hillside overlooking the city and celebrates the 60th anniversary of fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, one of the most important figures in Bhutanese history.
After checking out the country's capital, we head south to explore some of Bhutan's heavily farmed lowlands. Wide, grassy plains are criss-crossed by mesmerizing, braided rivers like the Puna Tsang Chhu, a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra that eventually flows into the Bay of Bengal.
In addition to the lowlands, much of Bhutan's hilly, rugged foothills are farmed by the locals as well. Terraced farmland on the slopes of the lower Himalayan mountains can be seen all across the country.
After futher trekking through Bhutan's hilly western interior, we've reached finally reached the country's most iconic landmark, the iconic Paro Taktsang, or the Tiger's Nest. This prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex is located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley and was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave where the legendary Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for Four Months in the 8th century. Today, it's one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
Our journey across Bhutan continues with a look over the impressive Himalaya Mountains above - the roof of the world is quite spectacular from above.
To reach the final destination along our journey, we venture deeper into Bhutan's vast mountain country - and the country's tallest peak finally comes into view, the mighty Gangkhar Puensum, meaning "White Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers". This 24,836 foot tall mountain is said to be the highest unclimbed peak in the world - it's an extremely sacred place for the Bhutanese people, so climbing by locals or tourists is strictly prohibited.
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-korver
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