The Kingdom of Bhutan lies nestled in the eastern Himalayas, with China on the southeastern border and India on the west. Bhutan’s land varies considerably in altitude from just above 100 mt in the lowlands to over 7000 meters in the Himalayan plateau to the north.
The population is very sparse and mostly concentrated in Thimphu, the capital. Bhutan is a kingdom state led by both monarchs and priests and the official language is Dzongkha, as well as numerous other dialects, although English is widely spoken, being integrated in the educational system.
The land is rich in striking contrasts depending on the different regions offering three distinct climates. The inner Himalaya is temperate, rich in forestland and populated by boar, bear and sambar, while the Higher Himalaya region features breathtaking mountain slopes home to a variety of different species, including blue sheep and snow leopard. In the foot hills the climate is tropical with lush vegetation, including wild orchids as well as bountiful wildlife; one can spot different animal species, such as deer, leopards, tigers as well as the rare golden langur monkey.
Traveling through the country must be organized by tour operators, planned and registered at the Bhutan government. The number of tourist allowed to visit is also limited to preserve the environment as well as the social and cultural stability.
Bhutan is very rich culturally and historically, one can visit the country’s largest monastery in Thiumphu, the National Library where holy scriptures and books are kept or even the National Museum of Bhutan in Paro where one can admire antiques, weapons of Bhutanese artifacts. Throughout the country majestic temples rise in the valleys as well as many superb ancestral homes offering spectacular views in the dramatic backdrop of Bhutan’s beautiful landscape.
