Bhutan is an enchanting Buddhist kingdom situated in the Himalayas, nestled between India and China. In the 1800s, various European maps conflated it with Tibet, and it has remained remote and relatively untouched down to the present day; TV and Internet, for example, were only introduced in 1999. It’s no surprise, then, that Bhutan retains an aura of mysterious allure, and visiting can still feel like stepping back in time. The land is rugged and largely virgin; the people, who always wear the national gho and kira dress, are regal yet friendly. It is a beguiling place where tobacco is illegal but marijuana grows wildly; where archery remains the national sport, and where progress is measured not in GDP but “Gross National Happiness.”
Remote Lands’ deep knowledge of Bhutan and its culture goes beyond the five valleys (Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang) to far-flung eastern locales like Mongar, Lhuntse, Trashigang and more.