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Bhutan at a Glance
In the clouds of the
majestic Himalayas lies the magical kingdom of Bhutan or
Druk Yul: "Land of the Thunder Dragon". Bhutan is a
landlocked kingdom about the size of Switzerland - 47,000
sq. km - with population of just 0.6 million. The nation
still retains almost all the qualities, which once made it
knows as "the land of medicinal herbs" and "the last
Shangri-La". Amid cascading waterfalls and dense forests
thrive a diverse flora and fauna with many species unique to
the country. The awesome grandeur and pristine beauty of
nature finds its counter part in the life style of the
Bhutanese. The pace of life is unhurried, and strongly
influenced by Mahayana Buddhism, of which Bhutan is the last
bastion. The spiritual atmosphere, which pervades this tiny
kingdom, finds expression in countless Buddhist shrines and
fluttering prayer flags dotting the landscape.
Druk-Air, the national
carrier, flies into Paro airport located 54 km away from the
capital city of Thimphu. Twice weekly flights connect Paro
to Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Calcutta, Delhi and Yangoon.
The flight into Paro valley on a clear day is among one of
the most spectacular flight. Bhutan can also be entered
overland at the border town of Phuntsoling. Only few
thousand of lucky travellers, who can afford to spend more
than two hundred dollars a day, get chance to visit the
kingdom of Bhutan in a year. The Royal Government of Bhutan
has adopted a very cautious approach to the development of
tourism in the kingdom in an effort to avoid the negative
imp-acts of tourism on the culture and the environment.
All tourists must travel on a pre-planned, prepaid, guided
package tour. Independent travel is not permitted. All visa
applications must be channeled through the Tourism Authority
of Bhutan (TAB) from a selected tour operator. Holiday
Mountain Treks takes this opportunity to offer the visitor
efficient accessibility to the mysticism of the Dragon
Kingdom. It assures a safe, comfortable and pleasant trip as
well as the experience of a lifetime.
Visiting Bhutan
All foreign national tourists visiting Bhutan must travel
through all-inclusive package tours, for which there is a
fixed tariff set by the Royal Govt. This tariff includes the
services of accommodation & meals, transport & Guide,
sightseeing and entrance fees. |
