BHUTAN - General Information

Geography

Bhutan is a landlocked country hidden in the Eastern Himalayas bounded by China in the north and India in the south, east and west. Bhutan is a small country with an area of 38394 square kilometers. In-fact, the entire country is mountainous with elevation ranging from 180 meters above sea level in the south and more than 7400 meters in the north. The sparsely populated Greater Himalayas, bounded to the north by the Tibetan plateau, reach heights of over 7,300 meters, and extend southward losing height, to form the fertile valleys of the Lesser Himalayas divided by the Wang, Sunkosh, Trongsa and Manas Rivers. Monsoon influences promote dense forestation in this region and alpine growth at higher altitudes. The cultivated central uplands and Himalayan foothills support the majority of the population. In the south, the Daurs Plain drops sharply away from the Himalayas into large tracts of semi-tropical forest, savannah grassland and bamboo jungle.

Bhutan can be divided into three major geographic zones. The three major geographic zones are the southern zone, the central zone and the northern zones. In the southern zone, it is hot and humid with dense tropical forests with an average temperature of 20 degree centigrade. The central zone lies within the 2000 meters to 3500meters above the sea level with semi tropical forest, most of the region is alpine.  The northern zones forms the part of the Great Himalayas stretches west to east from an altitude 6500 meters to 7400 meters.

When to go?

The climate in Bhutan varies with altitude, from subtropical in the south to temperate in the highlands and polar-type climate, with year-round snow, in the north. Bhutan experiences five distinct seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. Western Bhutan has the heavier monsoon rains; southern Bhutan has hot humid summers and cool winters; central and eastern Bhutan is temperate and drier than the west with warm summers and cool winters. Spring is the most beautiful time of the year in the kingdom. The fierce cold that characterizes the winter months tends to subside towards the beginning of March (around the Bhutanese New Year, Losar). Rhododendrons begin to bloom. At the height of spring, the forests come to life with the spectacular red, scarlet and orange colours of the rhododendron blossom. During the summer months, nomads returning to higher pastures to tend their yak herds inhabit the mountainous north, while the annual monsoon from the Bay of Bengal affects the south and the central regions. The monsoon often disrupts roads and flights during the rainy months of late June, July, August and September. The end of the monsoon, also a popular time to visit, marks the beginning of autumn. The days are filled with brilliant cobalt skies and warm weather. October and November bring shorter days and cooler evenings. The days remain clear with crisp blue skies. Views over the higher Himalayas are usually only possible from October to March. Come the end of November, the weather takes on its winter coat. The days remain crisp and sunny, and the nights turn cold. The southern plains close to the Indian border are warmer and more tropical than the higher central valleys. Being much lower, a more temperate climate and considerably warmer winters prevail.

People

The Bhutanese people are a good-natured, friendly and fun-loving people. The natural confidence of its people stems perhaps from the fact that Bhutan has never been colonized. The ruggedness of the terrain and the remoteness of its valleys have led to the formation of many scattered communities throughout Bhutan. Hence there are nineteen languages spoken in the country. The people in western Bhutan are called Ngalongs. The eastern Bhutanese are referred to as the Scharshops, and in southern Bhutan, there are the Lhotsampas. Bhutan also has several small communities who have literally lived in isolation in their own communities for many years keeping their traditional practices alive. These include the Doyas in the south, the Layaps in the north-west, the Monpas of central Bhutan, and the nomads of Merak Sakten in eastern Bhutan.

Religion

Buddhism is practiced through out the country. Almost all the Bhutanese are Buddhist. Among the Bhutanese people, several principal ethnic groups may be distinguished. The second dominant group is the Ngalops, a Buddhist group based in the western part of the country. Their culture is closely related to that of Tibet. Much the same could be said of the Sharchops ("Easterners"), the dominant group, who are associated with the eastern part of Bhutan (but who traditionally follow the Nyingmapa rather than the official Drukpa Kagyu form of Himalayan Buddhism). They are called the Western Bhutanese and Eastern Bhutanese respectively. In modern times, with improved transportation infrastructure, there has been much intermarriage between these groups. In the early 1970s, intermarriage between the Lhotshampas and main stream Bhutanese society was encouraged by the government.

The national language is Dzongkha, one of 53 languages in the Tibetan language family. The script, here called Chhokey ("Dharma Language"), is identical to classical Tibetan. In the schools English is the medium of instruction and Dzongkha is taught as the national language.

Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion. The Buddhist faith has played and continues to play a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. It permeates all strands of secular life, bringing with it a reverence for the land and its well-being.

Festivals

Annual festivals (tsechus and dromches) are spiritual occasions in each district. They bring together the population and are dedicated to Guru Rinpoche or other deities. Throughout Bhutan, stupas and chortens line the roadside commemorating places where Guru Rinpoche or another high Lama may have stopped to meditate. Prayer flags dot the hills, fluttering in the wind. They allow Bhutanese people to maintain constant communication with the heavens.

Cuisine

Traditional Bhutanese food always features spicy red and green chillies, either dried or fresh. Most Bhutanese love eating spicy food. Rice, buckwheat, and increasingly maize, are the staple foods of the country. The diet also includes pork, beef, yak meat, chicken, and mutton. Soups and stews of meat and dried vegetables spiced with chilies and cheese are prepared. Ema datshi, made very spicy with cheese and chilies, might be called the national dish for its ubiquity and the pride that Bhutanese have for it. Dairy foods, particularly butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are also popular, and indeed almost all milk is turned to butter and cheese. Popular beverages include butter tea, tea, locally brewed rice wine and beer. Bhutan is the only country in the world to have banned the sale of tobacco.

Sports

The national sport of Bhutan is archery. High-spirited competitions, usually accompanied by a banquet, are a part of all festive occasions. The archery targets are wooden slabs of about 30 centimeters in width and are aimed at from a range of 120 meters. Contests take place throughout the year. Other traditional sports include degor, in which a round flat stone is thrown at a target, khuru, darts, keshey, wrestling, and pung-do, shotput. In soksums, a spear held at either end, is thrown at a target; in sherey parey, a contest of strength, one man grasps the wrist of his opponent, who must free himself in order to win. Today, most international sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, badminton and golf are also played with much enthusiasm.

Trekking in Bhutan is Different!

Of the more than a dozen trekking routes in Bhutan offer a wide range of unforgettable impressions and experiences. Whether you choose a short but beautiful trek like the Druk Path or a challenging but extremely rewarding route like the Snowman, the incomparable views, serene nature, wilderness and unique people will stay in your mind forever. Read more about service offered on treks in Bhutan and find some detailed descriptions of Bhutan’s trekking routes.

Visa Formality

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 impacts of tourism on the culture and the environment. In 1997, the number of tourists who visited Bhutan reached 5,361.Visitors to Bhutan must either be a guest of the government or tourists, and all tourists must travel on a pre-planned, pre-paid, guided package tour. Independent travel is not permitted.

All foreign nationalities require a visa for Bhutan. Visa clearance from Thimphu must be obtained before departing for Bhutan. Please note that without the visa clearance you cannot board Drukair flights (the only airline serving Bhutan).

Restricted Area  

Not all areas or religious establishments are open to tourist. This is to ensure that monastic life can continue unhindered. Most of Dzongs and Lhakhangs are still homes to thousands of monks. Other areas are closed due to environmental concern.

Access to Bhutan  

Entry points into Bhutan are by road through Phuentsholing in the south or or by air at Paro. Drukair, the national carrier, is the only airline servicing Bhutan. There are flights from Bangkok, Calcutta, New Delhi and Kathmandu. Tourists to Bhutan are obliged to use Drukair either on entry into or exit from the country. Leaving Bhutan from the eastern boarder town of Samdrup Jongkhar is also possible.

Driving time between various places in Bhutan

Mode of transport within Bhutan is by motor vehicles only. There are no domestic airlines or trains. However, motor roads are well maintained and connect to all major sightseeing places. The main highway runs from west to each connecting all the major towns. The mountainous terrain and winding roads restrict the average speed of vehicles to less than about 40 km/hour. During the monsoon months, sometimes rains can disrupt travel and unexpected changes might occur in itineraries, but every effort will be made to stay as close to the original program as possible.

UPDATED September 2008

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