Surrounded by the jagged and formidable mountains of the Himalayas, the people of Bhutan are slowly and carefully opening their doors to the outside world. Travel with Gary Wintz, who has traveled extensively in the country over a period of many years, and unravel some of the mystery of this medieval culture. After two nights in Bangkok, fly into the tiny kingdom of Bhutan where the people call themselves Drukpas, Dragon People, and are closely related to their Tibetan neighbors. The plane lands in Paro where dark pine trees and rice paddies envelope the tiny airport terminal. The architecture in Paro is remarkably homogenous; low-lying houses with small windows that have been painted with floral patterns and geometric designs.
Drive to Thimphu along a single-lane road that links the west to the east of the country. In the stone courtyard of the Thimphu Dzong, enjoy the last day of festivities at the annual Thimphu Tsechu where music played on cymbals, drums and lutes accompanies colorful dances. Continue east passing a number of dzongs. These great fortress monasteries dominate every major settlement and it is from these that the country’s spiritual and temporal affairs have been administered for the last 300 years. Stop at Tongsa, the old capital which boasts one of the most formidable dzongs, almost a city in itself. Tapering stone walls link twenty-three temples, local government offices, a printing house, a school and living quarters.
Cross the Pele-La Pass to Bumthang, the name given to a complex of four sacred valleys. The valleys are wide and gently-sloping offering a sense of spaciousness almost unequaled elsewhere in the country. With beautifully painted wooden doors, the area looks stunning in the autumn when buckwheat tints the fields deep orange. From Bumthang discover the cultural and historic heart of Bhutan, where forests extend for miles and hills are topped by massive dzongs. Our time here has been scheduled to coincide with the Thangbi Festival, organized by the villagers of the Thangbi Valley in honor of Guru Ripoche. On the first day, a purification rite involves setting haystacks on fire as devotees run through the flames to cleanse themselves of sins and ensure good luck for the next year. This is followed by a series of dances where dancers, wearing silks and elaborate papier-mâché masks, whirl and leap re-enacting legendary events. Crowds of people dressed in finely-woven, clothes gather to watch the dances.
Return to Paro and stay at the lovely Zhiwaling Hotel. Spend time exploring the National Museum built into a watchtower high above the main dzong. Even higher, and accessible only by a rigorous climb, is the rebuilt Taktsang Monastery which commemorates the arrival of Buddhism from Tibet when Padmasambhava is said to have arrived on a flying tiger. Standing high above Paro, it is an improbable cluster of gilded roofs and white walls, hanging over a wall of sheer rock that mocks you with its absolute inaccessibility. Return home from Bangkok.
Group size is limited to 15 travelers
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