Bhutan is probably the last Buddhist Kingdom on this planet and a very well kept secret. It is a country where children learn about flying tigers and dragons in school and where the National Happiness Index is more important than the Gross Domestic Product. Bhutan targets low volume high value tourism, where each tourist has to pay a daily tariff of 250 USD, thereby keeping mass tourism and resorts away. It was an incredible experience, which we will remember for the rest of our lives.
Where we went
Suggested itinerary
The itinerary in Bhutan is very straightforward and followed by most tourists. There’s only one international airport in Paro, from where most of the hikes start. We would recommend spending 2 days in Paro, then going on a trek for several days to see the higher altitude areas of the country and finishing in Thimpu for another 2 days. The two most popular hikes in Bhutan are the Soi Yakso trek and the Druk Path trek. The Soi Yaksa trek goes to much higher altitudes and is longer than the Druk Path Trek (5 nights vs 2 to 3 nights), but it’s definitely worth it if you can afford staying this long. An alternative is to do the shorter trek and use the remaining days to visit the third major town of the country which is Punakha.