Bhutan is one of the most fascinating and welcoming countries in the world, and is one of the few places left that has, for the most part, yet to be influenced by Western culture. It’s a perfect destination for adventure travelers with its remote hiking trails and enchanting culture.
Zephyr offers two options on our ten-day Bhutan Himalayan Trek & Cultural Adventure this September 14 – 23: a moderately strenuous mountain trek, or a more gently active cultural journey. The group will be together for the first two days, then separate for several days before reuniting on the seventh night, making it ideal for friends or family members with differing activity interests and physical abilities to travel together.
To help decide if this trip is for you, here are the top 5 questions about traveling to Bhutan we get from interested travelers:
1. Where exactly is Bhutan and how big is it? The Kingdom of Bhutan is a tiny country (about twice the size of New Hampshire, with fewer than 700,000 people) nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, with Tibet on its north and west borders and India on its south and east borders. Regions of the country are some of the most remote in the world.
2. Does Bhutan’s government really measure success by Gross National Happiness? Yes. World economists have argued that the key to happiness is obtaining and enjoying material development. Bhutan, however, adheres to a very different belief: amassing material wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness.
3. Did the recent earthquakes in Nepal affect Bhutan? No. These major earthquakes near Kathmandu were over 250 miles away from Bhutan’s capital city of Thimpu and did not do any damage in Bhutan.
4. Is altitude an issue in Bhutan? On the cultural adventure, altitude is not a big concern, although there will be a hike to the Tiger’s Nest at 11,000 feet one day. On the trek, our maximum elevation will be almost 14,000 feet, which is high enough to experience some affects of altitude.
5. What is the cost of airfare? Although it is a long flight (or series of flights) to get to Bangkok, Thailand, where we begin our trip, the upside is that it is usually far cheaper to fly to Bangkok than it is to fly to other places such as Europe and South America. Right now, there are many flights from major cities in the US to Bangkok for under 800 during our trip’s time frame: September 14 – 23.
We hope you can join us on our journey to this charming and captivating country!
