Snow White treks and tours

29/06/2022

23/06/2022

Good news: Bhutan is finally opening up but with the big CHANGES. Here onwards tourists visiting Bhutan (for that matter even the overseas operators) don’t have to use the local tour operators nor guides anymore. You can walk-in with the lonely planet guide book. You will be granted a visa on arrival after paying a visa fee and the sustainable development fee(SDF) of USD 200 per head, per night (until pre-covid time it was USD 65).
Your SDF will be collected by the Tourism office. However, you will have to bear an additional expenses for your accommodation and meals. You can choose your own place to stay (from farm house to 5 star) or out in the open field or select a restaurant for meals and ride a taxi for transfers or can hitch a ride. Authority says no need to have fixed itinerary and can spend X amount of time in a place as long as you can afford to pay the above daily tax plus your daily needs. Bhutan wants to give you an unlimited experience by doing away the mandatory requirement of local operators/guides.

18/12/2021

https://youtu.be/_54TfScB2j8

This music video is a ray of hope for bhutan during these trying times and is an anthem of unity as we wait for the world to reopen.We shall return to the sk...

27/08/2021

21/03/2021

Spot the langur 🐒

29/01/2021

School Among Glaciers is a compelling documentary filmed in 2003, about a school teacher who sets out on a 14-day journey on foot to Lunana. He survives a number of narrow trails and high passes including the dreadful 5,200 meter high Gangla Karchung Pass. He finally settles under very harsh living conditions in Lunana, 4,500 meters above sea level, for five months. Here are semi nomadic tribes such as the Layaps and the Lunaps. With just over 1000 people, the Lunaps are considered the most backward people of Bhutan. However, they have their language, customs and culture, which they are jealously proud of. They inhabit one of the most inhospitable valleys in Bhutan. They live on Yaks producing butter, cheese and hides, which they trade with the lower valleys of Bhutan.The teacher soon learns that there is a great deal more knowledge and wisdom in these simple nomads than originally thought. He therefore proceeds to explore the way of life, native wisdoms and local traditions of this amazing people as has never been done before.

A school teacher is assigned to Bhutan's remotest school. Midway into his session he is told that the school has to be closed as the inhabitants leave the va...

20/06/2020

Organic farm fresh Sh*take mushroom available at this time of the year.

25/03/2019

The mighty Tashichhodzong at night

01/02/2017

Festivals or Tshechu (“tenth day”) are Bhutanese festivals held every year in various temples monasteries and dzongs across the country. The Tshechu is mainly a religious event celebrated on tenth day of a month of lunar calendar corresponding to the birthday of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Padmasambhava). However the month of Tshechu depends from place to place and temple to temple.

Tshechus are large social gatherings where people from various villages come together to witness the religious mask dances which are based on incidents from as long as 8th century from the life of Guru Padmasambhava and to receive blessings from lamas. The event also consists of colorful Bhutanese dances and other entertainments. The dances are known as Cham and are performed to bless onlookers, to teach them the Buddhist dharma, to protect them from misfortune and to exorcise all evil, the dancers who take on the aspects of wrathful and compassionate deities, heroes, demons and animals do this. Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel and Pema Lingpa were main figures who composed many of the dances. It is believed that merit is gained by attending these religious festivals.

25/04/2016

Punakha dzong & Jacaranda in bloom

23/04/2016

13/05/2015

Lungchutse hike:
This is one of the most picturesque hikes and it can be done in several ways. Easiest way is to start from 108 chorten at Dochu la @ 3150 m above sea level. The trail to Lungchutse gradually climbs through the forest of varieties of moss covered Rhododendron trees (as seen in the pic), hemlock and birch and is expected to last for an hour and half (one way) on an average walking speed.
On clear days, the view from the Lungchutse temple is fantastic. You will have a 360° view of the Himalayan ranges including views of Jumolhari (7314 m), Masang Gang (7158 m ), Zongophu Gang – a table mountain(7060 m) and Gangkhar Puensum, the highest peak and perhaps the highest unclimbed peak in the world (7497 m).

27/03/2015

Lhuntse, the rural isolated district is the ancestral home to the royal family of Bhutan. The place is famous for the hand-loomed fabrics typically woven from fine silk, known as Kishutharas, keeping intact one of the most distinctive art forms of the country.
Besides the perpetual royal anecdotes and the idiosyncratic ethnicity of the region, Lhuntse is fairly blessed with several places of sanctity. The quaint Lhuntse Dzong is one of the most picturesque in the country being located in such a position that it overlooks the daunting Kuri-chhu beneath the valley. The Jigme Namgyel Naktsang and Dungkar Naktsang can still be seen in their novel forms.

09/10/2013

In his message, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck conveyed his dreams to the Graduates

http://www.kuenselonline.com/in-his-message-hm-conveyed-his-dreams/ #.UlT55SS1-Uc

KuenselOnlineBhutan's Daily Newspaper

06/10/2013

Its time for the farmers in Thimphu to rejoice their hard work..

05/10/2013

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-stein-urbanc/lessons-from-bhutan_b_4027234.html?utm_hp_ref=tw =more319380

While I am certainly grateful for the things in my life (healthy children, a home, education) I actually feel a deep loss now that I am back from Bhutan and am more inclined to purge my life of things that are the source of negativity and burden.

04/10/2013

Paro valley ready to harvest rice!