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The year is punctuated by many religious festivals dedicated to Buddhist deities or the Guru Rinpoche, celebrated with rituals, sporting events, feasting and performances. The Zorig Chosum or "Thirteen Crafts" of Bhutan are maintained today and range from highly-skilled and complex weaving, wood carving and sculpture to paper-making, sword-crafting and more made through perfectly preserved methods of production, unchanged for centuries.
Incidentally, in 2009, Bhutan is one of the top 20 Happiest Countries in the World according to the Happy Planet Index which charts human well-being and sustainability across the globe! Even the government encourage development of the country's Gross National Happiness! This is partly because independent travel is not permitted in Bhutan to insure minimum impact on the environment and to protect rural customs, fragile ecosystems and buildings from being negatively impacted by too many tourists and vehicles. Through this effective management, the Kingdom of Bhutan has managed to preserve its culture, traditions and nature almost entirely from outside influence or environmental damage, making it truly a responsible destination on all fronts. These measures guarantee an ethically sound holiday, bringing you close-up to the extraordinary richness of the country and its people and offering you the chance to immerse yourself in its culture and beauty. Responsible Travel has a great selection of trips to this enchanting land. For full immersion, why not opt for the complete Cultural Tour of Bhutan? Taking in one of the largest Bhutanese festivals, the enthralling Taktshang monastery and spectacular drives through the Himalayan passes, this is the real deal and the best introduction to Bhutan. A slightly longer tour, The Land of the Thunder Dragon also takes in some of the more remote villages, where you will meet yak herders, visit rural market settlements and camp under the stars in valleys filled with flowers and lakes. If it's festival fever you're after, but a little less Glasto and a lot more spiritual, colourful and exotic twists, book this Bhutan Festival tour. There are numerous departures throughout the year coinciding with some of the biggest and best Tsechus, the traditional religious festivals of Bhutan. There is one at every dzong, taking the form of dances, with masks and elaborate costumes, religious rituals and mime where participants take the form of deities. The Paro Festival is one of the biggest, where a Thongdrel, or huge religious scroll, usually with the image of Bhutanese protector deity, Guru Rimpoche is lowered on the last day of the Festival in the early hours of the morning to alleviate the sins of those who gaze upon it. Bhutan festivals are usually accompanied by sporting events. The Bhutanese are nuts about Archery, which is played quite raucously at almost every event or festival, many also play Khuru a Bhutanese form of darts and enjoy the recently introduced cricket, from India. Whilst you enjoy the festival, be sure to sample the local cuisine, if you can handle the spice! Chillies are ubiquitous in Bhutanese food, and in large quantities. Cheese is made from cow's and yak's milk and can also be found in many dishes, including the national dish Emadatse, a cheese and chilli stew. Meat includes pork beef and yak, vegetables include asparagus and okra and wide range of grains and pulses. Rice comes in great varieties, notably a local reddish-pink variety and to wash it all down you'll find salted butter tea, rice wine, Chang beer and Arra, a distilled grain spirit. There's no alcohol to be drunk on Tuesdays, however, it's a designated Dry Day! |
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It is in Paro that Buddhism was introduced to Bhutan. Home to the National Museum and the imposing Paro Dzong fortress, you'll be enlightened by the spectacular Tiger's Nest (Taktshang) monastery, clinging to the rock cliffs, named for the mythical flying tigress upon which Buddhist saint Guru Rinpoche is said to have first entered the country.
Arrive in Bhutan's central region by crossing the Black Mountains, following ancient mule tracks and monk's trails to the slopes and conifer forests of the Trongsa passes, dotted with rhodedendrons. Trongsa Dzong is the ancestral home of Royal Family, a majestic, red-roofed fortress the courtyard of which was once the only accessible passing point along the East to West trading route.
Considered the most unexplored part of the country, the East of Bhutan is home to many tiny communities, isolated on mountain tops each with their particular dialects and customs. In this region of silk-weaving and textile craftsmen, you can hike the Thrumpshing pass which has the peculiarity of passing through a myriad of geographical climates in a short time, from high altitude forests through semi-tropical jungle towards orange groves. HIll villages perched on peaks or hugging the sheer rock faces.
If you'd like to participate more fully in the local life on your visit, why not take part in a local Bhutan library project? This cultural trip combines a 10-day holiday with a chance to work helping to set up a new library with local villagers in Gasa. A tailor-made tour helps you get what you want from a largely trek based holiday, which visits several smaller villages and the incredible countryside as well as several of Bhutan's museums and holy sites such as the National Memorial Chorten, the National Institute of Traditional Medicine and the Folk Heritage Museum. You'll feel culturally and spiritually replenished after a trip to this fascinating land of colour, tradition and bountiful happiness, as well as knowing you have glimpsed one of the most authentic, unspoilt and environmentally sound places on Earth!
For more exciting experiences, check out our Bhutan holidays
