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Top 10 Travel Destinations Bhutan

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30 travelers at this place

  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day125

    Punahka- sorry for the numerous posts

     November 3, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Yet another full and bountiful day.
    We started early after breakfast at 8am with an hours hike up to Khamsum Valley Namgyal Chorten. The trail passed through many rice fields and offered breathtaking views of the valley and Mo Chhu river. At the foot of the suspension bridge local adventure tourism providers were blowing up their rafts with foot pumps!!
    reaching the temple we came to a platform of serenity. Inside we learnt more of the Buddhist meanings of its murals etc before climbing 3 floors to the roof for 360 views of the paddy fields, river and valley. After 40 mins or so at the temple we descended the same way we came back to the car.    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day127

    Trongsa part 1

     November 5, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    We left Gangtey and the black necked cranes at 8am for the 4 hour drive over Pele La pass and into Trongsa.
    We reached a max elevation of 3400m today which meant the temperature dropped quite significantly. However the big yak bull with its thick woolly coat didn’t seem to mind.
    Coming into Trongsa K spotted 4 monkeys in a tree which turned out to be the rare Golden Langur. ( sadly no photos on the phone as the zoom isn’t that long)
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gee's_golden_langur

    Arriving into Trongsa which is perched on the side of the gorge high above the Mangde Chhu River, we checked into our hotel Yangkhil Resort- another v nice accommodation where we had the best Bhutanese lunch yet.

    Trongsa is a historically important junction town on the only West-East trade route in Bhutan. Traditionally all merchants and anyone passing west to east or vice versa had to pass through the Dzong which dominated the town and pay any taxes that were due!!

    After lunch we visited the Watch tower/ museum and the the Trongsa Dzong.    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day125

    Talo Village

     November 3, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    After a disappointing lunch at “phallus village” ( only disappointing as we were expecting the restaurant to have phallus salt and pepper shakers etc of which there were none!) we drove 20 mins to Talo Village.
    This is an example of one of the oldest Bhutanese villages where all of the houses are made of wood, mud and stone and are traditionally built v close together so the neighbours could protect each other from forest predators..... today the only thing we needed protection from were 2 small boys from the village one of whom flashed us his Superman boxer shorts on several occasions!! He was about 5yrs old!! Hopefully not a sexual predator in the making!
    The village paths were so so steep I’m not sure how anyone gets up or down let alone carry groceries etc to their homes.
    A walk around was interesting but also felt a bit weird.    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day123

    A full day in Thimpu - Part 2

     November 1, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    So off we went to the market a little reluctantly following Hem, the guide. Neither of us particularly like the usually dirty, hectic, smelly markets but this was honestly the nicest, cleanest market either of us had ever been to!! It was a joy to walk around!
    They sold every type of vegetable, rice, honey of many colours, yeast cakes ( for making alcohol), chillies and chilli powder by the tonnes and bags and bags of incense! We couldn’t believe how much we both enjoyed it.
    Then it was finally off to lunch although it was only 12.30pm.
    K saved my life when I was about to take a huge forkful of the National dish- chillies and cheese. I thought it was a type of green been in cheese sauce with some chilli... but no it was green chillies in cheese sauce- Jesus even a small amount was v v hot!!
    Next we were off to the magnificent Tashichhoedzong- a splendid fortress in the centre of the city, next to the Kings palace. It’s the meeting place of the government and the king to discuss the country’s needs, alongside a resident contingent of monks. Beautiful murals adorned the walls, the outside was surrounded by a rose garden with roses of every variety, the fortress walls gave security and peace whilst the internal monastery gave a place of spiritual worship in all its colours.
    After learning more about Buddhist teachings it was off to watch an archery competition. Sadly they weren’t using traditional bows and arrows but high powered imported hunting bows which wasn’t quite the same.
    By now it was 3.15pm and Hem reported next on the agenda was a walk through town- to this we politely asked if we could decline to return to our hotel to watch the NZ vs Wales game!! He was only to happy to comply as assured us we weren’t missing anything in town so off we went to watch the game.
    At 5.30pm we were picked up again for a traditional Bhutanese dinner which consisted of... more chilli dishes! It was nice but weird as we were the only 2 people in the whole restaurant ? Because it was a national holiday ( coronation of the king day). Home again by 7.30pm after a v full but satisfying day.    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day128

    Bumthang- Festival

     November 6, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    This am we left Trongsa early at 7am for the 2.5 hr drive over the pass and through the Chhume Valley.
    The reason for the early departure was to attend the 3 day Jakar Taechu ( festival) at the Jakar Dzong.
    What an amazing sight and a total treat as we didn’t realise it was on until yesterday.
    We arrived at the Dzong courtyard which was already packed at 9.30am with locals in their best outfits and jewellery including the cutest little kids in traditional dress.
    We spent a couple of hours trying to photograph the masked dancers and spectators whilst being embarrassed by some abhorrent behaviour of some of the other tourists- one woman was asked by the policeman to move her chair back to make room for the local to sit to which she questioned him and then refused, and one man who had set up his camera on a tripod in a prime spot refused to move, then was made to let a local family put their mat down... and then he proceeded to kneel back down on it!!!
    Once the dancers gave way to the locals queuing to receive their blessings we decided to leave as we were just in the way.
    What a spectacle... next off to some more temples    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day129

    Change of plans - landed in Paro

     November 7, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    After this morning’s amazing festival we enjoyed breakfast and had planned to go back for more festivities once the hoardes of locals had received their blessings.
    However we were then informed our 07.55am flight tmrw from Bumthang to Paro had been changed to 15.30pm.
    This poses quite an issue because despite this being a 35min flight for us, our driver and guide have to drive the car 10 hours back to Paro. They had planned to leave us at the festival and then the hotel were to drive us to the airport in the am. However we did not want to miss a whole days activities in Paro tmrw.
    After 3 visits to the airport, a trip to town to find the Druk Air office ( a door with a phone number on it) and buggering around for 3 hours we were left at the airport clutching boarding passes whilst the guide and driver drove off with our bags ( we could get plane seats but no weight for our bags!!).
    We had the best 30 min Druk Air flight Bumthang to Paro and we were kindly picked up by another guide who dropped us up to our hotel just behind the airport.
    Now waiting for dinner with a Druk 11000 beer whilst trying to sort out trip to UK - God Help us.... or maybe Buddha may bless us with cheap accomodation and transport and no annoyances!!    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day124

    Thimphu to Punakha - part 2

     November 2, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    After posting our postcard it was off to a paper making factory. Whilst this sounded little underwhelming as we arrived at a dirty, shed like building it actually turned into quite a fabulous visit.
    Outside, the bark of the daphne tree was soaked , heated in a huge pot and then cooled.
    Inside, the soggy pulp was shredded, soaked further, sifted on large wooden frames, laid out, pressed, dried on an A frame heated drier and then packed. We were the only tourists and they didn’t mind as we took loads of photos of this intriguing process.
    As we headed off to drive over the Dochula Pass
    we spotted some archery- this time using traditional bows of bamboo and waxed fibres so we stopped for a short time. This felt more authentic than yesterday’s competition although today because they can’t keep the tension on for v long they have to have a quicker eye to aim.    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day124

    Thimphu to Punakha- Dochula Pass

     November 2, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    After the paper factory and the archery it was finally time to drive over Dochula Pass. The Dochula Pass is a mountain pass in the snow covered Himalayas within Bhutan on the road from Thimpu to Punakha where 108 memorial chortens or stupas known as "Druk Wangyal Chortens" have been built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dochula_Pass

    We got to an elevation of 3120m at which height we had a stunning view over the Bhutanese Himalayas and the valleys below.

    After a walk around the 108 stupas we descended the windy, pass towards Punakha before stopping off for lunch... it was only 12.45pm!!    Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day125

    Punahka Dzong

     November 3, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punakha_Dzong

    10 mins down the road which follows the Mo Chhu river we arrived at the Punakha Dzong/ Fortress we photographed at a distance yesterday.

    Another stunning experience with monks going about their business and lots of activity because the Chief Abbott ( the religious equivalent of the King) was in residence.Read more

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  • Tamsin GallieKate and Tamsin Trip 2019
    Day123

    A full on day in Thimpu- Part 1

     November 1, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    I am falling in love with Bhutan by the minute! Not only have we seen stunning scenery but what we have been learning about their culture, pride, and their Buddhist beliefs has astounded us today..... not to mention their love and use of chillies!!
    We started the morning with a visit to the 31m high Great Buddha Dordenma shining in the morning sun in a v commanding place atop one of the many hills.
    Next it was a stroll through Kuensel Phodrang Nature Park with its strings of Tibetan prayer flags and views over Thimphu Valley.
    Back down the hill we went to an animal rehabilitation sanctuary to see the Takin, the national animal of Bhutan which is a v strange looking antelope type animal.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takin
    They rescue endangered, orphaned or injured animals and whilst keeping some for breeding they try to release many back into the wild.
    Next it was off to a nunnery where the nuns worship the female deity, before we ( not the nuns!) were taken to the weekend market...it wasn’t even lunchtime yet!!    Read more

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You might also know this place by the following names:

Kingdom of Bhutan, Bhutan, Bhoetan, Butan, ቡህታን, Bután, بوتان, ভূটান, Bhután, Бутан, भूटान, Butaŋ, ভুটান, འབྲུག་ཡུལ།, Bhoutan, بووتان, Bhútán, ބޫޓާން, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Bhutan nutome, Μπουτάν, Butano, Bh2utan, باتان, Butaan, Botan, Bûtan, An Bhútáin, Butàn, ભૂટાન, Butana, בהוטאן, Boutan, Բուտան, Bútan, ブータン王国, ბუტანი, Butani, ប៊ូតាន, ಭುತಾನ, 부탄, Butania, Butaani, Bhoetaan, Butáni, ພູຖານ, Butanas, Butāna, Bhotana, ഭൂട്ടാന്‍, भूतान, ဘူတန်နိုင်ငံ, Bhutani, Bhutaan, भुटान, Iiʼniʼ Tłʼiishtsoh Bikéyah, ଭୁଟାନ୍, Buuten, بھوٹان, بوټان, Butão, Butäan, භූතානය, IBhuthani, பூட்டான், భూటాన్, Шоҳигарии Бутан, ภูฏาน, Pūtani, بۇتان, Bu-tan (Bhutan), Butän, 不丹, Бутанмудин Нутг, Orílẹ́ède Bútánì, i-Bhutan

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