Breathtaking Bhutan: The mountainous kingdom is steeped in rich cultural tradition and stupendous natural beauty

Bhutan has until relatively recently lived in glorious isolation, in part due to the challenges of its geography and monumental topography. Wedged between India and the autonomous region of Tibet, China, the Buddhist kingdom has been likened to a gigantic staircase, rising from a narrow strip of land at an altitude of 300 metres in the south to more than 7,000 metres in the north. Its bounteous natural wonders are at their glorious best from late September through December when weather patterns are stable. These months also see some of the best festivals playing out in all their intoxicating magic.

Many of the 790,000 inhabitants of this landlocked state still live off the earth, though there is a growing middle class in urban areas. The capital and most populated city, Thimphu, houses about 15% of the population, and the government is making strides to limit migration from the countryside.

National happiness

Though Bhutan is rapidly modernising and introducing new technology and industrial advancements, the government famously places the concept of Gross National Happiness as a high priority. With the tenets of Buddhism shaping national policy, mindfulness, compassion and well-being, as well as sustainable development, education, health care and good governance are valued above economic growth – which is perceived as a way of achieving more important ends. The country’s coffers are boosted by a daily visa fee of US$200 per visitor.

Religious pageantry

Throughout the year Bhutan’s many dzongs (fortresses) and goembas (monasteries) play host to colourful religious festivals that are adored by travellers and locals alike. These pageants enable the people to immerse themselves in the meaning of their religion and Buddhist teachings.

Constructed at strategic points for political reasons, the dzongs nowadays contain both regional monastic communities and district administrative offices. Some consider these majestic buildings the most beautiful architectural forms in Asia, with their richly decorated woodwork and ethereal pitched roof held within a solid structure of elegant sloping walls.

Tshechus (festivals) are grand social events representing an opportunity for locals to see and be seen. A holiday atmosphere pervades, people wear their finest jewellery and clothes, share their food and exchange news. They take out picnics rich with meat and copious quantities of alcohol.

Masked dance

At the heart of the tshechus are religious dances called cham, performed by monks or lay practitioners wearing spectacular costumes made of yellow silk or rich brocade. Sometimes they don masks which represent animals, fearsome deities, skulls or manifestations of Buddhist gurus. These masks can be so heavy that the performers often bind their heads with strips of cloth to support the weight and protect themselves against injury.

One of the best known, the Drametse Ngacham (Mask Dance of the Drums from Drametse), has been proclaimed as a masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco. The epic display features 16 energetic male dancers dressed in yellow skirts and animal masks and beating drums.

Many tshechus culminate in the unfurling of a giant thangka from a building overlooking the dance arena. Upon sight of these painted or embroidered religious pictures, it is believed that all one’s sins are washed away.

The dates and duration of tsechus vary from one district to the next and are usually performed in dzong courtyards thronging with entranced onlookers. For the grand Thimphu Tshechu festival, held this year on 13-15 September, the capital takes on a carnival air.

A sacred seventh-century monastery in the Bumthang Valley is the setting for the Jambay Lhakhang festival (15-18 November 2024), where a naked fire dance held under the full moon at midnight kicks off the vibrant proceedings. November also sees smaller-scale Trashigang, Jakar and Mongar tshechus, while December welcomes the Trongsa, Lhuentse and Dungkhar festivals.

Architectural splendours

Aside from the magnificent festivals, the splendours of Bhutan’s monasteries and dzongs are legendary, not least Taktsang Goemba, a beautiful building clinging to the side of sheer cliffs perched above whispering pine forests. The site has deep religious significance; legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, a founding father of Tibetan Buddhism, rode here on the back of a tigress to subdue a local demon, after which he embarked on three months of soothing meditation. It is well worth a visit, offering incredible views of the Paro Valley on the trek up past glorious red-blossom rhododendrons.

Paro’s Rinpung Dzong is a fantastic example of a fortress-monastery that majestically guards the valley and town. Above the dzong is an old watchtower, the Ta Dzong, which has been converted into the hugely informative National Museum of Bhutan.

Not far from the gateway town of Paro amid an attractive area for walks is Kyichu Lhakhang, a twin-temple complex whose first building is thought to have been completed in 659 AD by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet. Inside this magnificent complex sits a treasured seventh-century statue of Jowo Sakyamuni.

Overlooking the labyrinthine Trongsa Dzong in central Bhutan, the seat of power in the first and second centuries, is a museum dedicated to the history of the dzong and the Wangchuck dynasty, replete with personal effects and Buddhist statues.

At the confluence of two rivers resides Punakha Dzong, one of the most striking examples of Bhutanese architecture. Every spring, the fortress walls are covered in lilac flowers from nearby jacaranda trees, and hordes of red-robed young monks can be seen wandering over a sea of purple petals.

Fantastic trekking

Bhutan is also reputed for its world-class trekking. Many treks reach high altitudes in remote regions of the country’s spectacular Himalayan range, and come with guides and ponies to carry your pack. One of the well-trod Jhomolhari routes within Jigme Dorji National Park entails a two-day gentle climb with just a few short, steep rises over side ridges. The remote village of Lingzhi is accessed by crossing a high pass, and to reach Thimphu yet another high pass is traversed.

Along the popular Snowman trek, similarly away from roads and modernisation, are plenty of chances to glimpse locals tending their crops and animals in the centuries-old tradition. A five-day trek to Duer Hot Springs is an alternative ending to this exhilarating excursion.

Day hikes to monasteries in the cultural heartland of Bumthang are also an option in a region full of valleys nestling dzongs, goembas and temples. The Haa Valley is also a great place to do some trekking. Just a few hours’ drive from Paro, it offers cliffside hermitages, ancient temples, charming villages and accommodation in boutique farmhouses and homestays.

Wildlife protection

A member of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, Bhutan is an environmentally aware society, with immense sources of renewable energy in the form of hydropower; however, melting glaciers caused by climate change are a growing concern.

The country treasures its wildlife and has one of the largest proportions of designated protected areas in the world. With more than 65% of its territory covered in forests and mountains, this wildlife haven offers an amazing diversity of plants and creatures. Scarce species of bird can be glimpsed, or you might spot a troupe of rare golden langurs. In spring, beautiful splashes of red, pink and white dot the landscape in the form of ubiquitous rhododendron.

The national dish, ema datshi, is composed entirely of stewed chillies served with a cheese sauce. Indeed, melted fresh datshi (cottage cheese) cooked along with vegetables, especially potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus and fiddlehead ferns, is a key component of the local diet. This is a spicy delicacy normally served separately in deference to visitors’ taste buds. Rice (white or red) dishes and stews also form a central plank of cuisine in this kingdom of fabled fortresses, festivals and treks.

The Natural Wonders of Kashmir sat amid the mighty Himalayas

Scenic, captivating and cradled high in the mighty green Himalayas, Kashmir’s all-but-celestial beauty has assumed almost mythical proportions. Replete with snow-capped mountain peaks, lush green valleys, glistening lakes, breathtaking meadows and spectacular Mughal-era architecture, it is a magnificently landscaped valley. It is no wonder that this poet-inspiring paradise has long been deemed India’s crowning glory.

Particularly worth seeking out is Srinagar, Kashmir’s summer capital, an ancient and venerable city set along the banks of the Jehlum river. With its proximity to the tranquillity of the Dal and Nigeen lakes, this is the ideal destination for those seeking a truly exotic travel experience.

Among its many notable attractions are the array of stationary houseboats from the British era and gondola-type rowboats – Shikaras – that can be found on the Dal’s languid waters. The city is also home to many of India’s most exquisite Mughalage gardens, with Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and Chashm-E-Shahi being particularly fine examples.

In the case of the latter, located amid the foothills of the Zabarwan range, it has been deemed one of the most elegant of all the Mughal gardens. Its lush green lawns feature epic pools and classic fountains, many of them the abiding legacy of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who commissioned the gardens back in 1632.

The Verinag Mughal Garden, by contrast, is set at the Gateway of Kashmir, the traditional access point to this remote region, beautifully maintained and eminently serene, its clusters of time-worn Chinar trees amid its endlessly green meadows are never less than breath-taking.

An abiding symbol of eternal love, meanwhile, is the Shalimar Garden, an epically evocative estate built by Emperor Jahangir as a tribute to his much-adored wife. With its neatly terraced lawns, fetching fountains, floral borders and tree-lined pavilions, it celebrates each season in its own unique style.

For its part, Nishat Bagh – variously known as “The Garden of Joy” or “The Garden of Gladness” – clings close to the eastern shore of Dal Lake. Designed by Asaf Khan, the brother of Noor Jahan, back in 1633, every terrace throughout this truly gorgeous garden hosts a surfeit of beatific blooms – most notably, roses, geranium and lilies. Particularly popular with both couples and families, this stunning hymn to nature’s majesty is surely among the world’s most Instagrammable locations.

Continuing the tour, the picturesque town of Gulmarg– nestled in the Pir Panjal range of the Western Himalayas at an altitude of 8,690 feet – is another essential stopping-off point. Surrounded by radiant snow-peaked alps, verdant green pastures, enthralling meadows, valleys and pine-covered slopes, it is no wonder it has become so synonymous with winter sports.

In recognition of this, back in 1927, it was formally accorded ski resort status. Today, visitors can enjoy a diverse range of related activities, including skiing, snowboarding, horse riding, heli-skiing, snow scooter riding and tobogganing. For those preferring something a little more sedentary, there is the Gulmarg Gondola, Asia’s highest and the world’s second-longest cable car ride, which sees up to 600 people per hour able to experience uniquely scenic views of the valleys below.

Trekking further on, some 80 kilometres northeast of Srinagar is Sonamarg (literally ‘meadow of gold’), a beauteous hill station set some 2800 km above sea level. Renowned for its sow-laden fields, it is encircled by the majestic Kolhoi and Machoi glacier ranges. It is also the perfect base camp for those looking to explore the nearby shores of the lakes of Gangabal, Vishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Kishansar. Be advised, though, it is only accessible from March through to November, with heavy snows rendering it off-limits during the rest of the year.

Overall, Kashmir is just the perfect place for would be explorers, with its multitudinous trails allowing visitors to savour panoramic views of the mountains, meadows and the clear lakes below.

One of the most popular among such excursions is the 69-kilometres-long Great Lakes trek that allows bold expeditioners to take in seven high-set lakes, five river valley crossings and three lofty passes during the course of its eight-day duration.

Ascending to a height of 4,206 metres at its zenith, the trail more typically flows between relatively gentle ascents and descents, making it relatively easy to navigate.

Another popular route, one said to be both thrilling and a true visual treat, is the Tarsar Marsar trek. Traversing the verdant meadows that proliferate throughout the Aru Valley, this historic hike also takes in the emerald blue waters of the Tarsar, Marsar and Sundarsar lakes, set some 12,500 ft above sea level, they would prove the highlight of any vacation.

Coiling through a lovingly preserved natural landscape, a number of campsites can be found along its path, any one of which would make the perfect locale for enjoying stunningly clear views of the starscape above.

While the heavens can fend for themselves in terms of the preservation of their natural beauty, conserving the allure of their more terrestrial counterpart requires more work. Thankfully, this has been taken on board by the government, with many of Kashmir’s forests and wildlife reserves being accorded National Park status.

Among the most celebrated of these is the Kishtwar National Park, which extends across an area of more than 2200 square kilometres and is home to a huge selection of exquisite local flora and fauna. As well as being a highly-regarded snow leopard reserve, it has proven an attractive refuge for many Himalayan bears, musk deer and ibex, as well as 15 other relatively rare mammals and more than 50 species of birds unique to the Himalayan region.

Also, more than well worth a visit is the Dashigam National Park. Set some 20 kilometres from Srinagar and some 4,300 metres above sea level, its 500 square kilometres of natural beauty comprise India’s most elevated forest reserve.

Home to the critically endangered Kashmir stag, the park is also a refuge for many other rare species of avifauna. The banks of the mighty Dagwan River, meanwhile, which courses through the park, are just about the perfect setting for camping or fishing, while the nearby Sangargulu valley offers a unique opportunity to observe snow leopards and koklass pheasants in their natural habitat.

Whether it is to explore nature or quietly enjoy the beauty of it, Kashmir is the perfect place for anyone who wants to experience the very nearest any is likely to get to heaven on earth.

 

Text: Zaira Abbas