Luxury Trip to Bhutan in this Himalayan kingdom as large as Switzerland is home to a culture unique in the world, and astonishing high mountain landscapes softened by the tropics. The intimate lodges of the AMAN collection guide from valley to valley this extraordinary journey through the jewel of Asia.”
In the footsteps of takin in Thimphu
Luxury Trip to Bhutan is a mystical mist floats above Paro…. Landing between two fields where farmers hard at work raise their heads to greet the arrival of the plane. Welcome to the “Land of Raw Happiness”, a tiny Lamaist kingdom of Bhutan. The pure air of the Himalayas is immediately intoxicating. Thimphu, the country’s capital, is an hour’s drive away, along which rural traditions immerse the visitor in a picture book. We land at an altitude of 2300 m, for the first discoveries. The textile museum, its weaving center, and the museum of popular traditions are among the most interesting introductions to this civilization rich in traditions. After a short walk in a high-altitude pine forest, a prestigious monk welcomes arrivals with a humorous presentation of the country. The following day is devoted to visiting a beautiful monastery and its school of astrology, before following in the footsteps of the Takin in the vast sanctuary dedicated to this wild mammal which constitutes the emblem of the country.
Luxury Trip to Bhutan Towards Punakha Fortress
The road passes through incredibly peaceful landscapes. Houses that look like Swiss chalets adorn the mountains, illuminated with mythical figures and surprising phalluses, symbols of fertility. The villagers are busy in the fields, cutting and threshing the ears of rice by hand. No advertising billboard, no high voltage line contradicts this vision of the Middle Ages worthy of a Brueghel painting. We reach the first jewel of the journey: Punakha, whose majestic sacred temples dominate the river. Under its golden roofs, monks and senior officials proudly wear embroidered boots meet. After the barbecue on the banks of the river, set up as if for an elegant safari, the track leads through the middle of the fields towards a former royal hunting lodge, today the smallest of the lodges of the stay with its eight rooms. There we find the exact replica of his room in Paro, immense and all made of wood dressed like a luxurious chalet – a way of traveling which allows you to delightfully find your bearings at each stage. Time to try archery, the national sport, and the road continues towards the east of the country.
Gangtey, enchanted valley
In the early morning, the landscape reveals forests of bamboo and oaks, a three-hour drive to the Probjikha valley, a sanctuary where black-headed cranes come in their hundreds to spend the winter. The arrival is magical, in this vast blue plain dominated by a 16th century monastery. We walk on foot in the village of Gangtey where time seems to have stood still. At night, the traditional feast prepared on a small farm features chili cheese, grilled beef and a cucumber salad reminiscent of tzatziki. The mountain opens its hiking trails under an immense sky that we take in small steps to acclimatize to the 2900 meters of altitude, up to the rhododendron forests which cover the hills.
Luxury Trip to Bhutan in Bumthang, towards the secret territories of the east
The journey continues under the snowflakes, between hamlets of chalets, pines woven with lichens and contemplative yaks guarded by fierce nomads. We hurry to the Yotong La pass, swept by icy winds, where the 3400 m altitude opens onto the Bumthang valley. The snow disappears, and the eye discovers enchanting valleys, sculpted with terraced crops, fields of barley or apple trees which hem the pine forests. Situated on the banks of the Chamkhar River, the palace where the first king of Bhutan was born displays its beautiful painted half-timbered facades. Not far away, an astonishing place not to be missed: the Red Panda brewery and its Swiss cheese factory, founded by a Swiss artisan in 1960. A final day allows you to explore the Tang valley, and its distant pastures, off the beaten track where the foreign visitors remain rare.
In Paro, the ascent of the Tiger’s Nest
The 12 day journey is almost coming to an end, we have to board the return flight to Paro. It is a pleasure to find this capital on a human scale, to visit its most striking monuments. On the last day, the climb to the solitary Tiger’s Nest of Taktsang adds a final touch of beauty to the journey. Under a crystal clear sky, you reach the sanctuary hanging on the cliff after three hours of walking (or two hours on the back of a mule) through the forest. There, at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level, pilgrims sing their prayers carried towards the sky of Bhutan with the same joyful fervor. We mingle with the crowd in the row of dizzying temples, with the feeling of being the privileged witness of a unique and endearing civilization.
Luxury Trip to Bhutan by Delighted Journey