Secluded high in the eastern Himalayas with unique customs and people with deeply held beliefs. Bhutan is a land of dzongs and monasteries; monks, majestic mountains and a rich heritage; and an architectural style like no other on earth and a land full of warm-hearted, friendly people who go to unusual lengths to preserve each element of Bhutanese life. Today as a visitor picks up a telephone to call home or travels over a wide network of roads, it may be difficult to imagine that as recently as the 1960's telecommunication was non-existent in Bhutan and travel within the kingdom could only be made by horseback or on foot...there were no roads.

Beyond building a telecommunication network and roads, Bhutan has been integrating the process of modernization with the rich heritage of its past. Bhutanese, go to unusual lengths to preserve each element of their life; from environment to dress to language to religion Bhutanese have managed to keep their centuries-old culture and traditions alive. Besides learning as much as from the past, Bhutanese.

The official estimate of Bhutan's population in 1990 was about 600,000 but other sources estimate the population for 2000 was just under 2 million. Those living in Bhutan of Nepali origin have been excluded from the official census since 1990 which results in such a large discrepancy in population numbers.

Bhutan has four major ethic groups: Bhutia, Sharchops, Nepali, and other indigenous groups. The Bhutia, who are descended from Tibetans, live in the central and northern regions of Bhutan. This ethnic group basically dominates politics in Bhutan particularly with it's contribution of government officials and monks that come from it. Believed to be Bhutan's earliest settlers, the Sharchops live in the southeastern and eastern region. They speak both Tibeto-Burman languages as well as Hindi.

The Nepali people are the latest immigrants to Bhutan. Living in the southwestern and south central section of Bhutan, immigration of Nepali's has been forbidden by the Bhutanese government since 1959. Fear of Bhutan becoming too heavily populated with Nepalese brought about this and the ban on living in the central Himalayan region. Bhutan traditions and culture are to be retained and not dilute Bhutanese distinctiveness. There are small groups of ethnic minorities that live all throughout Bhutan with the largest group living in the Duars. This group is related to those groups living in India's Assam and Bangla states.

Bhutan is a heavenly abode in the heart of the vast Himalaya. But it is little known to the outside world just being wedged between giant neighbors and secluded by some of the highest mountain ranges. Bhutan-the last paradise on the earth reflects age-old religion, culture, arts & architecture in its golden peaks in the background of deep green valley and hillside.

Day 1: Fly from Kathmandu to Paro. Drive from Paro to Thimphu which takes two hours. You board Druk-Air flight to Bhutan which provides the most fascinating views of the Himalayas. Whether flying along the Himalayan ranges from Kathmandu or over the foothills from Calcutta, each flight is a mesmerizing aeronautical feat and offers an exciting descent into the kingdom. As you enter Bhutan the plains come to an abrupt end and the mountains keep rising. The silver river thread the valleys, waterfall plunge down the forested mountains and to the north the great snowcapped peaks of the inner himalayas rise up in the sky. As you enter Paro you will see the Paro dzong and one of the most fertile valleys of Bhutan. After lunch you drive to Thimphu. During evening you are free to explore. You stay overnight in a hotel in Thimphu.

Day 2: Drive from Thimphu to Punakha and it takes three hours. Thimphu, perhaps the most unusual capital in the world, is a bustling town which is home to the most revered Bhutanese family, the Royal government and the judiciary and to several foreign missions and development projects.

In morning you visit the Tashichhodzong, the main secretariat building. It is from here that the King and other prominent civil servants run the country. The Head Abbot and the central monastic body also reside here during the summer.

Bhutan's National Library is located close to the thanka painting school and contains the best collection of religious and historical literatures in the Himalayas.

During afternoon you visit the Memorial chorten built in the memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, 15 century Changangkha monastery and drive further down with good views of the Thimphu valley.

Visit one of the Handicraft Emporium where one can buy Bhutanese textiles and other Arts & Crafts stores. Here you can buy stunning Kiras that can be used as bed covers or wall hangings, jewelry and much more.

In evening you drive to Punakha, the road winds up from Simtokha Dzong into the pine forest and through small villages for 20 kilometres and then opens miraculously onto the northern ridge of the mountains. The views over the Himalayan panoply at Dorchula Pass at 10,500 feet is one of the most spectacular in all Bhutan as you can see the whole range of the Bhutanese Himalayas from here. You stay overnight in a hotel in Punakha.
Day 3 Drive from Punakha to Paro via Wangdiphodrang. Punakha served as the capital of Bhutan until 1955. The town of Punakha, while dominated by its Dzong, developed in 1990's through several government sponsored programs.

This day you visit Punakha Dzong. The Dzong is situated between the two rivers. You will have to hike through the suspension bridge to reach the Dzong. The Dzong was built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). For many years until the time of the second king, it served as the seat of the Government. The construction of the Dzong was foretold by Guru Rimpoche, who predicted, “…a person named Namgyal will arrive at a hill that looks like an elephant”. There was a smaller building here called Dzong Chu (Small Dzong) that housed a statue of Buddha. It is said that Shabdrung ordered the architect, Zowe Palep, to sleep in front of the statue, while Palep was sleeping; the Shabdrung took him in his dreams to Zangtopelri and showed him the palace of Guru Rimpoche. From his vision, the architect conceived the design for the new Dzong, which in keeping with the tradition, was never committed to paper. The Dzong was named Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness). The war materials captured during the battle with Tibetans are preserved here. Punakha is still the winter residence of Je-Khenpo and King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk convened the new national Assembly here in 1952 Next you drive to Wangduephodrang, the last town on the highway before entering Central Bhutan. Sitting on top of the hill looking out over the junction of the two rivers, Wangduephodrang's formidable Dzong is the town's most visible feature. After lunch you drive to Paro enroute visiting Simtokha Dzong. This is the oldest fort in Bhutan.

Day 4: Sightseeing in Paro. This day is planned for sightseeing in Paro. You visit the old fort ruins of the Drukgyal Dzong, which offers a very scenic drive of a typical Bhutanese landscape. The dzong was destroyed by accidental fire and left in ruins as an evocative reminder of the great victories it was built to commemorate. On a clear day the Mt. Jhomolhari(7314metres, 24000 feet),the sacred summit, reaches skyward beyond the Dzong.

Afterwards visit the Ta Dzong (built in1656 and renovated in 1968), an ancient watchtower, which now houses the National Museum. This unusual round building is believed to be in the shape of a conch shell. The centerpiece of this Museum is a complex four-sided carving depicting the history of Buddhism and its propagation. One side is Sakyamuni and the great teacher Atisha, representing the Sakya School. On the next lies Geylup, a disciple of Dalai Lama. Another is Nyingma lineage, the head is Guru Padmasanva, and the final is Drukpa Kagyu with the figure of Vajra Dhara.

Below the museum is the Paro Rimpung Dzong (literally meaning “Heap of Jewels”, built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the centre of civil and religious authority in this valley. Here you can see finest example of Bhutanese architecture.

En route you visit the near by Kichu Lhakhang built in 659 A.D by the Tibetan king Srongsen Gampo. This Monastery is one of the 108 monasteries built across the Himalayan region by the Tibetan King to subdue the Demons that lay across the Himalayan region. The rest of the monasteries lie in other neighboring countries.

Along with these you are quite attracted by the Paro’s market and farm houses. During evening you visit a traditional farm house to get insight into the Bhutanese way of life. You stay overnight at a hotel in Paro.

Day 5: Fly out from Paro to Kathmandu.