Eight days in Bhutan with James

Day one: Thimpu and Memorial Chorten

It is quite a thing to be in the presence of something so raw and powerful yet so peaceful and calm. The mountains are humbling and wash your daily worries away at first glance.

Before we get into the specifics of the capital, it’s worth noting that the landing strip at Thimphu Airport is one of the 10 hardest places to land in the world. Scary at first, however it brings the reality of how remote this destination we are arriving in is and perfectly sets the tone of this entire trip.  We really are in one of the quietest and most remote corners of Asia, and of the world.

Day three: Dochula Pass

On day three, we headed up over the Dochula Pass (3,100m). The drive is stunning and on a clear day like today you can see the Bhutanese section of the Himalayas. We drove along the river Mo Chhu (Mother River) towards Punhaka Fortress, a 17th-century masterpiece.

Standing at the intersection of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu (Father River), the Fortress is without any doubt one of the most spectacular sites I’ve ever seen. The tall white walls juxtaposed against the deep brown, short gradient roofs make the building immense yet welcoming.

I felt lost in thought approaching the temple, I hadn’t even considered what lay on the other side of the walls. Inside the temple, the courtyards open up to a beautiful space, where prayer walls are decorated with intricate photos and wood carvings of Buddha’s life, whilst monks light incense and sit in silent prayer. It heightens your senses to be in and around such a place of such clear importance to the people here.

Day five: Luxury lodge nestled in the Himalayas

So far we had seen and engaged with many monks on our trip, but being the only tourists present for morning prayers at the local nunnery was an incredibly soothing experience.

After this morning ritual, we drove up to Gangtey Lodge (my hotel for the night) was enlightening, seeing how these people have lived for hundreds of years in remote houses on the clifftops in the distant valley. We stopped to try the chilli cheese and I quickly realized, when the cheese is this good, why would you ever leave?

Surrounded by beautiful green paddy fields which dropped down into the lush verdant valley below, made me feel like I was in the most remote place I’ve ever stepped foot in. The beautiful views from Gangtey Lodge stretched down through the valley as far as the eye can see which was utterly breathtaking. The best bit? I enjoyed a bath with what I can only image are the best bathing views in the world.

Day six: Mountain biking and archery

An early start and a mountain biking excursion down through the valley is something I’ll never forget. It was not just challenging but liberating making it to the top of the valley before flying down through winding roads and past the farms back to the hotel.

As national sports go, archery is a pretty epic one. After watching these highly skilled men and women pick off precision targets up to 150m away you find a whole new level of respect and appreciation for them and their way of life.

Tonight we stayed in Uma Paro, handcrafted in stone, wood and tiles, the villas have a wonderfully authentic Bhutanese feel. The photos don’t do this hotel justice and the six-course Indian meal that was served, and this is quite a statement, was the best Indian meal I’ve ever had outside of India.

Day seven: Three-hour hike up to Tiger’s Nest

Perched 3,000 feet above the Paro Valley up against the mountain and initially hidden in the trees, the faint outline of the famous monastery emerges. The Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang) is said to be the holiest site in Bhutan.

1,300 years ago, on the back of a flying tigress, Guru Rinpoche materialised and after spending three years meditating in the shelter of a series of caves along the mountainside, he set about converting Bhutan to Buddhism. Whilst Bhutan is a relatively mysterious and lesser travelled region of the world, the Tiger’s Nest is one of the world’s most famous and striking temples.

Every step brought the faint chanting of the monks and aroma of incense closer. The final approach takes you over a sacred pool, where the entire area is draped in prayer flags and the final flight of steps which have been carved out of the mountain rocks bring you to the gates of the monastery, where all technology is left behind and you step into a blessed, sacred world.

The Tiger’s Nest Temple, blew everyone away. It’s a day that will be with me for the rest of my life and a highlight of everywhere I’ve been so far.

Day eight: Reflecting on my time away

One thing I’ve learnt on my travels is that you should never anticipate what you expect. Travel with excitement, but always be prepared that whilst some places will blow you wide away, others will leave you wanting. After seven days of awe and wonder, seeing Everest standing tall and powerful above the clouds on the flight home, is a fitting post script to the greatest trip and destination I have been lucky enough to enjoy.