On our last night in Bhutan we had dinner in a fabulous Indian restaurant in Thimpu with our guide Karma Tshedup and his family. We appreciated his work and efforts during our stay that we wished to personally thank him, and over the past few weeks of touring and trekking we had become friends. Karma asked us what were the highlights of our trip? We laughed, the answer was so simple: “Everything we experienced on our tour of Bhutan was a highlight. The difficulty was choosing between the fabulous and the fantastic!”We agreed that without argument Bhutan’s pristine natural beauty – From it’s wild and sheer, tree clad Himalayan mountain trails with magnificent and endless views, to crystal clear, rushing rivers, from forests full of magnificently coloured birds and their songs to beautiful villages and people living harmoniously in the forest. When Karma sent us our itinerary description it read like a chapter from Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. We saw everything Karma wrote about, including the gorgeous Golden Langur monkeys, (endangered in India), flinging themselves through the trees, every day on our 6 day Nabji trek. We saw barking deer, the giant Himalayan squirrels and Bengal tiger paw prints- it was like being in our own Discovery movie! The trek is a haven for bird watching which is of special interest for Karma, our guide, and his extensive knowledge of local birds brought the experience of spotting the myriad of colourful birds to life.
Karma went to great lengths to attend to our needs and interests. His organization skills are exemplary. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone interested in travelling in Bhutan, particularly, if they are interested in trekking.Even though we visited in mid-Winter is was no problem and we were brilliantly catered for.
When one of us fell ill for a few days on the trek Karma was able to organize an extra rest day at the village, and local vehicle transport (power tiller) for some of the next stage. Small details such as hot water bottles for our sleeping bags, freshly boiled hot water for face washing first thing each morning, great food and clean squat bathrooms with toilet paper made camping a luxury! The fact is that all of the staff are extremely friendly, helpful and respectful of our shortcomings as strangers to their country.
The non-trek part of the tour organised by Bhutan Vajra Adventures was equally spectacular and comprehensive, we came away feeling extremely satisfied that we had seen and experienced much more than the itinerary had led us to believe. This unexpected richness of our trip was created without fuss. Karma’s deep knowledge of Bhutanese history and time he took to explain Buddhist beliefs, and educate us about cultural practices & sites translated our superficial knowledge and expectations into a deeper experience and understanding of Bhutan’s people and what thery consider to be important. We were always made to feel like honoured guests and never like tourists.
The hotels were each bestowed with their own unique traditional flavour, our favourite being the old world more traditional luxury of Gangtey Palace in Paro which had in fact been a “real” palace prior to being preserved as a hotel by members of the Royal family. The true highlight though, is Karma’s ability to make things happen, his flexibility and willingness to tailor the tour to our needs. We were particularly interested in Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) index. The principle behind it is that well-being is more important than wealth and the Bhutanese use concept (translated into a practical planning and decision making tool) as a filter before making any policy or planning decisions.
Although not on our itinerary, Karma was able to arrange a session with a senior planner from the GNH commission. Most unexpected! The result was a rich learning experience and a unique chance to exchange some ideas. When we heard about the first ever Buddhist Empowerment in Bhutan, we were curious. Karma was able to arrange for us to attend this fascinating event, and adapted our itinerary so we didn’t miss anything!
Tigers nest, Punakha Dzong, the wonderful Royal Museum in Trongsa, Black necked cranes and yak herders of Phobjika Valley, the stunning snow-capped mountain views. It is impossible to choose any one or few things – Bhutan is the highlight! All we can say is that Karma and Bhutan Vajra Adventures looked after us like special friends and we highly recommend them to anyone wanting adventure, laughter and an experience totally in the present”.