Vacation Time! Land of the Thunder Dragon

Escape to Bhutan BHUTAN OFFERS A MAGICAL ESCAPE from the chaos of the festive season, inviting you to immerse yourself in its rich culture, pristine natural surroundings and spiritual serenity. Sandwiched between India, Myanmar and China, in the eastern Himalayas, temperatures during winter vary: while high-altitude areas experience snowfall, the lower valleys are sunny but chilly.BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE by exploring the beautiful towns of Bhutan, where you can enjoy a cup of steaming suja (butter tea), as you wander through the bustling markets. Thimphu’s weekend market attracts vendors from across the region, who fill the market halls and surrounding streets with unique handicrafts. Shop for mandalas, wooden masks, prayer flags, camphor and saffron.

THE WARMTH OF BHUTANESE HOSPITALITY is legendary and there’s no better way to experience it than through the flavourful cuisine. You can enjoy a traditional Bhutanese feast with dishes like ema datshi (chilli and cheese stew), locally grown red rice, and phaksha paa (stir-fried pork with chilies and spices), while sipping ara, the local rice wine.

TIGER’S NEST MONASTERY

(Taktshang Goemba) is one of Bhutan’s most incredible sights, miraculously perched on the side of a sheer cliff, 900 metres above the floor of the Paro Valley. The hike up is well worth the effort, not least for the incredible views. From the monastery, you can follow another trail uphill to Machig-phu Lhakhang chapel, where Bhutanese pilgrims come to pray for children.

THE MAJESTIC HIMALAYAN PEAKS

create a glorious backdrop for winter adventures. As you hike through Bhutan’s beautiful forests on the Trans Bhutan Trail, the skies are often clear, providing unobstructed views of the snow-capped Himalayas, including Bhutan’s highest peak, the Gangkhar Puensum. Here you can spot rare and globally endangered black-necked cranes, who migrate to Bhutan every winter from the north.

LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON,

as Bhutan is known, is a remarkable place shrouded in legend, folklore and mysticism. The best way to experience the kingdom’s culture and immerse yourself in its traditions is at a temple festival. Most of these festivals are dedicated to Guru Rimpoche – the saint who introduced Bhutan to Buddhism in the early 8th Century.

DZONGS ARE EVERYWHERE

in Bhutan. These distinctive fortified monasteries are massive in style, with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices and monks’ accommodation. Punakha Dzong is arguably the most picturesque, located on the banks of two rivers – the Pho Chhu (Male) and Mo Chhu (Female) – in Bhutan’s Punakha Valley.