A short guide about Religious travel to Bhutan
Bhutan is the last surviving Mahayana Buddhist kingdom in ‘The roof of the world’; their religion has shaped the nation's history, and is still playing a vital role in everyday life. Nestling in the Himalayas, the kingdom of Bhutan is roughly the size of Switzerland and is bordered by China in the north and India in the south. With its closely guarded culture and traditions, and well-conserved pristine natural environment, Bhutan is unique and fascinating in many ways. Bhutan’s wide range of climates has made it possible for a lot of unique and rare plants and animals to thrive; from the hot and humid jungles of the southern foothills to frigid snow capped peaks in the north which rise to 7,700 metres.
Realising that uncontrolled tourism can have devastating and irreversible effect on the local environment, culture and the identity of the people, the Bhutanese government has introduced fixed 'daily tourist tariff' to limit the number of tourists visiting Bhutan per year. The tourists are charged a fixed rate per night during their tour in Bhutan. This rate includes meals, accommodations, transport, services of guides and porters, supply of pack and riding ponies and cultural programs when and where available.
There are two ports of entry into Bhutan: by Druk Air via Paro Airport or by road from India via the Southern Gateway City of Phuentsholing. Either way, a trip to Bhutan must be planned in advance because tourist visas can only be processed through a registered tour operator in Bhutan after full payment of tour price. Although it is more expensive than visiting another South Asian or South East Asian country, you will find Bhutan very different from any other country you have visited. You will find a country where all people in villages as well as in cities still wear their traditional dress. A country whose past is still the present, a country where TV and the Internet have not changed the people's age-old traditions, a country which is rightly called by some as "The Last Shangrila".
Tourabout has a number of tour packages that range from Religious Events or Festivals to Trekking across the Himalayans, to enjoying some of the comforts of home when staying in a Traditional Bhutanese farm house.