Bhutan travelogue: Chapter 3 | Read other chapters – See photo gallery
Travel route
Bhutan is a beautiful Himalayan country and I explored many of the major parts of it. The following images will give you a glimpse into various sides of Bhutan, little of which I could capture in my lens. I will write detailed posts on each location over the next few months.
↑ Bhutanese flag from the window of the bus station in Phuentsholing.
Phuentsholing (Bhutan) – Jaigaon (India) is the border from which we entered Bhutan. There is not much to do in this border town, so after getting our entry permits ready, we boarded a bus to Thimphu, the capital city.
↑ Spinning the prayer wheels at a monastery in Thimpu
Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan, and the city has a youngish charm about it. Travel is quite restricted in the country, so you will likely need more permits to visit the interiors. This is the place to do it.
↑ Exploring the interiors of the the massive Punakha Dzong took quite a while!
Punakha was the old capital of Bhutan and this Dzong (fort-monastery which serve the dual purpose of a administrative garrison and a religious centre) is one of the most important monasteries in Bhutan.
↑ Perched on a hilltop, dzong at Wangdue
Strategically located Wangdue dzong offers a commanding view of the entire valley.
↑ Archers performing ceremonial dance before they start competing
Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, and people just love it! All I knew about archers and archery before this was my immense knowledge from the computer game Age of Empires… 😉
↑ Cheli La, the highest road pass in Bhutan, covered with prayer flags
Since there was no cheap or practical transport available, I hitchhiked to Cheli La at 3800m, located some 36km from Paro, the second biggest city in Bhutan.
↑ Bless me, oh mighty Gurus! Taktsang Lhakhang, a picture that defines Bhutan
A trip to Bhutan is incomplete without visiting the Tiger’s nest Monastery. The hike is strenuous, but the destination is rewarding beyond your wildest expectations.
Bhutan is a really beautiful country. I hope to bring some of that to you through this blog. Enjoy!
Great pictures and informative post 🙂 Now i know more about Bhutan than before, thanks for sharing!
Now I can’t wait to visit India in Mar09 and blog about it 😀
Cool! Thanks! Where in India are you visiting?
Awesome tales and travels you have, I can only dream of these places, beautiful country and history, thanks for sharing.
Thank’s Bob!
beautiful images..
Thanks Arun!
I’m jealous.
1. because u make it a point to visit interesting places I would love to go.
2. second, you click wonderful pics!
Thanks Gopal, more for #2 because coming from a photographer it means much!
Priyank, Wow it is beautiful country.
I dont’ know how you do it all alone like that.
Your travel pictures area amazing!
Anna 🙂
Thanks! But this time I was with a friend..;-)
….still..lol I travel with my husband, and paranoid sometimes, lol. Great work on your post!
Keep up the great work Priyank! When I worked for the Expo 2000 in Germany, I had only seen the Bhutan pavillion and I was very impressed and always wanted to make it there. Do you think it is safe and easy to travel with a toddler? Is it true that they expect you to pay or spend at least 100$ a day if you are a foreigner (non-Indian passport holder)? Have you been to Ladakh? I see a bit of similarity.
Welcome to my website Trupti! I like your nick name a lot 🙂
Bhutan is very safe to travel with a baby. People are unbelievably friendly and the infrastructure is pretty good. The only downside is that being a mountain country, the roads from anywhere to anywhere are spiraling, and that causes dizziness or vomiting, but I don’t know if babies react that way too. If you are a non Indian passport holder, you have to pay atleast $200-$250 per day and travel on a planned itinerary. More about this shortly!
Lovely pictures Priyank. I don’t have a single favorite picture this time. I like all of them. I hope you add more details in your next posts.
I almost laughed when I read this “I was in Bhutan barely for 2 weeks, a grossly insufficient time”. We were never able to take more than 2 weeks in any country even if it was 10 times bigger than Bhutan.
I wish I could travel forever like you.
Vamsee, thanks for the kind words !! I sure will write detailed posts. I too wish I could travel forever like I did this year! 🙂
Great Pics, Priyank! Could almost feel the freshness in the air while feasting your eyes on some lovely sights. I was wondering why those guys had their backs to you for a moment – then the words below explained it all – archery! Who would want to shoot an archer from the front – after all you only have a camera – they have the arrow!
Gopinath, you shot a funny comment in signature style 😛 At a point in time I’ll write a post on archery in Bhutan and demonstrate that I can indeed shoot them from the front before they shoot an arrow 😛
do they say jule priyank?
and is a lake a tso ?
keep posting and nice post!
I was planning on going to Bhutan in 2005, I even bought the lonely planet guide also. But somehow the deal did not work and i had to compromise this time with Sikkim. Good to read about your experiences.
I have read somehwere that you have to travel around the country only along with a travel agent, is that true?
Nice to see you here Ajeya, thanks for commenting. My next post will have details on entry procedures but I will post only when I am back in Mumbai from Bangalore, so sorry to keep you waiting. To answer in short, you need a travel agent only if you are not an Indian citizen.
Oh finally some interesting photos. It brings back many memories. Next time you visit take some time off and go to Bumthang. Although there is not much to see in the town the drive is simply fantastic. I plan to see the whole of this country before I kick the bucket. So I am making some slow progress. Are you naturally light haired or did you colour your hair? I agree about the strenuous hike to Taktsang monastery. I remember I got sores on my feet after that….Well that was another age. Again love the photos.
Hi Odzer! Finally you commented! I was hoping to hear something from you since you are a Bhutan lover too. Seriously, Bumthang and eastern parts are very promising. Thanks!
I color my hair since salt and pepper is not what I like 😉
wonderful pics Priyank…especially the one where you are praying..and I must say that of late, i realize I keep smiling when I read yr posts 🙂
🙂 Wow, thats a BIG compliment Lakshmi !! I am delighted!! Sitting here in Kolhapur on my way to your city Bangalore.
Beautiful pics. I like the one in which the woman is rotating the prayer wheels.
Hi Amit, that’s my favorite pic too. After I clicked the photo, the lady looked at me and smiled. It was the most beautiful moment!
Priyank so where are you headed next? Whatever I have seen it makes me want to pack my bags and go but then Bhutan again turns out to be expensive!
Hey Mridula, I am headed next back home to Canada… LOL. Just back from a trip to Bangalore and Mysore. Bhutan is very affordable, I will post about it next 🙂 And convince you to pack and go!
Amazing photos! The weather seems to be crisp and clear too…I guess this is a good time, in spite of the cold?
Hey Shantanu, the weather was good and the temperature was good for me – +1 to +10 degrees C! Real winter starts only from mid December!
My pick is photo no. 1 & 2.
And waiting for your next post before I go out on my vacations.
Thanks Cuckoo, Anything in particular that you liked about the pics? And I have the subscribe to comments feature now, hopefully it is useful to you.
Hey just thought I’d drop by and wish you a Happy Holiday and a great 2009.
Very happy xmas and holidays and star-gazing filled new year to you too Bob!
Great pics!!!
BTW, did you meet Hari?
Thanks Manasa, yes I met him 🙂
Clear weather and serenity, greenery and blue sky, vibrant colors and snow clad mountains..this is a lovely start to your series on beautiful Bhutan. Thank you for sharing and looking forward to the posts to follow.
How did you like Bangalore?;)
Priyank, I wish you a Happy New Year, and hope all the joys that you seek in 2009 are fulfilled.:)
Celine, I’m glad you liked these pictures. Once I get back to Toronto, I can blog at a good frequency.
I loved Bangalore, I was there for less than a day though.. Happy New year to you too!
Your photos are fantastic!
Dear Bindu, Welcome to my blog and thanks for your comment! I’m glad you liked the pics here!
Real interestin and nice photos!!!
Thanks for stopping by Viaggi, All the best for your photo expedition to Bhutan! It will be fun!