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November 22, 2015

Exploring Bhutan's Beauty

By WT Adventurer Yury Krylov
Asia Cultural Hiking & Trekking Traveler Stories

A Delightful Recollection of Trekking in the Land of the Thunder Dragon

Agriculture is the biggest employer in Bhutan, and we saw rice fields and herds of cattle all across the country. Chilies are considered a vegetable and you find them drying on all the farmhouse roofs, which are surrounded by rice fields. This gives you a pretty accurate idea of the national diet. Regardless of the time of the day, a meal is not complete without a mountain of rice on the plate with some chilies and cheese.

A green hillside with terraced fields under a clear blue sky showcases the beauty of Bhutan's landscape. Scattered buildings and a tall tree stand in the foreground, adding to the serene traditional charm.

I saw this man and cat in Paro, where traditional clothing and building styles are still in use everywhere. Even age-old building techniques are still employed, including making houses from clay. The other striking thing was the total lack of any franchises and western products, which makes travel very rewarding.

A person using a walking stick walks down a narrow alley lined with aged walls and some debris. A cat sits near a wall on the left side of the alley, adding to the subtle beauty of this traditional Bhutanese scene.
A scenic view of a river flowing through a valley with green and yellow fields, houses, and mountains in the background. A tall flagpole with colorful flags stands on the right, showcasing the beauty and tradition of Bhutan.

Although Bhutan’s official religion is Buddhism and one sees prayer flags and wheels everywhere, the locals are still largely influenced by shamans and astrologists, and worship local protective deities. They mix traditional beliefs, Buddhism, and astrology. The current king’s coronation was delayed for two years, waiting for an auspicious date designated by the court’s astrologers.

People walking on a path beside a small waterfall, colorful prayer flags hanging near a rocky wall, showcasing the beauty and tradition of Bhutan during daytime.

The people are great—very welcoming and nice. They particularly enjoy getting foreigners to participate in their traditional songs and dances. Unfortunately, the passion for traditional rituals doesn’t seem quite as strong in the younger generation, but with the rise of cable TV, that’s hardly surprising. I hope the traditional arts do not become obsolete nor a tool to attract tourists—that would be a great shame. Although locals love their gos and kiras (traditional male and female outfits), when it rains, the Gore-Tex gear comes out.

A smiling man wearing a colorful hat and traditional attire sits among a group of people outdoors, embodying the beauty of Bhutan's rich tradition.
A child wearing a colorful checked garment places a hand on another child's shoulder, capturing the beauty of Bhutanese tradition. Other people in the background are adorned in similar traditional attire.

The mountains are truly spectacular. Our guide, Kipchu, told us that Bhutanese do not name mountains under 20,000 feet, as there are just too many of them! We were lucky to spend a couple of days at Chomolhari base camp and hike closer to it.

A yak stands on a grassy path with a mountainous landscape in the background, featuring snow-capped peaks and rocky hillsides, encapsulating the beauty of Bhutan's traditional scenery.
Hikers traverse a grassy, rocky landscape beneath a snow-covered mountain range partially shrouded in clouds, capturing the timeless beauty synonymous with Bhutan's traditional scenery.
Snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky with green forested hills in the foreground and middle distance, capturing the timeless beauty and tradition of Bhutan. Sparse vegetation and rocky terrain are visible on the hills.

The staff were great and we got along really well. We had 9 staff and 14 horses for 4 trip members, which seemed like quite a high ratio, but after a long day of trekking, it was nice to arrive in camp with all the tents already erected. Some of the campsites were busy, but for a couple of days, we didn’t see any people. It was delightful to be hiking and camping alone.

A group of horses, including a white one, walk along a narrow mountain path in Bhutan, exuding beauty with a solitary person in the distance.

As a city boy, all the animal noises at night gave me a few qualms, particularly the yak noises around my tent. Those yaks make some very bear-like noises…

I wasn’t expecting the plants to be so beautiful. Higher up, everything seemed bare, but at lower elevations, the forests were a real treat.

A dense forest with a variety of trees, moss-covered branches, and distant snow-capped mountains under a clear Bhutanese sky showcases the region's natural beauty.
A bee rests on a vibrant blue flower, surrounded by green and brown grass, showcasing the beauty reminiscent of Bhutanese traditions.
A rocky mountain partially covered in greenery is surrounded by wildflowers, including white, yellow, and orange blooms, under a clear blue sky. The untouched beauty evokes a sense of timeless tradition reminiscent of Bhutan's serene landscapes.

Although we did get caught in rain, snow, and hail a few times, we were lucky to have sunshine most of the time.

My favorite part was looking at the stars at night. With no light pollution, and being 15,000 feet closer to them…we really don’t get stars like this where I’m from.

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