Photographer Jim Block and I made our fourth photo safari together in November 2014. Our previous adventures were to Nepal, twice, and to the Grand Canyon, documented in other galleries on this site. Check out Jim’s record of this trip. He is a professional, with better equipment, more experience, and a different eye. OK, it’s the carpenter, not the saw.
A Bhutan tourist visa can be obtained only through an approved agent. Our trip was organized by Dhamey Norgay. He and his wife Sonam Dorji founded Noble Traveler. Our experience with Dhamey and his team was superlative. Highly recommended!
It’s taking me a long time to choose and edit images. Check back later if you want to see more.
Paro is the only international airport, currently accessible from New Delhi, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Calcutta and Dhaka. We chose New Delhi partly for the nonstop (17 hour!) connection from Newark, and partly for the potential of good views of the mountains. An overnight stay in New Delhi in a modern hotel felt like a good investment, although it committed us to the expense and hassle of obtaining a multi-entry visa to India.
Here is the approximate flight path between New Delhi and Paro. This screenshot makes clear the role of the mountains in creating a precipitation belt.
(Click to enlarge this Google map)
It’s a very small country, roughly the size of Vermont plus New Hampshire, with half the population. Note the scale, and note that straight-line distances have nothing to do with surface travel, which goes up, down and all around. Ten kph is a reasonable average between many destinations, 25 kph average is fast. There is a lot of road construction underway (with delays, of course). The “superhighway” between Paro and Thimpu is a two-lane, well-paved road. Passing is adventurous everywhere.
Google map of Bhutan, our overnight stays marked in red. (Click to enlarge)
The flight between New Delhi and Paro can be spectacular. There are four excellent visibility POSH (Port Out, Starboard Home) seats in the front of the cabin, which felt worth the $100 extra fare. The hooker is that one either has to get early enough seat assignment at the airport, or have a connection to someone who can organize this.
Starred (*) images have working links to more images.
Airborne between New Delhi and Paro *
Big Mama with characteristic cloud plume.
Haa *
Haa Valley
Jakar *
Morning light near Swiss Guest House (really!)
Ura and Tang
A remote farm village. Tang is a long walk over that ridge.
Trongsa*
The geographic and historical administrative center of Bhutan.
Phobjikha
A beautiful agricultural valley, winter home of half the black-neck cranes.
Punakha*
Yet another beautiful dzong.
Jhomolhari trek*
Cannot really see Jhomolhari here. This is its neighbor, Jichu Drake. What a walk!
Thimpu
A huge statue of Buddha.