Bhutan
Bhutan Travel Information and Travel Guide The Kingdom of Bhutan has adopted a cautious approach to tourism to avoid any negative impact on the country's culture and environment. All tourists, group or individual, must travel on a pre-planned all-inclusive guided tour through a registered tour operator in Bhutan or their counterparts abroad. The basic rate is fixed by the government. There are still plenty of takers wanting to explore the breathtaking mountains and valleys of this astonishing country. The tourism industry in Bhutan is founded on the principle of sustainability, meaning it must be environmentally friendly, socially and culturally acceptable and economically viable. The number of tourists is also kept to a manageable level by the limited infrastructure. The Bhutanese name for Bhutan, Druk Yul, means 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'. Much of Bhutanese history is lost in legends but the first major event was the arrival of Guru Rinpoche, believed to have brought Mahayana Buddhism from Tibet in the eighth century. Bhutan, the world's last Mahayana Buddhist the Himalayan Kingdom, became a coherent political entity around the 17th century and has never been conquered or ruled by another foreign power. Bhutan is a peaceful country with strong traditional values based on religion, respect for the royal family and care for the environment. Trip to Bhutan is considered an experience once in a lifetime. A few years old, Thimphu was built by the late King Jigme Dorje Wangchuk, to replace the ancient capital of Punakha a mountain range away. At an altitude of 7,710 ft in the fertile valley of the Wang Chu river, the capital Thimphu is an engaging blend of the old and the new. A unique law, which retains the forms and motifs of Bhutan's traditional architecture even in new buildings give Thimphu a delightful structural harmony. The capital's most striking visual landmark is the magnificent Tashichhodzong, which is the seat of the Royal Government and Central Monastic Body.
