The worlds last Shangri-La Bhutan is a heavenly abode in the heart of the vast Himalayas, and is little known to the outside world. Some say it is the last paradise on earth. Bhutan is bounded on the north by the Tibet region of China, and to the south, east, and west by India. During most of its early history, Bhutan was divided into a number of independent principalities located in the major valleys. A unified Bhutan emerged with a dual system of civil and spiritual rule in the 16th century. Since 1907 it has been ruled by a hereditary monarch of the Wangchuck family. Bhutan remained a secluded country until the 1950s. In 1960 the government began to transform the country into a modern nation with economic aid from India. While the development process has gained considerable momentum in recent years, Bhutan is still grouped by the United Nations (UN) among the least developed countries of the world. Despite its small size (just under 50,000 square kilometers), Bhutan is a land of great diversity, with dense, swampy jungles, valleys of rice fields, bleak alpine highlands, and towering Himalayan snow peaks in close proximity to one another. The name Bhutan means “Land of the Thunder Dragon” in Dzongkha, the country's official language. The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu. Bhutanese Dzong - a Bhutanese fortified monastery called a dzong sits on a hilltop. Buddhism is the official religion of Bhutan, and the monasteries also serve as centers of local government, art, and culture. Touring and Treking in Bhutan In order to restrict tourism and protect the country, the government of Bhutan demand a tourist permit, which costs $200 per day per person. This is a 'full pension' charge; it includes hotel, guide, transport etc. This starts from the moment you arrive and includes the day you leave (unfortunately you have to pay for the last day when you take a morning flight - the flights out are only in the mornings). For a single person there is a supplement of $40. The Visa to enter the country is $20 +$10 for the local agent charge and is paid at the airport. We organise both tours and treks - including the famous Snowman trek - and we have listed some of the more popular ones below. | 
