About Bhutan Bhutan is the last of the small, hidden kingdoms in the Himalayas to unlock the doors to its mysteries. The Land of the Thunder Dragon has maintained itsintegrity and independence throughout the centuries, repelling invasions from the strongholds of its fortified monasteries, or "dzongs". Bhutan's 18,000 square miles are almost entirely mountainous, with snow peaks towering to nearly 25,000 feet along the northern border. The higher regions of these mountains remain almost entirely free of the footprint of man, while the world of alpine meadows below belongs to the Yak herders who bring up their herds for grazing amid the rich grasslands and fields of wildflowers.

The flora and fauna of Bhutan represents the most unspoiled example in the world today of the fast-disappearing Himalayan ecology. Brilliantly colored birds and butterflies are everywhere, along with endless species of flowers, whole mountain slopes covered with tree-size rhododendrons, and some of the rarest species in the Himalayas.

Bhutan is a remote, mysterious, exhilarating place to visit. It is the most unspoiled, beautiful, powerfully traditional country in the Himalayas, and possibly on earth. Its allure has attracted visitors from far away places since the 17th century. Its pure and genuine cultural heritage is a priceless jewel. It has one foot in the past and one in the future.

Travel to Bhutan can be a gift of beauty, insight, or friendship to be treasured for a lifetime. Please come with an open mind. You are not coming to an ordinary place.