BHUTAN: Mountains, Mysticism and Festivals

A Photographic Expedition with David Samuel Robbins
DATES TBA
Long isolated, deeply traditional and stunningly beautiful, Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a must-see on every adventure traveler’s lifetime bucket list.
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This very special itinerary includes an outdoor Tibetan masked dance performance in the gorgeous Bumthang Valley, visits to several of Bhutan’s distinctive Dzongs, (massive, walled fortress/monasteries) and a drive over a 12,000-foot Himalayan mountain pass, festooned with prayer flags.
A short domestic flight brings us to Bhutan’s less touristed East, and from here we will begin our drive westward back to Thimpu, the Capital city. Along the way we will explore the serene Phobjikha valley, located on the migratory path of the endangered Black-necked Crane, and later tour the main Monk’s Assembly Hall of the Punakha Dzong, an architectural masterwork of incredibly intricate Buddhist statuary and painting.

There are several easy (and optional) day hikes through lush, terraced rice fields to traditional villages.
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There will be endless opportunities for shooting environmental portraiture, ornate traditional architecture and stunning landscapes.
HIGHLIGHTS:
  • 10 full days in country, including attendance at the annual Tamzhing Lhakhang festival. Called“Tsechus”, these uniquely Bhutanese festivals are ritual masked dance performances that reenact mythical battles between good and evil forces.
  • Visits to several of the Bhutan’s unique Dzongs, the massive fortress / monasteries constructed in the 15th Century. Each of these is a virtual “living museum” of incredible architecture and ornate Buddhist religious art: statuary, frescoes and thanka paintings. These Dzongs, have been in continual daily use for centuries, and we will see (and photograph!) the novice monks and lamas involved in their traditional practice.
  • Road touring more than half the breadth of the country and experiencing a truly representative cross section of Bhutanese landscape and culture. 
  • The Paro - Bumthang domestic flight allows us time to explore Bhutan’s less touristed East, with an efficient itinerary and very little backtrack driving. 
  • Several easy (and optional) day hikes, passing through traditional rural villages as well as stretches of pristine forest and ridgeline views. Day hike locations include the Punakha, Phobjikha and Bumthang valleys, considered amongst the most beautiful in Bhutan.
  • David and your local Bhutanese guide will offer informal commentary throughout the trip, providing ​a broad political, historical and philosophical context for understanding and appreciating Bhutanese culture.
  • Superb photographic opportunities for environmental portraiture, architecture, landscape and traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture.
  • Group size limited to 12.
TOUR PRICING:
$ 7,995 per person, based on double occupancy / room sharing (Includes the Paro - Bumthang domestic flight).
 
Single supplement:
$1,995 solo / private hotel rooms, all nights in Bhutan

For a detailed itinerary or more information, click CONTACT.
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