Hike from Khumbu Village to Lowala

By Karma Choden, culture guide and trekking guide The Jhomolhari trek is considered to be the mother of all treks in Bhutan and similarly, I consider Khumbu village hike the mother of all hikes in Phobjikha, a high valley in Wangdue Phodrang district, famous for the black necked cranes from the North who stay here over the winter. Khumbu village merges into three different hikes with different destinations: 1) Khumbu to Lowala 2) Khumbu to Pelela and 3) Khumbu to … Read More

Jomolhari base camp: trekking in the time of coronavirus

By Dorji Bidha, a Bhutanese culture and trekking guide, and Bhutan Homestay host in Drukgyel, Paro. The following is her account of Jomolhari trek during her trekking guide training in 2020. Impressive trekking routes throughout the year In Bhutan, the now carbon neutral kingdom where I come from, you will find the famous Snowman Trek. It is considered one of the world’s toughest treks due to its long duration through remote areas of varying altitudes. Nowadays, the route offers an … Read More

Kingdom of Orchids

By Dr. Heiko Hentrich All photos ©Heiko Hentrich Why Bhutan… I am a tropical botanist, who has travelled to many Latin-American countries to do field studies in remote places. As a side benefit of my job, I meet people from different cultures, and I have come to appreciate the opportunity to learn about other ways of life, customs, food, and languages. On my journeys, I usually stay with locals and prefer these private accommodations to hotels, because you learn so … Read More

Immortal: The Story of a Bhutanese Bull

By Dendup Chophel This is the story of a beloved bull that lived long before the monstrous Japan made power tillers displaced others of his kind from their position of pride as a Bhutanese farming household’s chief preoccupation. His name was Bjan Ka Zeb (bjan dkar dzerb), named after the white furs that lined his dewlap and brisket. He was bought by my grandmother from a herd of bulls that was put up for sale by cattle traders from the … Read More