The Wonder Of The Himalayas

I recently watched The Wonder List's episode on Bhutan. If you're not familiar with it, it's Bill Weir's excellent show about the places that are about to disappear - not necessarily be physically wiped out, but just their way of life is changing due to modernization, climate change, or other outside influences. I have such strong and fond memories of Bhutan that it was so great seeing this beautiful country get featured.

It seemed like Bill generally followed the popular tourist routes, which, is pretty common in Bhutan given both the terrain, and the restrictions. If you want to visit, you need to spend a minimum of $250/day, which will include a guide, driver, lodging and some meals. It's really not a bad deal at all if you can get a small group of friends together to go so you are on more of a private group tour. Otherwise, the price may be a bit higher or some other compromises may be made - I'm not too sure of the details since it's been a few years since I visited.

Following the tourist routes though, is amazing! You get to see some truly incredible sights, take in these breathtaking landscapes, and find a balance of peaceful tranquility mixed with some vigorous hiking. The roads, being slow and winding, lend themselves to staring out at the endless mountains and valleys, lush and forested.

Not only is Bhutan carbon neutral, it is carbon negative. It's truly incredible how such a small Himalayan country, has banned plastic bags, committed in their constitution to the protection of its forests, and developed in a sustainable fashion. The Prime Minister of Bhutan gave a TED Talk on the matter, and it's well worth your time, whether you're already a fan of Bhutan, or just hearing about this Buddhist wonderland. And if you want to see and immerse yourself in some great video from the country, The Wonder List Season 2, Episode 4 is what you need to seek out on CNN.