Bhutan holidays

This travel blog by Sophy Roberts tells the story of her recent trip to Bhutan with her young son, and is a descriptive and charming insight into travelling around Bhutan: http://www.departures.com/articles/the-wonders-of-bhutan.

Despite being a small, landlocked country, Bhutan is home to some of the Indian Subcontinents most stunning and majestic scenery. The famous Taktsang Monastery, also known at the Tigers Nest, perched on the edge of a cliff in the Paro Valley, is a truly breathtaking sight and a visit to this ancient Buddhist monastery should not be missed off any itinerary.

Transfers within the country are done by road, which is a fantastic way to see the countryside. On longer journeys it is possible to stop off along the way and see some of the many sights Bhutan has to offer.

Bhutan is extremely safe and travellers on the whole never come into any problems during their trips. We always advise to keep an eye on your belongings and leave your valuables at home.

It most certainly is and is known locally as Ema Datshi. I actually really liked it but be warned a lot of the food in Bhutan looks quite similar and (as our Bhutan specialist Joe learnt to his peril) it is very easy to mistake it for another less fiery dish such as runner beans in a sauce. If you aren’t expecting Ema Datshi it can give you quite a shock!

If you are flying to Paro from Kathmandu or Delhi a seat on the left-hand side of the plane will give you superb views of the Himalayas. It is not possible to pre-book these seats so we advise checking in nice and early to avoid disappointment. Don’t forget to carry your camera in your hand luggage.

When visiting Bhutan, it is always important to walk around Chortens (stupas) and spin prayer wheels clockwise. When photographing local people, it is best to ask beforehand. If in the country during a festival, visitors must stay within the crowd and not move into the performance area to get a better photograph – this is thought of as extremely rude by the locals.

While it certainly could most visits to Bhutan focus on the many cultural highlights of the country rather than trekking. On a typical visit, the main trek that most people would do is up to the Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery near Paro.

This climb is reasonably strenuous and will take between 2-3 hours up, and 1.5-2 hours back down. There is a cafeteria halfway with fabulous views and your guide will encourage you to go at your own pace and no faster. If you are interested in trekking there are some terrific options ranging from half a day to the epic Snowman Trek that takes around 25 days – the latter recognised as one of the world’s hardest treks.

Bhutan is six hours ahead of GMT.

From London Heathrow to Nepal or India, the flight time is between 10 and 12 ½ hours. The onward flight to Paro is then approximately two hours.