Just Back From: Bhutan

 
When people asked me where I was off to last month and I said Bhutan, the next comment was usually “What’s Bhutan?” or “Where’s that?” Not surprisingly, this landlocked country tucked between India and China isn’t on many people’s bucket lists…yet.

I’ve been mesmerized by Bhutan’s landscapes and curious about their Gross National Happiness philosophy (GNH instead of GDP) since I first heard about it six years ago. I’d seen the iconic images of Tiger’s Nest Monastery perched impossibly on a cliffside at over 10,000 feet and vowed to hike to it. I actually wanted to celebrate my 50th birthday there, but the timing was never right, until now. This was the year I was going to make the trip happen and not even the escalating tensions from the Iran war were going to stop me.

While you may think of Bhutan as monks and monasteries, that’s not all this beautiful country has to offer. It is the first carbon-negative country on the planet (read that again) with a constitutional commitment to keep at least 60% of its land forested. It’s currently 72% forested, so the air is pure and the rivers run clean. It’s ideal for hiking, biking, bird watching (black-necked cranes migrate to Gangtey Valley between fall and spring), fishing, white water rafting, and so many other outdoor adventures. You can also explore the culture, arts, and textiles, and yes, also learn about Buddhism and spirituality if it interests you.

I traveled through all five key valleys—Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang, and Paro—staying at the region’s top luxury properties, from Aman to Six Senses to beloved independent lodges, so I could guide my clients to exactly the right fit based on their own personal preferences. I travel because, for me, travel is life! It fuels my own passion to explore distant lands and find commonality with people who don’t necessarily look or live like me. I also travel so I can provide my clients with real insight on where to go, what to do, and how best to experience each place authentically. Here’s a taste of what that looked like across 12 days in Bhutan.

I started my journey in Paro with a longevity blessing from a monk at the oldest and most sacred temple in Bhutan, a beautiful way to begin the trip and ground myself for what was to follow. As an avid learner, I relished my coffee conversation about Gross National Happiness with Dasho Pema Tenzin, a GNH expert and former member of parliament, who unpacked the philosophy behind a country that measures its success by the happiness of its people.

I sat with  revered monk Kinley Penjor, Head of Religion & Health for the monastic body (Bhutan’s dual government system includes both a political and a religious component), who provided insight into Buddhist philosophy and meditation techniques while exploring the meditation caves the Queen Mother had built at Dochula Pass for the community and the monks. Lunch that day was at the home of a now TikTok-famous local who turned to social media to save her ancestral home. She now hosts travelers from around the world who seek her out for a home-cooked meal and real connection.

In Thimphu, I visited students in their classrooms at the Traditional Arts School, where they were learning all 13 classical art forms, including painting, sculpture, woodwork, and embroidery. I listened to the stories of local women weaving intricate silk at the Weaving Center, where a single Kira (the national dress worn by Bhutanese women) can take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete. Thimphu is the new capital of Bhutan and is the closest to what a city looks like here. The town is full of shops and restaurants (even a new steakhouse) and will soon host international embassies. I had the pleasure of meeting with Sonam, a chef trained in Milan, who opened her own Italian-Bhutanese fusion restaurant. Make sure you try her Pappardelle with Yak Ragu!

In Punakha, probably my favorite valley, I hiked through rice paddies and pine forests, past a beautiful prayer wheel, up to a stupa built specifically by the Queen Mother to ward off evil and bring protection and peace to the King and the people of Bhutan. Once I climbed the final 82 steps up to the top of the stupa, I was rewarded with sweeping views of the valley below. I had planned to go white water rafting after the hike, but it turned out to be too windy, and with the river fed by glacial lakes, the conditions would have been too cold for comfort. The rivers wind around Punakha Dzong (fortress), the most beautiful of all the dzongs in the country. You can float past ancient rice paddy fields and royal palaces. As I returned from the hike, I was greeted with a beautiful picnic set up along the river bank. A colorful tablecloth draped a portable table, which held a gold tiffin filled with a variety of delicacies and a hearty chicken sandwich wrapped in white parchment paper and tied with matching string. My server offered me a glass of chilled white wine and it was like he had read my mind. That is Bhutan in a nutshell- where quiet luxury meets nature in the most unexpected, perfect way.

From Punakha the journey continues to Gangtey, one of the most breathtaking glacial valleys in Bhutan and a protected wildlife sanctuary. This is where the rare black-necked cranes migrate each winter from Tibet—arriving in November and departing by March—and where you can hike the Nature Trail through the valley floor or explore by mountain bike. In the evenings, Gangtey Monastery opens its doors for prayers with the monks, one of those rare, unhurried experiences that Bhutan does better than anywhere else.

The drives from valley to valley offer opportunities to stop and admire the scenery, whether it's a sacred stupa, a historical dzong or just the colorful hilltop homes. Bumthang is the spiritual heartland of Bhutan, home to the oldest temples and the highest concentration of sacred sites. Here, I found myself inside a local temple during a religious ceremony. The chanting of the monks, the rhythmic beating of the drum, and the call of the conch shells held me in a complete trance. But it was a quieter moment, away from ceremony and ceremony’s grandeur, that left the deepest mark. ​

What will stay with me the longest is being welcomed at a farm and homestay with warm ginger lemon tea, sitting in easy conversation with the owner, while gazing down in awe at beautiful Punakha Monastery with the Mo Chu and Po Chu rivers flowing on either side of it. I took in deep breaths of clean mountain air and felt such a deep sense of gratitude that it nearly brought me to tears. It allowed me to block out the craziness in the world that was unfolding around me and simply be present in that moment. Bhutan has a rare ability to quiet the world.

What I didn’t do, but absolutely will do when I return, is hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro. It had rained the day before, the gravel trail was slippery, the elevation had already been humbling, and those final 720 steps to the monastery itself required my full preparation. I’m coming back for it, and I’m bringing clients with me. I did wander through the quaint “main street” in Paro town. There are a variety of shops filled with handicrafts as well as cafes serving locally-brewed coffee. I even spotted a Boba place.

There’s a philosophy embedded in daily Bhutanese life that every good deed in this lifetime earns merits, or good karma, which ultimately ensures a good life in your next incarnation, so everyone is genuinely compassionate and kind. I felt it everywhere: in the staff at the luxury lodges (all nearly all-inclusive, with stunning valley views and service that redefined hospitality for me), in the organized calm of Bhutan’s traffic, with no traffic lights and yet not a single moment of road rage, and in the warmth of my guide Tashi and driver Chencho, who became dear friends over 12 days of mountain roads, shifting weather, and remarkable stories. This isn’t an accident, it’s the result of a government that actively protects the culture and way of life that make it possible.

Then there are the luxury lodges. After days of hiking mountain trails, sitting with monks, and absorbing a culture unlike anything I'd encountered before, returning to my accommodation each evening felt like exhaling. The properties I stayed in across all five valleys were nothing short of extraordinary - some hugging the banks of glacial rivers, others offering sweeping views across the valleys, and others still nestled deep into forested hillsides, private and serene. The rooms were beautifully designed, drawing on Bhutanese craftsmanship and materials while delivering every comfort you'd expect from world-class luxury hospitality. Photos can't do them justice. What struck me most, though, was the staff. Across every property, there was a kindness and a genuine willingness to go above and beyond that I didn't expect - not scripted hospitality, but something that felt like an extension of the Bhutanese character itself. These lodges aren't just places to sleep. They are an essential part of the Bhutan experience.

Bhutan’s government also keeps tourism intentionally limited with a High Value, Low Volume ethos. They want to share their culture and country while preserving their heritage, landscapes, and community life. Sustainability is woven into every decision here: roads are built to help farmers, with biological corridors so wildlife can pass unimpacted, and all buildings and growth are planned with deep respect for the natural environment and for preserving their cultural identity. To fund the social and educational programs that support this vision and to protect the country from overtourism, Bhutan collects a Sustainable Development Fee from all tourists, a meaningful contribution that goes directly back to the people and the land.

I’m already considering a return with my Soul Sister Sojourns women’s journey, and I’d love for you to join us. If Bhutan is calling you sooner, I can create a custom trip for you and your family built entirely around what matters most to you. This is one place I want everyone I know to experience before the rest of the world catches on. Reach out at [email protected] or 925-237-9669 and let’s make it happen.