Bhutan Photo Tour: Paro to Punakha

The Kingdom of Bhutan, is a small country nestled in the cradle of the Himalayas, the highest mountains on earth. Unknown and mostly unvisited until the 1960’s Bhutan, known as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon”, provides the intrepid photographer with a unique and fascinating variety of photographic and cultural experiences. Bhutan remains, perhaps one of the last places on earth where can experience true Himalayan culture, seemingly unchanged for centuries.

The people of Bhutan exude calm, openness, warmth, and happiness. Villages are centered around temples where the melodic chanting of monks can often still be heard, and age-old traditions continue as they always have. With 90 percent of the population still engaged in agriculture, Bhutan remains a rural country almost devoid of industry and mechanization in areas outside the few large cities. The beauty of this pastoral landscape is the backdrop for our photo tour, which has been carefully timed to coincide with several small, off-the-beaten-track festivals, featuring colorful costumes, handmade masks, as well as unique and unusual dances.

Here is the first set of images from some of our stops along the way from Paro To Punakha.

Andrew works a shot

Manoj charming the locals with his friendly, engaging personality

Michel captures the action at Punakha Dzong