A Week in Bhutan, the Land of Happiness: Part 2/4
After two nights in Thimphu, we’re eager to explore the Bhutanese countryside, far from the “big” cities.
This post is part of a 3-part series on Bhutan. If you haven’t read the first part yet, check it out here
Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips
Part 1: Travel Journal
We’re supposed to have breakfast at 8am, but our hotel is surprised that “everyone arrives at the same time,” despite a very detailed order they had us make at 10pm the night before. We’re about to leave with empty stomachs when the waiter runs after us with a bag full of fruit. Our guide and driver are quite embarrassed by the situation and keep asking if we’re hungry and if we need to stop somewhere to eat. They’re really attentive.
Dochu-la Pass
We arrive at this place, which sits at an altitude of just over 3000m with 108 stupas. It’s a memorial site for a very brief war (the only one in Bhutan’s history!) against Indian rebels who had settled in Bhutan. Very peaceful, the Bhutanese didn’t want war, but they faced pressure from the Indians, and the stupas were built for the Bhutanese soldiers who lost their lives in that war.
Next to it is a café with a view. The view would have been nicer without the clouds, but we’re happy to have a hot milk tea.
During winter, here’s the view we would have had:
The roads are fairly good, but you have to drive slowly. In total, we have 164km to cover today, and it takes 6 hours overall! We’re super super slow in the mountains, but I don’t mind at all because I just sleep anyway. And when I’m not sleeping, we eat. It’s perfect!
After the meal, I fall back asleep and so does JB. At one point, I’m woken up by violent jolts, and I’m convinced the car has flipped over. None of us are wearing seatbelts; we’re in the mountains. Despite that, I feel absolutely no stress, and I’m much more relaxed than when I was in Bali (and convinced we were going to die). A few seconds later, we stop, and I realize we’re all safe and sound.
The guide and driver get out of the car and ask if everyone is okay. That’s when we understand that during a turn in the mountains, the driver saw a stone and tried to avoid it. Unfortunately, it was mud, and a wheel rolled over it, causing the car to veer… straight toward the mountain. We’re lucky it wasn’t the other way, because none of us were wearing seatbelts. All’s well that ends well! No injuries, and even the car doesn’t have a scratch. We just notice one tire looks a bit less inflated than the others.
Shaken, the driver drives even slower. We’re a few minutes from our destination, so he lets us explore while he takes the car to a garage he knows well for a check-up.
Gangtey Monastery
We visit Gangtey Monastery, and I send JB to spin all the prayer wheels (108 in total) to give thanks for the protection we received today.
The monastery houses about a hundred monks. In Bhutan, families try to send one of their children to monasteries, and this is even more common among poorer families. During our visit, we see a few curious eyes watching us from the dormitories, and we cross paths with two or three monks, but unfortunately, we can’t stay until the sunset ceremony.
This monastery is very pretty, and the interior is different from what we’ve seen so far. The ceiling height is enormous, and the other two floors are like balconies. We can’t go up to the top, but the decorations and paintings make the place solemn, and it’s as if we’re drawn toward the sky. It’s a peaceful and pleasant place. Again, I’ll show you a photo found online, as we’re not allowed to take photos inside:
We then do a short trek. It’s the most enjoyable trek on the planet because we only go downhill, then it’s completely flat. The trek lasts about an hour.
The idea is to walk along a valley where cranes (birds) come to settle in winter. The valley itself is magnificent, wide, flat, with lots of water.
We then visit the crane conservation center and are very happy to watch a film explaining the origin of this center. This valley is particularly flat (rare in Bhutan) and fertile. There are many potato farmers, and they also covet this valley. The center’s idea is to raise awareness among farmers and explain why preserving this valley can bring back the birds and allow them to earn money differently (through tourism, homestays, etc.) rather than invading the valley with their potato plantations. I think this is the only country where you can get rich from potatoes. Our guide says these farmers earn more than he does; they’re very wealthy and export as far as India. Due to a lack of infrastructure, they sometimes have to export potatoes during the harvest and then re-import them for consumption in Bhutan. The birds come here in October, so we only see two specimens that are injured and can no longer fly. They make a lot of noise.
On the way to our hotel, we see a football match between villagers and stop to watch. JB’s presence disrupts the atmosphere; the kids try to communicate with him, even though they don’t speak much English.
Finally, we arrive at our hotel, run by a family. We have the upper floor of a bungalow with an incredible view of the monastery and the potato fields. Dinner is delicious, and breakfast is too.
Part 2: Practical Tips
We went with the agency Bhutan Inbound. More info on the rate and payment here
