Bhutan Diary: 10 days in the happiest place on Earth

In late May of 2019, I traveled to the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan on assignment for National Geographic and to do research for the book I’m co-writing on the world’s largest freshwater fish. Here is my Instagram diary from the trip to the country that measures success in terms of Gross National Happiness.

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Bhutan, day five. Some random photos and observations: 1. Hanging bridges are sturdier than they look. 2. Kids in Bhutan clean the school grounds themselves. 3. Visitors to Bhutan must each pay a daily fee of $200-300, depending on season and number of travelers. This includes food, transport and lodging. Beer extra. $65 of that goes to a national social welfare fund. 4. The country is ridiculously pretty. 5. Guides are also included in the visitor’s fee. 6. Hornbills painted on sides of buildings are easier to photograph than real ones. 7. India, which Bhutan does almost all its business with, funded this bridge. 8. If you want to transport semen or embryos within Bhutan, you need a permit. #visitbhutan #bhutan #sustainability #ecotourism #magical

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Bhutan, day 6. In addition to having the most awesome Star Wars name, Dorji Duba is Bhutan’s tiger whisperer. Never mind that he’s never actually seen a tiger live in Bhutan’s Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, where he’s worked for almost a decade and runs an elaborate network of camera traps. The mountain landscape is just too rugged to track them. “If I can’t do it, no one can,” says Duba, who spends a minimum of 10 days in the bush on each of his excursions to monitor the traps. Recently, one trap revealed four new, 2-year-old cubs, all females. “It gave me great satisfaction,” he says. #environmentalsuperheroes #tigers #visitbhutan #bhutan #nationalgeographic

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Bhutan, day 10. Departure. I arrive at Paro International Airport to find out that the flight to Delhi has been re-routed through Nepal. The Paro-Kathmandu flight is regarded as perhaps the most scenic in the world, passing over several of the highest Himalayan peaks, incl Mt Everest. From Paro, you should sit on the right-hand side for best views. I was told there were no window seats left in economy, but that I could upgrade to business for $95. Yes, please! Seat 1D. Take-off was fast with the pilot banking a hard right just after lift-off, followed by a left turn, to get out of the valley. The Paro airport is considered one of the world’s most challenging airports, and only a select number of pilots are certified to use it. Flying over Everest was a magical experience, but also eerie after the recent climbing deaths. And so ends my trip to Bhutan. A visit is highly recommended. 🇧🇹#magical #visitbhutan #sustainability #grossnationalhappiness #bhutan #nationalgeographic

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