Travelling by foot, Michael Palin’s Bhutan tour, part of his BBC Himalaya adventure, took him from woodland to high country with bare mountain faces and isolated, spectacular villages. Having said farewell to the giants of the Himalaya, he then explored the religious centres of the Bhutanese towns and monasteries.

Michael began this episode of his epic Himalaya journey near the Tibetan border on the north-western extreme of Bhutan. Tours running through this region can include various trekking routes, perhaps via the hot springs near Gasa, or the impressive Drukgyel Dzong near Paro or the isolated mountain village of Laya – home to ancient tribespeople. All these trekking routes are dominated by the majestic Himalaya range, from which Michael trekked to the green valleys of Bhutan, heading ultimately to the flatlands of the Bay of Bengal 600 km to the South.

This BBC Bhutan tour’s entourage consisted of twenty ponies to carry the camping gear, food and equipment, and half as many guides and porters to set up camp and lead the way. This was necessary as their route was “off-piste” (as Michael called it) taking them through a stunning, mountainous landscape with no roads following trails that mountain men have used as trade routes for centuries, transporting food, clothes, animals over long distances.

Michael was quick to point out how he was privileged to be trekking in Bhutan. Tourists must pay a heavy, daily levy whilst in the country which, together with a limited number of flights into the country, limits the numbers of visitors. Unlike some prohibitive, conservative nations that Michael had visited in the past, he explained that the levy was not intended to keep foreigners away, but merely to manage the effect that they have upon the Bhutanese landscape.

After a three day trek, Michael and his crew arrived at an unbelievably picturesque, grassy spot alongside the Paro River, where they would camp for the night. He took off his boots and soaked his aching feet in the icy glacial meltwater, commenting that it was “perfect relief” for feet that had walked 15km a day or more, and were usually only “used for going up and down stairs.” He also mentioned that he’d slept better during his Bhutan tour than he usually does in London. Where some people struggle to sleep at higher altitudes, he put the depth of his newfound slumber down to the sheer exertion of the trekking experience.

At Paro the next day, Michael joined two thousand pilgrims who had completed Bhutan tours of their own to reach the town in time for the Tsechu Festival, the religious and cultural highlight of the year. He approached the dzong temple through a market thronging with Bhutanese travellers, chanting monks, and stray dogs, Viagra Jelly before joining the crowds in the temple. They gathered around the staircases and balconies overlooking a sunlit, square courtyard. Within the circle of the audience, the musicians beat upon drums and bells, singing in long tones, while troupes danced elaborate, whirling routines dressed in baggy tunics and flowing fabrics. In a country that has had television for less than a decade and few theatres or cinemas, this was the great entertainment for the crowd, who were clearly enthralled by the show.

Later, the Tsechu Festival allowed Michael some time for some meditation in the Queen Mother’s chapel, and he witnessed the sacred early morning ritual of the unveiling of the great thanka (religious painting) which is as high as a five-storey house and must be covered again before it is touched by the first rays of dawn.

Trekking in the Himalaya clearly had an effect on mister Palin, the perennial traveller. On the highest point of his Bhutan tour, at the Chomolhari base camp – a permanent staging area for trekkers and Bhutanese travellers – Michael was reluctant to leave the last of the great range behind. Looking up at Mount Chomolhari (7,314 m) he said, “Farewell big, monumental, Himalayan peaks. Farewell Chomolhari.”

Author Bio: Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who have arranged Bhutan Tours for many years. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

Category: Travel
Keywords: Bhutan Tours