Wayfarer


Trekking in the Land of the Thunder Dragon By Nicole Bent


BHUTAN


Bhutan is a secluded city high in the eastern Himalayas. I


nside a frost-covered nylon tent, tucked into my sleeping bag and wearing every single thermal layer that I’d packed, the ground quakes


beneath me. I turn to my tent mate with a shaky whisper, “What was THAT?” “Just another yak,” she whispers. I’m in Bhutan, an ancient kingdom


most people have never heard of, on a personal quest. My goal is to complete a list of the top 10 treks in the world in 10 years. Tese are not common treks deliv- ered by a Google search, but ones that few people know about; adventures that most people would be afraid of. Trekking the Himalayas was high up on my list, and as soon as I’d heard about Bhutan, I knew I had to go. Secluded high in the eastern Hima-


layas, Bhutan is a tiny, mystical country cradled between Tibet and India. Its culture and traditional lifestyle are richly intact; all Bhutanese wear the same tra- ditional clothing as has been worn for centuries. Mahayana Buddhist prayer


64 • Winter 2014


Bhutan does not permit independent travel; all activities must be prear- ranged with a certified group.


wheels are spun before entering every building and prayer flags are hoisted high upon mountaintops for happiness, long life and luck. Bhutan is the only country in the world which measures its success by “Gross National Happiness.” To safeguard the happiness of its peo- ple and its cultural treasures, Bhutan


does not permit independent travel. It must be prearranged by a certified group, through whom the royal government charges a tourist tariff of C$250 per day. I enlisted the travel company REI to guide me on an adventure through the western region of Bhutan and to the base of the Chomolhari Mountain.


The Hub


All photos provided by Nicole Bent.


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