TRAVEL BHUTAN T Living in the moment in the happiest A hike to the Taktsang Goemba, also known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery, rewards visitors with stunning views and a place on earth glimpse into the daily life of monks studying in Bhutan’s monasteries. MARCH I APRIL 2017 GRAND 157 Trekking in Bhutan is tough on the bod but easy on the spirit – once you learn to just let go STORY AND PHOTOS BY JUANITA METZGER t was the third time that day a hiker in our group had asked, “How much farther are we hiking? How long will it take us?” Our guide, Chunjur, replied with hisI characteristic sly smile and measured words: “Not too much farther. We’ll be there … soon.” It was a variation of the same round- about answer he gave every time someone asked this question. “So, maybe one hour, two hours more?” Where better to mark a momentous life another brave member asked, laughing occasion than in a deeply Buddhist place but half serious. After all, we’d been that emphasizes non-economic aspects of climbing and descending over rocky well-being such as good health, personal terrain for four hours already, most of it in time use, community vitality and living the rain. It was the fourth day of a six-day standards? trek in the Himalaya Mountains of Bhutan, In the months leading up to his 50th and everyone was keenly aware that a hot birthday, Trent had scoured travel websites shower and dry shoes were just two days for hours on end looking for just the right away. kind of travel experience. His initial long “We Bhutanese aren’t very concerned list was whittled down to a prestigious with how long a hike will take,” Chunjur “experience of a lifetime” short list with replied. “We just focus on the climb in one common denominator: each destina- front of us, then the next pass, then the tion involved climbing a mountain. next descent after that. We just put one foot in front of the other until we arrive hutan has plenty of mountains to satisfy to camp at the end of the day.” the intrepid hiker. Located within the We received this as the gentle reminder BHimalaya Mountains, the tiny Kingdom it was meant to be: let go of your North of Bhutan is bordered by Tibet to the north American obsession with time, Fitbit and India to the south. Once known as a stats and goal accomplishments. Just let hermit kingdom and protectively closed yourself be in this moment. to much of the outside world, this small Indeed, living in the moment was why country of 700,000 inhabitants has slowly TOP: As part of a six-day trek, the hiking group crosses one of the many watery and soggy high we were there in the first place. My opened its doors to international travellers plateaus at over 3,700 metres. husband, Trent Bauman, had chosen to over the past decades. ABOVE: Paro is the primary entrance and exit for visitors celebrate his 50th birthday in the only Bhutan’s tourism policy restricts entry to to Bhutan because it’s the only valley wide and long enough to accommodate international flights. country on Earth that promotes Gross 150,000 visitors a year, and international FACING PAGE: Rain and mist add to the mystery of the Tiger’s Nest Monastery as visitors National Happiness. visitors pay a daily package fee of US$200 approach on a 1½-hour hike from Paro in Bhutan. 158 GRAND MARCH I APRIL 2017 MARCH I APRIL 2017 GRAND 159 to $250 for all accommodations, meals, Bhutan’s commitment to maintaining its efore heading out on the Druk Path, In other words, focus on the moment. eight seemed more robust. The horse train flags flapping in the wind. in-country transportation and a guide. A natural environment is evident as soon as our tour group completed a short On a sunny day, the white walls of the carried all supplies needed for the next six As we neared 3,000 metres, the dense visitor cannot travel independently in the you step onto one of its many trekking Bwarmup hike, designed to prepare Tiger’s Nest gleam radiantly in contrast days: cook tent, dining tent, sleeping tents, forest became more lush and droplets country and a visa is obtained once you trails. Under current environmental policy, us for the experience of trekking at with the black cliff and the bright blue camping mats, gas cylinders, food for 15 of dew were visible on tendrils of moss have booked a trip with an accredited which has a long-term view of sustainabil- high altitudes. Our destination was the sky. But we were travelling at the end of people, and a limit of one carry-all bag per hanging from the blue pine trees. Rather Bhutanese travel company. ity, 65 per cent of the country will remain famous Taktsang Goemba, or Tiger’s Nest the rainy season (June to September) and person. We were relieved to see the box of than being parasitic, the moss is a good in- Bhutan’s travel policy has not been forested, providing vast areas of nature in Monastery, near Paro, the city of entrance were prepared for the fact that we might eggs carefully strapped to the back of one of dication of a healthy ecosystem and actually developed out of fear. It is designed to which to introduce visitors to the rugged and exit for most visitors. Perched on the not get all the stunning Himalayan views the training guides. adds more oxygen to the air at these higher preserve the natural environment and beauty of the Himalayas. side of a sheer cliff, 900 metres above the we had seen in magazines and guidebooks. Starting out at 2,500 metres, our first altitudes. Marginally more, but the thought cultural lifestyle while maintaining the We chose the Druk Path Trek, one of the Paro Valley, the Tiger’s Nest is the most As we stopped for our morning tea break, day seemed idyllic as we climbed steadily was enough for me to breathe deeper. balance of socio-economic realities for its most popular treks, because of its diverse famous of Bhutan’s monasteries. the foggy mist shrouding the monastery along a wide road. A morning sun made The rain that began that first afternoon citizens. Bhutan recognizes that it still lacks scenery, the challenging terrain and the Bhutan is a land of many stories, and parted to reveal our first view of the the uphill climb seem hot, a heat we would wasn’t enough to dampen the excitement some tourism infrastructure if tourism appeal of six days of trekking and camping. legend says that Guru Rinpoche flew to this impossible-looking monastery. Alas, the come to long for by the next day. The road of arriving at our first campsite located numbers were to increase rapidly – enough In other words, six days away from urban site in the seventh century on the back of a sun was temporary and we ended our hike narrowed and became a path as we passed in a pasture below the soaring Jili Dzong, hotel rooms, reliable roads and commu- civilization, the distractions of media, tigress in order to subdue a local demon. in the rain, which became indicative of our the last of the farms and traditional houses another monastery on a cliff side. nication networks, for example. Almost schedules and amped up busy-ness. The 1½-hour hike was a steep climb and trekking days ahead. with their exposed timber frames, white- The next five days played out with much one-third of the set daily rate charged to The Druk Path, as with many trekking the pounding in our lungs and heart sent Our real trek began the following day washed walls and metal roofs held down the same routine as the first. We woke early visitors is funnelled into development paths in Bhutan, follows a well-worn a very clear message that we were hiking when we met the support crew consist- with heavy stones to prevent them from with the grey light of dawn and hot tea projects that build additional tourism ancient route. The trekking paths are largely with decreased oxygen levels. Instructions ing of 16 small horses, two horsemen, lifting during high winds. delivered to our tent at 7 a.m. We washed infrastructure and support health and unmarked, making guides indispensable. from our guide floated like a mantra: Walk two cooks and three guiding trainees Munching on apples given to us by a our faces and necks with water heated in education within the country. The rest of Except for rock cairns in the near distance, there slowly, focus on your breathing. Breathe in who joined our principal guide, Chunjur. woman working in her garden, we climbed the cook tent. Over breakfast of porridge or the fee covers the actual travel costs. are no blazes, trail signs or directional arrows. through the nose, out through the mouth. Suddenly our little trekking group of past prayer wheels and strings of prayer eggs and toast, we commiserated about the Let’s Play! The 2017 RAV4 is ready to handle the demands of your busy lifestyle, with its bold looks, enhanced performance, advanced safety features, and an incredible list of innovative in-cabin technologies. DESIGN-BUILD GENERAL CONTRACTORS 2017 RAV4 All in price from $29,283.47* plus HST & Licensing 3121 King Street East, Kitchener HeffnerToyota.ca | 519 748-9666 *2017 RAV4 all in price from $29,283.47 ZFREVT Suffix AM includes freight/PDI $1,760.00, tire stewardship fee $18.47, OMVIC fee $10.00, air tax $100.