GANGTEYPALACE, PAROGangtey Palace is a traditional, predominantlywooden building, with a small courtyard area,dining room, and a terrace with striking viewsover the valley. The Palace is ten minutes by carfrom Paro, but many people prefer to walkthrough the fields and observe local life. The 19guestrooms are decorated with Bhutanese textilesand paintings, while hot stone baths can bearranged and are a great way to relax after aday's sightseeing. Facilities are simple, but theambience is relaxed and friendly.UMAPARO, PAROUma Paro is a luxury, boutique property offering stunning views across the valley and the mountains beyond from its hillside position.The traditional Bhutanese architecture fitsbeautifully into the pine-clad valley, with roomsand suites in the main building and individual villasthat come with a private butler. The excellentBukhari restaurant, with its dramatic centralfireplace, serves Bhutanese, Indian and Westerncuisine and offers one of the best breakfasts inthe Indian Subcontinent. There is a pool and theCOMO Shambhala wellness centre offers Asian-inspired treatments, including massages,facials, authentic Ayurvedic therapies and awonderful hot stone bathhouse. Uma Paro is theperfect base for exploring the Paro Valley. ParoThe scenic flight into Paro, currently the onlyinternational airport in Bhutan, offers a fineintroduction to this remarkable country. The ParoChhu River provides fertile lands, which the localpopulation have utilised to maintain a goodstandard of living. Local buildings and the dzong(monastery), are some of the finest in Bhutan. As you approach Paro from the airport, you crossa wooden bridge and pass the fort, which hasheld its ground against numerous Tibetaninvasions. The watchtower houses the NationalMuseum, with fascinating exhibits including acollection of pottery, armour, thangkas (traditional silk paintings) and a complete temple.Outside the town, a trail through the forest brings you to Taktsang, the spectacular Tiger'sNest Monastery that clings to a sheer cliff.114Tiger's Nest Monastery, near ParoFestivalsIf you time your trip to Bhutan well,attending a tsechu or festival held at adzong or smaller village monastery is ahighlight. Held in honour of GuruRinpoche, who brought Buddhism toBhutan, the tsechus are a fundamentalpart of Bhutanese life. The festivalsconsist of masked dances and songs andusually last for several days. Attending atsechu brings the devotee great meritand many make long journeys to attend.The tsechus in the major cities attractrelatively high numbers of foreign visitorsand we find that visiting a smaller onecan offer a more intimate experience.Due to the popularity of festivalsaccommodation can be scarce, so if youwish to experience one you will need toplan well in advance.Entrance, Uma Paro

www.audleytravel.com/bhutan ?01993 838 320 ?Bhutan115TrekkingThough trekking in Bhutan can be strenuous,you will be rewarded by beautiful views,isolated valleys, high mountain passes andhidden Buddhist hermitages. Most of Bhutan'swilderness lies far from the one main road,which runs from the west to the east. It isaccessible only on foot, with a team of packponies or yaks, a cook and a knowledgeableguide to accompany you. As there are noinns or lodges away from the road, overnightstops are in tents, often set up for you nearsmall temples or shrines, where you may wellmeet monks who are spending a number ofyears in relatively isolated meditation. Yourmeals are cooked for you on portable gasstoves and tend to be a selection of localfare including nakey, which are fern frondsfound in the forest, and are especiallyThimphuAs the capital and home to approximately100,000 people, Thimphu is the largest and mostcosmopolitan city in Bhutan. It has retained afriendly feel and, with plenty of interesting littleshops and markets, it's a charming place toexplore. The impressive Tashichho Dzongdominates the city, however, one of the mostinteresting sites is the School of Traditional Artsestablished to help preserve Bhutan's 13traditional arts. You could also head out to seethe Takin, Bhutan's national animal. It is believedthat the Divine Madman created the beast byjoining a goat's head to a cow's body. At theweekend market, you will see people gather frommiles around to sell their goods, bargaining overeverything from dried chillies and yak butter tohand-woven textiles.PunakhaThe Punakha Dzong is perhaps the most strikingin Bhutan, situated on the confluence of twomajor rivers. The best way to approach is on footthrough scenic paddy fields, tranquil villages andpretty countryside to find yourself looking downonto the dzong. Punakha is reached from thewest by crossing the 3,116 metre Dochu La pass.This was the former winter capital built as adefensive stronghold in the 17th century. A largenumber of fruits and vegetables grow in the fertilevalley and it is unlike anywhere else in thecountry. Another must see is Chimi Lhakhang, thetemple of the Divine Madman, one of Bhutan'sfavourite saints. Here you can take a 20 minutestroll through local farmland and a smallsettlement of painted houses to the temple,which has lovely views of the surroundingcountryside.delicious eaten at your camp tableoverlooking the panoramic mountain views.Trekking in Bhutan requires a reasonablelevel of fitness as there is not much flat landand the walking is at altitude. We can tailor atrek to suit your requirements as there are alarge choice of routes. We specialise in shorttreks from one to four nights, though longertreks are also possible.Trekking above the Paro valleyGangtey Palace, ParoPunakha valleyThimphu weekend marketA takin, Bhutan's national animal