Beautiful Bhutan: Informational Webinar (FREE)

Join trip leader Brodie Cass Talbott for a free informational session about our upcoming International Ecotour: Beautiful Bhutan. Brodie will discuss trip highlights, how to travel in Bhutan, the itinerary, target species, and so much more! Plus you’ll get to learn a little more about your guide Brodie, his experience living in Bhutan and ask questions pertaining to the ecotour.

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Trip Description

The Land of the Thunder Dragon is most well-known for its snow-capped Himalayan Peaks, vibrant buddhist culture, and project of “Gross National Happiness,” and perhaps underappreciated as a sanctuary for a vibrant fauna, including over 700 species of birds.

On this two week trip, we’ll traverse from the lush subtropical jungles abutting the Brahmaputra plain on the southern border to prayer-flag laden passes at over 14,000 feet as we make our way from the relatively undeveloped east, to the hub for culture and government in the west. 

Bhutan goes from near-sea level on its southern border to its apex at the peak of Gangkar Phunsum, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. All of this is less than 80 miles as the crow flies, meaning that the mountains are steep, and ubiquitous. There are no straight roads in Bhutan, and the birding feels like it can change every mile, as you climb another 1,000 feet. 

We’ll start in the east, the least developed part of the country, and as we make our way along the national highway, we’ll slowly start to see larger and larger towns, and the characteristic “Dzongs,” or temple fortresses, that are emblematic of the history of buddhistic unification of the country in the 17th century. We’ll follow the national highway all the way to the capital of Thimphu, visiting the famed “Tiger’s Nest,” before ending the trip in Paro, where we will fly out.

In addition to over 700 species of birds (in a country one-sixth the size of Oregon), Bhutan is home to a variety of captivating mammals, from the common Yellow-throated Martens and Giant Squirrels, to many harder to find species like a variety of cats, several primate species including the endangered Golden Langur, large numbers of Asian Elephants, and the elusive but much-beloved Red Panda. We’ll keep our eyes open for all these species, but since they are free-roaming, we know it will require a lot of luck to see even one of them. 

Along the way we’ll enjoy the outsized culture of one of the world’s smallest countries by population, rich with traditional textile production, vibrant Buddhist art and monastic tradition, and the ever-present Bhutanese joy that has made this country more than just a destination, but an enchanting experience.