When I visited Bhutan on assignment 15 years ago, I didn’t encounter many tourists. The country has been open to visitors since 1974, but exorbitant fees (at the time, a minimum of $200 a day — including food, guides and accommodation — plus a $65 government fee) meant that only those with big budgets could… Read More »
Bhutan is trying to balance the demands of economic development with the needs of spiritual well-being – but is this humanly possible? “One of our biggest challenges is being seen as this locked-down mountain kingdom,” a Bhutanese politician complained to me during my visit to the thunder dragon’s tiny country in the Himalayas in late… Read More »
Snowman Trek is Bhutan’s longest trekking trail, stretching from Laya to the high Bhutan Himalayas – Alamy Stock Photo The Snowman Race is an event that revels in its superiority. It is the highest ultramarathon in the world, widely regarded as the toughest marathon, and despite being an invitation-only race for athletes with a history… Read More »