‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’ ‘Southern Land of Darkness’ ‘Land of Medicinal Herbs’ ‘The Last Shangri-La’ - Bhutan has been given so many names in its long history, all of which reflect a different aspect of this amazing country. Bhutan is in the Eastern Himalayas and is almost entirely mountainous. Like Tibet it is a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture, but unlike Tibet, Bhutan has retained its independence and with it has preserved its unique heritage making it perhaps the last refuge for Tibetan Buddhism on earth. The kingdom of Bhutan is undisputedly one of the most isolated countries in the world, like a solitary fortress in the mountains, it was closed to the outside world for centuries. Worried by the occupation of Tibet by China, the king of Bhutan decided that modernisation was necessary. Foreign visitors have been allowed into Bhutan since the late 1970’s however the movement of tourists is carefully controlled so as not to impact too greatly on the ancient ways of life. In 1999, for the first time Bhutanese were allowed access to television and internet. Bhutan has a remarkable architecture all of its own, each district has a Dzong, a huge fortress, normally sited defensively overlooking the valley. The colourful houses are lavishly decorated often with intricate wood carving and some of Bhutan’s most sacred temples, such as Kyichu Lhakhang, date back to the 7th century. The Bhutanese treasure their natural environment and true to Buddhist beliefs protect it as the source of life. Bhutan is one of the most biodiverse regions on earth partly due to a small strip of subtropical lowland beneath the Himalayan foothills. As well as being an important area for endemic birds Bhutan is also home to tigers, snow leopards and elephants. In the heart of this serene and beautiful country you can truly feel like you are in the abode of the gods.