Bhuton is a country nestled in the eastern Himalayas. The country has been visited by a great many saints, mystics, scholars and pilgrims over the centuries who not only came for their personal elucidation, but blessed the land and its people with an invaluable spiritual and cultural legacy that has shaped every facet of Bhutanese lives. Visitors and guests to the country will be surprised that the culture and the traditional lifestyle is still richly intact and at the degree to which it permeates all strands of modern day secular life. From the traditional woven garments to the prayer flags on high mountain slopes, from the built environment to the natural environment, from the religious mask dances to the folk dances, this cultural heritage is proudly evident and offers a unique cultural setting.

The Bhutanese have treasured their natural environment as it is seen as a source of all life and the abode of the gods and spirits. Buddhism has been the predominant religion since the 7th century and has inculcated deeply the value that all forms of sentient life, not just human life, are precious and sacred. Given such a prevailing ethos which respects the natural environment, it is not surprising that the Bhutanese have lived in harmony with nature and that the nation has its environment still pristine and intact today. The country has been identified as one of the 10 bio-diversity hot spots in the world and as one of the 221 global endemic bird areas. Its eco-systems harbours some of the most exotic species of the eastern Himalayas with an estimated 770 species of birds and over 50 species of rhododendron, besides an astonishing variety of medical plants and orchids. Bhutan also has a rich wildlife with animals like the takin, snow leopard, golden langur, blue sheep, tiger, water buffalo and elephant.

IT IS TO SAFEGUARD this rich natural environment and culture, that the country has consciously adopted a controlled tourism and development policy. In 1997, just over 5,000 tourists entered the country and the numbers in the coming years are not expected to increase greatly. For the few who do travel to Bhutan, there are a wide variety of activates-from the Snowman trek to kayaking down the Mochhu; from witnessing the colorful festivals in the fortresses to the panoramic mountain flight on Druk Air."

• Department of Tourism, Bhutan.  "Tourism in Bhutan was privatized by the Royal Government of Bhutan in 1991. Today it is a vibrant business with80 private operators at the helm of affairs. The Royal Government of Bhutan adheres strongly to a policy of low volume, high value tourism.
  
  There are, however, problems associated with tourism which, if not controlled, can have devastating and irreversible impact on the local environment, culture and identity of the people. Realizing these problems and the fact that the resources on which tourism is based are limited,...
  
  The tourism industry in Bhutan is founded on the principle of sustainability, meaning that tourism must be environmentally and ecologically friendly, socially and culturally acceptable and economically viable. The number of tourists visiting Bhutan is regulated to a manageable level because of the lack of infrastructure.
  
  The Royal Government of Bhutan recognizes that tourism is a world-wide phenomenon and an important means of achieving socioeconomic development particularly for developing countries like Bhutan. It also recognizes that tourism, in affording the opportunity to travel, can help in promoting understanding among peoples and building closer ties of friendship based on appreciation and respect for different cultures and lifestyles.
  
  Towards achieving this objective, the Royal Government, since inception of tourism in the year 1974, has adopted a very cautious approach to growth and development of the tourism industry in Bhutan. In order to minimize the problems, the number of tourists has been maintained at a manageable level and this control on number is exercised through a policy of government regulated tourist tariff and a set of administrative requirements..."

U.S. Government Information Resources

• CIA World Factbook on Bhutan.
• Department of State Consular Information Sheet on Bhutan.
• Library of Congress Country Study on Bhutan.

Weather

• Yahoo! weather for Thimphu Bhutan.