Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Bhutan is a peaceful, pristine land that time seems to have forgotten. And where it's equally easy to forget the time!

Bhutan is one of those countries, which every Indian wants to and plans to visit, but somehow, never ends up doing it. Until just four years ago, only about four thousand tourists from around the world visited this sleepy land. Sandwiched in the Himalayas between India and the Tibetan region of China, Bhutan is today a unique and exotic tourist destination that has deliberately safeguarded its ancient way of life. While one may weigh the pros and cons of the country's policy of restricted tourism, nowhere in the world will you find a country that seems so untouched by the ravages of time Bhutan is truly a lost world, which retains its charm, simplicity and natural beauty till this very day. And that's exactly how the Govt. hopes to keep it. Pristine and pure, in every respect.

This is a tiny country, so abundantly blessed with natural beauty that it's easy to understand why the Bhutanese would like to keep it that way. From the hot and humid jungles of the southern foothills to the temperate inner Himalayas to the frigid snow-capped peaks in the north, Bhutan exudes calm and serenity. Even the dragons in the dzongs or castle-monasteries here lie placidly, instead of spewing flames… reminding the casual visitor that he is never far from the influence of Buddhism. Or from the peace, it has brought to the people here.

Falling in love with Bhutan is easy, once you get here. For the three main regions of the country that are open to tourists, are so diverse in their natural beauty that it's difficult to imagine that they belong to the same country! Western Bhutan for example, is known for its stunning scenery with rice paddies cascading down magnificent mountains and pristine rivers flowing through the main towns of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha. And this is the region in which our tour begins.

Your welcome to Bhutan is a spectacular one as you cruise past the majestic Himalayas in a tiny sixteen-seater aircraft, and just when you're feeling nice and cozy, you drop out of the sky and land in the tiny little town of Paro. Take a deep breath and let your lungs revel in the pure, unpolluted atmosphere of this Himalayan kingdom. And if you think everything seems to be too quiet, get used to it. This is the sound of Bhutan - the sound of silence.

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