Hidden high in the wilderness of the Himalayas, on the east of Nepal and west of India, Bhutan is isolated by mountains and remains a pristine sanctuary for nature and culture. Sometimes referred to as “the Last Shangri-La”, it only allowed tourism starting in 1974. Regardless, it has continued to be isolated from the rest of civilization and modernity.   Bhutan is made up mostly of indigenous people called the Drukpa. These people prefer to call the country “Drunk Yul” which means the Land of the Peaceful Thunder Dragon, instead of the name Marco Polo christened it with: Bootan.

There are three different ethnic distinctions in the Drukpa- the Ngalops, Sharchops and the Lhotshampas. Bhutan’s national language is Dzongkha. The population of Thimphu, which is Bhutan’s capital, is 50,000. Bhutan is a primarily Buddhist country, practicing a tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism; its faith is omnipresent in the city. Every family must commit one son to become a monk for a period of time. Also, Dzongs where the head throne lies and where the government presides is mostly in temples. For instance, Bhutan is popular now for many of its Buddhist festivals. Currently, Bhutan is led by a king and is in transition to a constitutional monarchy; today, tourism is very restricted.