While meeting with His Royal Highness, Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, prior to leaving Bhutan, I shared that we came to his country with a naive and vague concept of documented Gross National Happiness. And that what I now peruse after seven weeks of immersion, is a vastly-layered, multi-colored view of happiness. Bhutan showed me that [...]

Festival Love:  My mind lingered on the twirling colors, still enamored of the captivating Buddhist Festival staged in the spacious courtyard of the Tashigang Dzong. As we prepared to set out on two more days of biking and several more days of hiking to our final eastern destination, Sakteng, I was giddy remembering this elaborate [...]

Our last two days of this second big section of trekking took us up 4,500 feet over Rodang La (pass) followed by a 7,000 foot drop down an ancient trail built so that the first king’s father could pass through. Our camp tonight is perched on a precipice, similar to most monasteries in Bhutan. I [...]

On any stretch of road one rolls in Bhutan, the cyclist is guaranteed a visual, physical and cultural feast. From views of 7,000 meter snow-capped peaks perched as a backdrop to the seemingly endless foothills, the acres of climbing through alpine forest down to crisp, turbulent rivers—the landscape of Bhutan is abundantly stimulating. And as [...]

I started jotting down these thoughts several days ago while nestled in the ruins of a rock fortress at Jangotang camp in the eastern Himalaya range of Bhutan. Protected from the chilly mountain breeze by ancient crumpled drywall, I gazed directly up at 7,000 meter Jhomolhari peak outlined by the cobalt blue sky. As our [...]

We had no idea that our expedition would be in such a limelight for the country of Bhutan. Upon arrival in Paro, the red carpet was rolled out and a greeting party met us at the airport—a special staff appointed by His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, who is also the head of the [...]

Candra Canning, Expedition Bhutan Storyteller, shares a cup of coffee with Terri Schneider, Expedition Bhutan Leader, while overlooking the Paro Valley… more »

Endurance athlete Terri Schneider leads a team trekking and mountain biking across the nation of Bhutan… more »