My Custom Peru Trip: A Tailor-made Journey of a Lifetime

Posted on February 8, 2012 by angela

By Crooked Trails participant Katie Skudlarick

Katie at Machu Picchu Who do you call when you have a burning desire to see Machu Picchu, only ten days to do it in and a strict budget? Why Crooked Trails of course! Even with those constraints they were able to create an experience for me that was eye opening and life changing and I never want to travel any other way again!

The first challenge to my trip was that I had a specific set of dates I could travel on (and only ten days!). With just a few phone calls and emails they were able to find me and my friend the flights that would fit our requirements. With that in place it was time to sync up the rest of the trip. With our interests in mind we were offered a sample itinerary as an overview to shape our experience. Top of the list aside from Machu Picchu, was to take part in the homestay and service project in Chinchero. From that they were able to recommend an impressive itinerary that fit our budget and would allow for immersion in the wonders of living in Peru’s Sacred Valley.

The trip began with 3 days in Cusco to acclimatize and explore the city and the Inca sites that surround it. Upon arrival we were met by a representative of the hotel and driven back to the enchanting Casa del Campo. The views from the hotel were breathtaking and surely not the kind a traveler on a budget expects! A brief walk from the hotel led to the Plaza de Armas where the dining options were endless. A regular traveler would probably have some hits and misses when it came to the local cuisine but armed with Tammy’s recommendations we dined on the freshest Peruvian fare available. Upon returning home I sought out recipes to recreate those memorable dishes but soon found that the ingredients indigenous to Peru are what make them truly sing.

Peruvian boy Day 2 day in Cusco we were met at the hotel by Romo, one of our many excellent guides from One Earth Peru and Lourdes who was our local contact. She met us to go over the itinerary for our entire trip and make us feel comfortable and answer any questions. She also coordinated our pick up times to and from the hotel to Chinchero and Machu Picchu and back (Lourdes took a personal interest in us and often checked in throughout the trip and personally accompanied us on the ride back to Cusco after our day at Machu Picchu. Again our expectations were exceeded.

That day we were treated to a walking tour of Cusco and explored Saqsayhuman by horse ride. Lunch was provided and we were able to picnic with Romo. His sense of humor and knowledge of Cusco were a treat. He had wonderful stories and his sense of humor and knowledge of Peru entertained us completely and also gave us his recommendations on places to explore on our third day before we headed to Chinchero.

From there we spent four days living in the village of Chinchero in the guest house of our host family, Paulino, Vilma and their wonderful children and cook Maria. Once again our accommodations and the people we encountered far exceeded any expectations. What a beautiful town with such rich traditions and amazing people. I will never forget my stay in Chinchero. Waking up to the view of the sunrise from the guest Paulino Vilma Chaska house and the smells of Maria’s hot breakfasts are something one needs to experience themselves, no words can do it justice.

Along with guided tours of the ruins and churches in Chinchero we were able to participate in the smokeless stove work project in Usambamba just a short drive away from Chinchero. We met community members and families of Usambamba who took the time to share their life experiences with us and saw first-hand how the smokeless stove project was positively impacting their lives and would be for generations to come. There is so much more to say about Chinchero and the Quechua lifestyle but I came to Peru thinking Machu Picchu would be the highlight of my trip and in reality it was my time in Chinchero. I can’t wait to go back with my kids.

After our goodbyes Paulino drove us to the town of Ollantaytambo for an overnight stay at the peaceful Apu Lodge and a guided walking tour of the ruins. In the morning we took the first train to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu and had our own private guide to tour us around Machu Picchu. What a luxury. Not at any time on my trip did I feel like I was missing out on anything due to my restricted budget, especially when it came to the top notch tour guides and one on one service. We saw many less fortunate travelers who were being herded about the ruins.

Travelling through Crooked Trails opened my eyes to what really being an active traveler means. For me it was a way to connect with the places and people in Peru and as I said I will never go back to passive travelling again. I can’t wait for my next Crooked Trails adventure!

Crooked Trails can create a private, custom program for you in ANY of the countries we work in! Please contact Tammy @ CrookedTrails (dot) org to inquire.

A Mythical, Mystical Place: Ladakh, India

Posted on February 7, 2012 by tammy

By Crooked Trails co-founder Tammy Leland

“You have not heard about Ladakh? How is this possible?……..Ladakh is the last place where you can see something of what Tibet must have been like……If I had a group of gangsters and a plane, I would kidnap you and take you there myself……You must go to Ladakh. It will change your life. It changed mine.”

Andrew Harvey’s words in his book, A Journey to Ladakh, still haunt me every time I begin to pack my bags for the long journey to Ladakh. Like the opening scene of The Man Who Would Be King, I can picture Harvey, winding his way through the small Delhi alleyways, encountering the tiny, run down tour office and sitting for hours with the Frenchman who enlightened him about Ladakh with these simple words.

In the 12 years that I have been visiting Ladakh, I feel like it is home and yet it is like I have never been there before. This Shangri-la, this mystical place leaves me feeling like it was all a dream. I feel and smell Ladakh from time to time on the streets of Seattle as I pass by incense burning or a Tibetan shop playing a Buddhist chant of the sacred mantra Om Mani Padme Hum or when building a fire in someone’s home or out in the woods.

The first time I saw Ladakh, I knew I was meant to be there. I knew I was meant to be a mountain climber, an artist, an explorer. A small child approached me at the Leh airport and asked where I was going. “I don’t know”, I said. “Would you like to come with me?” he answered. I could not say no.

We ended up in a small Ladakhi guesthouse, isolated from the bustling streets of the Leh, with views of the entire valley from the rooftop café. The light was beginning to fade and the mountains glowed red from the sun. A chill overcame me so I retreated to my traditional Ladakhi-style room, opened my large windows and gasped as I witnesses an eclipse of the moon. I heard a light knock at the door, and when I opened it, Tsewang, the guesthouse owner appeared in traditional clothing holding two glasses and a bottle of wine. We lay upon the floor gazing out at the moon and sipping wine. Worlds apart, we did not need to say a word.

There are few places left in the world like Ladakh. It lies in the Great Himalayan rain shadow, so receives no monsoon during the summer, but hefty snowfall throughout its long winter. In summer it is a high, arid fortress surrounded by vast peaks and trisected by the swift, snow–laden Indus and Zanskar Rivers.

The Crooked Trails Ladakh Journey begins in Delhi, a meeting place to prepare for this incredible adventure. As guests of the charismatic Ladakhi monk,Geshe Ngawang Jangchup, we have been invited to live and work with the people of Lingshed. During our stay, we will be working and sharing our lives with the Lingshed Cultural Troupe, whose work we have supported for the past 9 years. The jumping-off point for our trek, Leh, stands at 11,552 ft. It is warm in the sun but cool in the shade. It lies on the tri- junction of the historic ‘ Silk Route’ from Sinkiang to West Asia and the plains of India.

Trekking in Ladakh is as unique as the land itself. Ladakh is the land of insurmountable mountains and fascinating monasteries and we will see plenty of this on our visit and trek.

If you haven’t been to Ladakh, you must go. Learn more about our journey and join us this year for the journey of a lifetime.

Dates: July 7th – July 30th, 2012
Cost: $3,239 plus intl. airfare
More information…

Meeting a CNN Hero

Posted on February 1, 2012 by chris

By Christine Mackay

Many of you know that Crooked Trails had the honor of hosting Anuradha Koirala last month while she was in Seattle. Most people don’t know the background of how we were chosen for this honor.

Last November while I was in Nepal I met up with the Executive Director and founder of Friends of Maiti Nepal, Brigitte Cazalis-Collins and her husband and co-founder, Joe Collins. The Collins spent years living in Nepal, and now are back in the States supporting the work of Anuradha Koirala. When Anuradha won the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year Award, their work load more than tripled. Calls came in from all over the world asking for speaking engagements. One of them came from a group of women in Portland, OR. So, Joe and Brigitte asked if I could arrange a few events in Seattle, since Portland was so close.

I had six weeks to prepare and began a fast series of phone calls and emails. With the help of Anuradha’s supporters, friends and colleagues I pulled together a series of speaking engagements, lectures, meetings, fundraisers, luncheons, and TV and magazine interviews. I feared the schedule was a bit too much, but was told Anuradha wanted to work while she was in Seattle. Needless to say I was pretty excited as the day drew near.

That excitement was quickly replaced by anxiety as the biggest snow fall of the year arrived the same time Anuradha did, quickly followed by a terrible ice storm. Half of all the events were cancelled. Despite this, Anuradha was still able to meet up with Bill Gates Sr. and his wife Mimi, John Culver of Starbucks and many other CEOs and supporters. Her final day had her speaking at two fundraisers: Crooked Trails in the morning and a gala event at Seattle Asian Art Museum that evening.

During all this rushing around and meetings, I was always amazed to see how Anuradha graciously met and spoke to everyone with the same attention and sincerity. Whether she was talking to a multi-millionaire or a 20 dollar donor, she met all with gratitude.

Her message was clear at all her events: ‘Please join hands with me to stop this heinous crime of child sexual slavery’. At each and every event, the message was well received. Many of us have supported her work for over a decade, while some were hearing about the atrocities of child sexual slavery for the first time. Anuradha also let everyone know that, the work is not only to rescue girls; it is to prevent the trafficking of girls in the first place. With their border patrols, they stop at least 1700 girls a year from being trafficked. Maiti Nepal has many areas it needs funding for including: expanding the border prevention program, getting HIV treatment for the rescued girls, education and therapy, awareness programs and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Ten years ago, very few (if any) of the criminals were put behind bars because it is up to the victims -the girls themselves – to prosecute. Maiti Nepal has changed that. They bring these criminals to justice, putting over 3,000 of them behind bars, with another 1,500 in the pipeline right now. Each time Anuradha shared these statistics, those in the audience were obviously impressed and encouraged.

Anuradha is a true hero, someone who selflessly works on behalf of those less fortunate, to offer hope and justice, love and protection.

It was an honor to be a part of helping to bring awareness about the issue to the Seattle area and to help raise much needed funds. Although a few of the numbers are still coming in, we estimate we will have raised close to $25,000 for Maiti Nepal.

If you were unable to attend one of the events because it was cancelled there are several ways you can Make a Difference.

Donate at Friends of Maiti Nepal: www.friendsofmaitinepal.org

Host a gathering. We will send you a box of beautiful beadwork the girls make and the DVD of the movie- The Day My God Died. Share it with your friends and colleagues. Afterwards, return the proceeds from the beadwork sale and the DVD. It’s easy. For more information contact Chris Mackay at Crooked Trails, chris@crookedtrails.org

Trek in Nepal and distribute flyers. Please contact Friends of Maiti Nepal telling us the dates of your arrival and stay in Kathmandu, the place you are staying, the region where you will be trekking, and the number of trekkers who plan to participate. Friends of Maiti Nepal will make arrangements for Maiti Nepal staff to put together a Trekker’s Package and deliver it to your hotel.

Volunteer to build a school in Nepal. Crooked Trails offers volunteer travel programs to Nepal twice a year to build schools. An educated child is less likely to be trafficked. Programs are 10+ days in length. Click here to learn more.

Join a community action team. Contact Engage Washington to find out more about trafficking locally.

“If I look at the whole, I will not act. If I look at the one, I will”
– Mother Theresa

Crooked Trails staff and Anuradha

Photos by SOFIA PIEL

Following My Daughter to Nepal

Posted on January 18, 2012 by angela

By Crooked Trails participant, Jane Privateer

When my daughter traveled to Nepal with Crooked Trails in 2010, she returned and expressed the joy and excitement of her experience. She was cared for by an amazing family that provided her with love and guidance. I observed that she grew in so many ways. We decided to travel to Nepal in 2011 together with Crooked Trails. It was the experience of a lifetime for me.

Chris, our director, offered traveling suggestions that enhanced our journey. Before we arrived at the village, she suggested we take part in the community, to really extend into the daily life of our families. It gave me permission to really connect. We traveled to the village and my daughter and I were assigned the same family that she had stayed with last year. They now were my family too.

The first morning I was with my family, I awoke at 4:30 am. It was completely dark but I could hear people stirring outside. I fought my shyness and discomfort of not knowing the language or my new family well and got up. I put on my headlamp as there is no electricity available in the village at this time. I walked down the stair steps in our family’s village home and out the front door. I saw many women in flowing red saris outside their homes preparing the morning cooking fire and getting water. The water is only given to this village twice a day for 2 hours at 4:30 am and 4:30 pm.

To the left of the door, I saw my Ama (mother) breaking twigs and wood and starting her fire. I went over and sat down on the ground and she smiled and offered me a mat to sit upon. We did not say any words but looked deeply at each other with openness and warmth. My Ama knew me through pictures last year that my daughter had shown her. I knew my Ama through my daughter’s loving stories of her family the year before.

I observed her work and started to participate in snapping twigs. She looked up with a delightful bright smile and put her hand on mine. She giggled a bit and showed me the proper way to break the twigs and sticks so they would fit in her small cooking fire area. I then observed her stoke the fire with a metal tube that she blew into. I tried that too and she laughed at my novice approach. I kept observing and finally became proficient. The other women in the village were watching and smiling.

The connection was palpable. No words were necessary. We were communicated through a global language of respect, love and connection. I am grateful to Crooked Trails to provide an opportunity to travel with a purpose. My experience traveling with Crooked Trails affected me deeply and continues to be present with me in my daily life as a Nurse Practitioner in the United States.

Join Crooked Trails in Nepal this year! Applications now being accepted for Nepal Fall 2012.

Crooked Trails Upcoming Events: Inspiration, Perspiration and Celebration

Posted on January 12, 2012 by angela

Shake off the winter slump and connect with fellow travel enthusiasts at these fun upcoming events!

Crooked NW Adventures: Cascade Mountain Snowshoe & Bonfire Bash
RE-SCHEDULED DUE TO BURN BAN!
When: ~~Sunday, January 15th 2012~~
NEW DATE: February 5th | 1:00 PM
Where: Cascade Mountains outside of Seattle, WA
Cost: $69 per person, includes snowshoes, transportation to the mountains, wilderness guide, alcohol, drinks and snacks.

A winter wonderland of fire and sparkling snow make this one enchanted day and early evening. Hike through snow-covered trees in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most captivating forests. Tiki torches light the way to the cozy bonfire circle surrounded by candlelight luminarios. Sip on hot spiked drinks, hot cider and Theo’s organic cocoa, and of course, s’mores.**Register now!

Fundraising Reception Featuring CNN 2010 Hero of the Year Anuradha Koirala
When: Saturday, January 21st, 2012
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Where: Lakewood Seward Park Community Center
4916 S. Angeline, Sea. WA 98118

We are honored to host Anuradha Koirala, founder of Maiti Nepal, as the keynote speaker at this special event. Anuradha is an internationally recognized humanitarian, activist and lecturer who has dedicated her life to combating the sexual exploitation of women and children, and was recognized with the CNN Hero of the Year Award in 2010. Includes heavy appetizer buffet, coffee and wine. Wine generously donated by O Wines. Click here for sponsorship options.

Trivia Night
When: Thursday, January 26th | 8:00 PM
Belltown Pub (2322 1st Avenues, Seattle WA)
$25 per person including free beer
Click here to register!

Join Crooked Trails for a rousing trivia night! Including door prizes, raffles, and free beer just for playing!

TALKATIVE CD Release Party
When: Saturday, January 28th | 8:00 – 11:00 PM
Waid’s Restaurant & Lounge (1212 E Jefferson St, Seattle)
25% of all funds collected at this event will be donated to Crooked Trails!
Click here to learn more!

Come join us for an evening of pumping Hip Hop Music @ our first CD release party for Seattle artist Talkative featuring Hip Hop beat master, J.Bre. Festivities start @ 8 PM and go until 11 PM. Get there early to join in on the pre-music activities.

Crooked NW Adventures: Cascade Mountain Snowshoe & Bonfire Bash
When: Sunday, January 29th 2012 | 1:00 PM
Where: Cascade Mountains outside of Seattle, WA
Cost: $69 per person, includes snowshoes, transportation to the mountains, wilderness guide, alcohol, drinks and snacks.

Crooked NW Adventures: Cascade Mountain Snowshoe & Bonfire Bash
NEW DATE: February 5th | 1:00 PM
Where: Cascade Mountains outside of Seattle, WA
Cost: $69 per person, includes snowshoes, transportation to the mountains, wilderness guide, alcohol, drinks and snacks.

February 2012
Venice is Sinking: A Venetian Masked Ball
Tickets are now available – click here!
EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS JANUARY 15TH!
When: Saturday, February 18th 2012 | 8:00 PM – 2:00 AM
Where: Club Sur (2901 1st Ave S, Seattle WA 98134)
Venice Is Sinking is a gorgeous, sexy, festive affair that’s a delight for the senses. Much like Carnival in Venice, Venice Is Sinking celebrates World Music and tantalizes party goers with performances by Burlesque dancers, Aerialists, Fire Performers, Contortionists, Acrobats, Jugglers, Musicians and more. There is a surprise around every corner.
**This event sells out quickly so purchase your tickets here now!

Teacher, Humanitarian, Activist, Shares Extraordinary Story of Hope, Love and Survival

Posted on December 26, 2011 by angela

Crooked Trails is honored to invite our friends, supporters and partners for an inspirational fundraising reception with Ms. Anuradha Koirala, CNN’s 2010 Hero of the Year, on Saturday, January 21st 2012.

Ms. Koirala is the Founder and Executive Director of Maiti Nepal, which means “mother’s home” in her native Nepali. Her organization has rescued, rehabilitated and educated over 20,000 girls sold into sexual slavery. Maiti Nepal now houses over 600 young women and children at their Kathmandu campus keeping the girls fed, housed, loved and healthy. In addition, Maiti Nepal has a strong border prevention program, and in 2010 alone intercepted 3,400 girls in the process of being trafficked. Countless thousands more are prevented from being trafficked with their numerous intervention programs. Click here to learn more about Anuradha and her work.

Event generously sponsored by ChickChat and KuCumber Skin Lounge. ChickChat is all about Giving Women a Voice. Their diverse events give women the opportunity to enjoy a fun night out, connect with like-minded women and learn about topics & issues and non-profits that are changing our world for the better. Ku|Cumber Skin Lounge is dedicated to lovers of skin deep and heartfelt beauty, to all those who celebrate aging gracefully, to everyone who believes that affordability does not take away from luxury, for all of you out there who love to look your best.

Wine for this event is generously donated by O Wines. Founders Stacy Lill and Kathy Johanson have made it their mission to donate 100% of the net profits from O Wines to establish scholarship funds for low income, high potential youth.

Join us for this inspiring message of hope, which will stir compassion, strengthen faith and leave you empowered to make a difference in the world.

Saturday, January 21, 2012
11am – 1pm
Lakewood Seward Park Community Center
4916 S. Angeline, Sea. WA 98118

Fundraising reception, film screening and talk. Heavy appetizers, wine and coffee.

$40 regular seating, $150 to sit at Anuradha’s table

There is a VERY limited amount of tickets available for this unique opportunity to share the afternoon with Anuradha. Start the new year with some true inspiration – register now!
Buy Tickets for Anuradha Koirala Fundraising Reception, 1/21/2012

Crooked Trails to Host CNN’s 2010 Hero of the Year, Anuradha Koirala, in Seattle

Posted on December 15, 2011 by angela

Crooked Trails is honored to host Anuradha Koirala, CNN’s 2010 Hero of the Year, for a series of speaking engagements and interviews in January 2012. Anuradha Koirala is an internationally recognized humanitarian, activist and lecturer who has dedicated her life to combating the sexual exploitation of women and children.

Click here to view January 2012 event dates and details!

Ms. Koirala is the Founder and Executive Director of Maiti Nepal, which means “mother’s home” in Nepali. A native Nepali, she started Maiti Nepal in a small house in Kathmandu with her own savings from teaching English. Maiti Nepal now houses over 500 young women and children at their Kathmandu campus keeping the girls fed, housed, loved and healthy, as well as offering vocational training. Maiti Nepal rescues 250+ girls annually from the brothels of India returning them home to Nepal; Maiti Nepal and CNN calculate that since 1993 more than 12,000 girls have been rescued. In addition, Maiti Nepal has a strong border prevention program and in 2010 alone intercepted 3,400 girls in the process of being trafficked. Countless thousands more are prevented from being trafficked through their numerous intervention programs.

Anuradha has received over 30 prestigious international awards for her extraordinary work including the CNN Hero of the Year in 2010 and The United Nations Women’s Organization Prize.

An estimated 20,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into brothels in India each year and the number is increasing rapidly. Girls arrive at Maiti Nepal’s rescue center as social outcasts, many of them pregnant, with severe medical problems including HIV, no physical possessions other than the ragged and soiled clothing they are wearing, and no other place to take shelter. Anuradha takes care of them all.

Crooked NW Adventures: Cascade Mountain Snowshoe & Bonfire Bash

Posted on December 14, 2011 by angela

Announcing Crooked Northwest Adventures, a new series of fun weekend adventures with hip travel and outdoor enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest!

Cascade Mountain Snowshoe & Bonfire Bash
TWO DATES TO CHOOSE FROM!
January 15th, 2012
January 29th, 2012
Click here to register now!

Price: $69.00 pp includes snowshoes, transportation to the mountains, wilderness guide, alcohol, drinks and snacks.

Details: Meet at designated Seattle location at 1:00 PM. Transport to mountains in vans. Guided 4 hour snowshoe and 2 hour bonfire bash!

Limited number of participants per outing – register now!
Buy Tickets for Cascade Mountain Snowshoe and Bonfire Bash
Photo by metaphoricalplatypus courtesy creative commons

12 Days of Giving

Posted on December 13, 2011 by tammy

By Tammy Leland, Crooked Trails co-founder

heart hands There are many references to the 12 days of Christmas in songs and writings, but what are the 12 days of Christmas anyway? As far as I know, Christmas still falls on one day each year, December 25th. I remember as a child these little calendars you could get where you could open a tiny window for every day of the month of December but I don’t remember any reference to 12 special days. Then I saw a similar reference on Facebook and was incredibly inspired by Crooked Trails new Executive Director, Liz Truong, (yes, Liz, I am spying on you!) when she wrote:

“25 Days of Giving. Every year in December instead of gifts, I embark on 25 days of giving for the holidays – whether with time, talent, or treasure – each day to show family, friends, and even just people in the world that they are loved!”

Liz’s gifts have been everything from buying friends a pony keg to building a good friend a new website.

Now, I know it was Liz’s idea but I wanted to get in on this action. What a great idea.

About 12 years ago, I announced to my friends and family that I will no longer be buying commercialized, useless, guilt-driven Christmas gifts and I didn’t expect to receive any back (I know, what a Grinch!). As you can imagine, it didn’t sit right with everyone and many people did point out that it made them feel good to be able to give. I struggled for years with my own guilt about pulling out of what seemed to be a favorite American tradition. My husband, who comes from Cameroon, said that buying gifts was not a part of Christmas where he grew up. Whether Christian or not, people gathered in the churches, streets and bars to celebrate being together. I guessed I had secretly wished that Christmas for us would be like that. But as Liz has shown (and probably many of you), giving at Christmastime can come in many forms.

I am now about to embark on my own 12 days of giving (kudos to you Liz for doing 25!). So, when are the 12 days of Christmas anyways? According to a plethora of websites, contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th) as recognized by the western church.

Join me on Crooked Trails Facebook page as I share my 12 Days of Giving with my family and friends starting on December 25th. If you decide to do it too, please share with us on Facebook what you are giving this year for your 12 days of giving!

Happy Holidays!

Heart hands photo by pattista via creative commons

5 Reasons You Need to Go to Bhutan This Spring

Posted on December 9, 2011 by angela

Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a cultural stronghold locked away in the Himalayas. A treasure-box of traditional Himalayan life, Bhutan’s government did not open the country to tourism until the mid-70′s, and has held tight restrictions on tourism ever since to offset the destructive cultural and environmental impacts that wide scale tourism have proven to bring to other world destinations.

Bhutan’s allure has been felt by travelers the world over seeking a peek into its mysteries. Yet the controls on tourism that its government has in place limits the traveler’s options and access, as all visitors to the country are required to book and travel through a licensed operator. Crooked Trails is thrilled to offer a truly immersive journey into this enigmatic kingdom.

There are countless reasons to join Crooked Trails in Bhutan this spring; here are just five to start with…

#1 Three words – Gross National Happiness
Rather than focusing on production and economic growth, Bhutan is the only country in the world that measures its own Gross National Happiness as an indicator of its prosperity. The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance. Imagine for a moment what it is like to travel in a country where citizens’ traditions, values, environment and future are of the utmost importance to its government. Now there’s some food for thought!

#2 Phutsho & Phuntsho & Lotay
It’s a family affair! Your trip’s in-country arrangements are made by Phuntsho (Fin) and Lotay, two dynamic brothers who are committed to creating sustainable in their home country. Cousin Phutsho (yes, same name!) will be bringing you into Dorikha, and it is his family who you will be staying with. He’ll also be introducing you to his nomad brother and other families along the way. It’s going to be a great immersion – they are wonderful guides and everyone who has traveled with them absolutely loves them.

#3 Paro Festival = Hot Ticket
There’s really no better way to get under the skin of a place than to experience it during a time of celebration. This itinerary coincides with the Paro Festival, one of the biggest in Bhutan. Costumed, masked performers carry out ceremonial Buddhist dances that are considered an honor to witness. You’ll also have the chance to observe the unfurling of the world’s largest religious Thangka scroll, the Paro Thongdrel.

#4 The (nomadic) road less traveled
If there is such a thing as the road less traveled, this is it! You are embarking on a journey only a handful of tourists have made. Visitors were only allowed in the Haa Valley in 2004 and very few have been to Dorikha, the village where you will be experiencing a local home stay. The Dorip people of Dorikha are among the last traditional nomads in the country; most families will have just arrived back from their migration from their winter village. You will not be on the tourist circuit sleeping in hotels but rather eating and living in the local way. It is during this time that your understanding of true Bhutanese culture and life will be forged.

#5 Sights like these. . .
. . . need we say more?

Read more about the program and download the full itinerary here.
Space is limited; applications now being accepted.