Bhutan

Bhutan is a mountainous country, where mountains and hills occupy most of the land. Out of the 2,400 km long Himalayan range, the Bhutan Himalayas extend up to 340 km. The country is vulnerable to various hazards due to fragile geological conditions, great elevation differences, and steep sloping terrain. Apart from landslides and river erosion, the mountainous region is also quite susceptible to disastrous hazards due to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).

Bhutan is situated in the eastern Himalayas between the latitudes 26 45 N to 28 10 N and longitudes 8845 E to 9210 E. It is 340 km in length with an approximate area of 40,077 sq. km. It is bordered by the Tibetan plateau of China in the north and the Indian States of Sikkim in the west, West Bengal, and Assam in the south, and Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous with elevations ranging from 200 metres above sea level to above 7,000 metres above sea level within a distance of less than 175 km. The area above 4,200 metres above sea level covers 20.5% of the total land and is covered by the perpetual snow and ice forming the glaciers and glacial lakes. The variation of the climate is extremely dependent on the altitude.

Bhutan has three regions that are open to visitors. Bhutan tours are pretty popular among travelers and each year thousands of visitors visit the country to trek to its mountainous regions. These three regions are distinctly different due to the prominent north, south mountain ranges that separate each area resulting in different topographical features Western Bhutan Western Bhutan is comprised of the Haa Valley at 8860ft. (recently opened to limited travel), Paro Valley at 7200ft., Thimphu at 7500ft. the Punakha Valley and Wangdue Phodrang at 4200ft., separated by high passes or “La’s”: Cheli La (3988m, 13,084ft.), Dochu La (3050m, 10,007ft.), Pele La (3300m, 10,825ft., separates Western from Central). Western Bhutan is known for its stunning scenery with rice paddies and orchards cascading down magnificent mountains, the pristine rivers that flow through the main towns of Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, and unique two-story houses with brightly painted window designs.