Paradise, Eden. We use these words (and, every once in a while, the dreadfully shopworn Shangri-La) to describe Bhutan. We try to avoid gilding already resplendent lilies, but we’re committed to accuracy; as far as we and our many Bhutan travelers are concerned, a trip to the kingdom is a little like going to heaven without all the bother and expense of dying. (Thanks to the master, P. G. Wodehouse, for that line.)

On this particularly paradisiacal trip we take advantage of the kingdom’s eyecaressing landscapes with a series of day hikes in some of its loveliest valleys: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, and Phobjikha. And each night we’ll stay in a delightful hotel, guesthouse, or local lodge, forgoing the pleasures of camping for the equal pleasures of Bhutanese hospitality and comfort. The only country in South Asia without a population problem, Bhutan offers the rare chance for escapading in intact landscapes with surprisingly up-to-date amenities close at hand. And the wandering is glorious: wildflowers bursting with life, snow peaks in the distance, idyllic farmhouses, cheery folks waving, and, in the spring, swirling fields of rhododendrons and, in the fall, visits from rare black-necked cranes, among much Edenic else.

Days 1 & 2: USA to Bangkok • Day 3: fly to Paro • Day 4: Paro • Day 5: drive to Punakha • Day 6: Punakha • Days 7 & 8: Phobjikha • Days 9: Wangdiphodrang • Days 10 & 11: Thimphu • Days 12 & 13: Paro • Day 14: Paro to Bangkok • Day 15: return to USA.

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