Keys to Bhutan - Client Testimonials
Experience Extraordinaire
Bhutan had been a dream travel destination for us since early 2004.
The first time we had heard about this mysterious kingdom was via a Travel article in the New York Times and what an amazing first impression Bhutan made on us! We were simply swept away by the lush pictures and wonderous descriptions and were instantly hooked.
We were hungry to learn more about this tiny mountainous country, more about the real Bhutan experience. Hence we took up the opportunity to tailor our tour and focus on Bhutanese life/culture/food & drink,
experiencing Bhutan the way locals do. We count ourselves extremely fortunate to have Anan as our guide. He was nothing short of friendly, polite, knowledgable and informative right from the word "Go!". Be it while trekking up to Taktsang Monastary or over cups of the local brew 'ara', we would happily discuss Bhutan's socio economic landscape, switching easily from local dating/relationship practices to economic prospects and the ruling monarchy.
Food and markets being of particular interest, we stopped at every market we came across and opened our eyes to a whole variety of local food products: mushrooms, orchid buds, tea leaves, yak meat and cheese-on-a-string. We were also delighted to try many local dishes and especially took a liking to 'ema-datsi', the fiery chilli and cheese dish served at every meal, while constantly marvelling at the Bhutanese's ability to power through mountains of red rice at one sitting.
Another notable highlight was the visit to a village family in Tang Valley. It was a real privilege to share their life that evening, sipping warm 'bangchang' and chatting quietly to the father as he tended the stove while mother prepared buckwheat pancakes for dinner and daughter nursed her infant at the edge of the stove light. It is just one of many unique moments in the tour that we will treasure for many
years to come.
Anan, Gelay and Keys to Bhutan made our trip an unbelievable journey from start to finish with their depth of experience, broad knowledge and delightful companionship. They certainly reinforced my belief that as a top boutique travel operator, they displayed a level of service that is unmatched by their peers and we would not hesitate to return to Bhutan again with them.
Wern Lim – Singapore
Shaunna Chang – Malaysia
Kang Lung – Australia
( September, 2006 )
