Description

Come with us to the Land of the Thunder Dragon, on a quest for glory!

Situated in the Eastern Himalayas, on the path of the ancient Silk Road, the Kingdom of Bhutan is a delicious enigma for many travellers – a peaceful, Buddist democracy renowned for pioneering the concept of gross national happiness, Bhutan is also famous amongst naturalists in the know for its incredible biodiversity – this sparsely populated and little-visited country remains largely unspoilt, a rare gem in these changing days of the 21^st century.

Our top butterfly target is the iconic, dramatic, and stunningly beautiful Bhutan Glory Bhutanitis lidderdalii!

But there is a remarkable range of other species to look for, including a host of emperors, gorgons, satyrs and the glorious Common Blue Apollo and even the chance of the dazzling Kaiser-i-Hind! We’ll also be keeping track of the birds, mammals and flora we encounter during our dozen days exploring the elevations and hidden corners of what is some of the most visually stunning countryside in region.

Bhutan is a mountainous country and it takes time to move between the various locations. The best time for butterflying tends to be between mid-morning and mid-afternoon (approximately 10am – 2pm), so we will aim to manage our longer drives to avoid these times and spend the time in the field.

At this time of year some cool and wet weather is to be expected, but somewhat against logical thinking, the Bhutan Glory flies well in these conditions and we should see them at their prime on this tour – perfect for photo opportunities!

Your guide for this adventure will be Sonam Dorji. He graduated from Sherubtse college in eastern Bhutan with a B.Sc. in Physical science. He worked as a communication officer in an Environmental NGO in Bhutan for several years. He began butterflying in 2010 and since then has been engaging actively in butterfly and wildlife promotion in Bhutan. He has already made a significant contribution towards the knowledge of butterfly fauna in Bhutan, including the recording of several species for the first time in the country. During the recent pandemic, he discovered the elusive Kaiser I hind in Bhutan, plus a location where Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii) and Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis ludlowi) fly together, something which had not previously been observed elsewhere.

We’ll expect to see mammals the likes of the beautiful and globally endangered Golden Langur and, with a national bird list approaching 800 species, we’ll confidently expect to see some special species – including members of the dramatic hornbill family amongst others. The habitats we’ll visit will vary from lowland forest to alpine passes, ensuring that we maximise our exposure to as many butterflies, birds and mammals as possible.

We’d be delighted for you to join us on a unique and very special tour to beautiful Bhutan!