A Treker’s Guide to Bhutan
2 April, 2007 - Trekking guides are a strange breed of people. Hardened by years of hanging out in the hostile environment of our high mountains, they are very strong headed, almost arrogant some would agree.
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Second opinions about the ways of the mountain just remain opinions; the cause of many fights with equally stubborn clients (tourists), and many life threatening incidents in the mountains elsewhere.
So it was with much reluctance that I agreed to go through “Bhutan- A Trekker’s Guide” by Bart Jordans for Kuensel. I have seen this publication in the bookstores in Thimphu for a while, but never felt the need of a second opinion about the mountains that I knew so well. The fact that it was written by a chilip didn’t help either.
The first thought that struck me on holding the book was that it had a water-resistant plastic cover. Obviously the author had spent many a times in wet weather conditions to have thought about this simple but innovative idea of protecting this Nu.1,300 book (DSB Book Store, Thimphu). The book is also well sized to fit in your backpack.
The book starts with a general introduction offering advice on preparation and fitness, altitude sickness and information to ensure a minimum-impact trek.
“More people have reached the summit of Everest than have successfully completed the Lunana (Snowman) trek!” the book warns. The guidebook covers 27 treks all over Bhutan. The popular treks like the Jumolhari trek, The Drukpath, the Laya Lingshi trek, the Snowman and the Gangkar Punsum trek are well described in great detail, including lunch spots. Each trek is illustrated with a nice map, further complimented with beautiful pictures. Of particular interest to me was the time the sun hit the camps.
Some of the treks described are not much of particular interest to the tourism industry yet, but could be of use to government officials visiting far flung settlements. A note of caution in such cases; a fit Bhutanese person can cover much more distance than as described in most of the treks.
| BHUTAN- A TREKKER’S GUIDE by Bart Jordans
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Besides the descriptions, there are insightful side notes about the treks. The author has obviously spent a lot of time in our mountains, and made many friends to know all these “inside stuff”. Even if not for trekking, this book has interesting stories about our mountain culture.