For years I wanted to visit the Land of the Thunder Dragon, the mythic place where James Hilton cast his famous novel, Lost Horizons. For many years, the border was closed to westerners but in recent years, travelers have been admitted even though the facilities are limited, especially in the rural areas.

Bhutan is a theocracy, the only country in the world where the Tantric form of Buddhism is the official religion. Perched on the edge of the great Himalayas, bordering China to the north and India to the south, Bhutan remains a 16th century society when you pass beyond the margins of the few modern highways.

The lifestyle is rural with little communication with the modern world although times are beginning to change with more education and travel. For photographers, the festivals and extraordinary scenery are a feast for the eyes [and the camera].

So here it is: Bhutan as I have experienced it.