Despite being much smaller in size, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka have as varied a history and culture as their larger neighbour India. Each country is well worth visiting on its own, and with plenty to see one can return several times to each. Of course, combining any of these with India is easy and a choice many of our clients make.
The birthplace of Gautam Buddha, home to the brave Gorkhas and the mighty Himalayan range including Mt Everest, Nepal has a rich and vibrant Hindu and Buddhist culture, with a flavour uniquely and refreshingly Nepalese. Visitors can explore fascinating monuments, get to see Tigers, Elephants and one-horned Rhinoceros in the national parks, and hike along the country’s world-famous trekking routes; just some of the many reasons why Nepal features on every traveller’s must-visit list.
A pioneer of the concept of ‘Gross National Happiness’, Bhutan is also one of the world’s most proactive countries for Conservation of Nature, with 60% of the country’s land dedicated to forest cover. Buddhism is actively practised by most of the population and permeates every aspect of daily life. Visitors to Bhutan get to see its ubiquitous Dzongs – monastic fortresses, diverse Wildlife, stunning mountainous scenery, rhododendrons in spring, and some of the most colourful and spectacular festivals anywhere in the Indian subcontinent.
Rarely can one witness the simply astounding diversity of culture, activity and wildlife in such a compact area as is offered in Sri Lanka. The fantastic cultural sites of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya, treks in the Horton Plains, Leopard sightings in Yala, colonial architecture in Galle, Whale watching in Mirissa and the stunning beaches at Bentota; are all within easy reach of each other by road, without having to resort to a single domestic flight!
