Phuentsholing to Thimphu

Bhutan, though it's the size of Switzerland, looks minuscule wedged between India and China	The Gate of Bhutan at the border between Jaigoan, India (West Bengal) and Phuentsholing, Bhutan	The striking difference between the towns on each side of the gate is as stark as crossing from Tijuana to San Diego	The Gate of Bhutan, Phuentsholing
The main street of Phuentsholing leading from the Gate of Bhutan	The area around the Lhaki Hotel, Phuentsholin	Phuentsholing sits right at the base of the first foothills of the Himalaya	Lhaki Hotel, Phuentsholing, Bhutan
Garuda - Lhaki Hotel, Phuentsholing, Bhutan	Mural of Tshering Namdrug - the six types of Long Life (old man, deer, stork, rock, waterfall, tree)	Me with the guide, Tandin, and a photographer who has been traveling with the Dalai Lama	Phuentsholing, Bhutan
The Visa Counter on the Bhutan-side of the border, Phuentsholing	The Five Kings of Bhutan	From the India-Bhutan border at Phuentsholing it is 172 km to the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu	Starting the long climb to Thimphu
The border towns of Phuentsholing and Jaigoan	The plains of Bengal meeting the foothills of the Himalaya - Jaigoan/Phuentsholing	The road climbs quickly into the Bhutanese foothills of the Himalaya	The Torsa River flowing onto the plains of Bengal from Bhutan where it is known as the Amo Chu River
The road from Phuentsholing into the mountains	Climbing higher and higher above the Bengali plains	The forested foothills of the Himalaya, Bhutan	Typical house of rural Bhutan - distinct alpine style
Switchbacks as the road climbs above Phuentsholing	Road construction on the Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road	Roadside refreshment stands, Bhutan	Road construction machinery emiting an ugly plume of smoke into the clean, crisp mountain air, Bhutan
The road climbs from Phuentsholing (elevation 750 ft) to over 8000 feet prior to reaching Thimphu	The Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road	Switchback high above the Bengali Plains, Bhutan	Jhumja Slide - Beware of Shooting Stones, Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road
Before the road was built in 1962, Bhutan was cut off from the world, accessible only on mountain foot paths	With the new road, the journey time between the Indian border and Thimphu was reduced from 6 days to 6 hours	Bhuddist Bhutan has thousands of stupas	Village outside Gedu on the Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road
Rural house near Gedu, Bhutan	Arriving at Gedu, the first big town along the road from the border	Gedu is 45 km from Phuentsholing and 127 km from the capital city, Thimphu	Gedu, Bhutan
Gedu, Bhutan	Bhutanese license plate (private vehicle)	Indianoil gas station, Gedu, Bhutan	Gedu College of Business Studies, Chukka District, Bhutan
Tala Complex - Tala Hydropower Project Authority (THPA), Gedu, Bhutan	The Tala Hydroelectric Project was started 1998 and commissioned in 2007	Mosaic of the Tala Hydroelectric Project	Tala Hydroelectric Project - A Symbol of India-Bhutan Friendship - and the source of 45% of government revenue
Tala Hydroelectric Project, the largest in Bhutan - 1020MW, most exported to India	A small Bhuddist shrine with prayer flags	A small stream along the road	Bhutan is a land of waterfalls
Waterfall outside Gedu	Waterfall outside Gedu	Waterfall outside Gedu	Waterfall, Bhutan
Traditional Bhutanese architecture uses no nails - the woodwork is assembled with dove-tail joints	Thankfully there was very little traffic on the road - a bit surprising since so much must be imported from India	An unpaved section of the Phuentsholing-Thimpu Road	Large waterfall near Chhukha, Bhutan
Large waterfall near Chhukha, Bhutan	Large waterfall near Chhukha, Bhutan	Dennis and the guide, Tandin Dorji	The driver, Jimi, and the guide, Tandin, organized by Snow White Treks & Tours
Truck heading downhill towards Chhukha	Turnoff for the Tala Dam, Wangkha, Bhutan	Wangkha, Bhutan	Part of the Tala Hydroelectric Project, Bhutan
Tala Hydroelectric Project	Rockslides are not uncommon in Bhutan	A truck on the road to Thimphu painted up like those in India	Tshimasham-Chukha, Bhutan
Tshimasham-Chukha, Bhutan	Tsimasham-Chukha, Bhutan	Prayer flags leading to the Shiv Mandir Shrine at a waterfall between Bunakha and Lobnekha, Bhutan	Waterfall with prayer flags - Shiv Mandir Shrine
Waterfall with prayer flags - Shiv Mandir Shrine	The forest-covered hills and mountains of Bhutan are beautiful	Looking across the valley near Tanalung to the continuation of the road to Thimphu	Ta Chhog Zam - Most Excellent High Bridge, Dantak
View from the Ta Chhog Zam bridge	Concrete pillars of the old bridge	Prayer flags	Please do not urinate around checkpoint areas
Waiting while the guide completes formalities at the checkpoint	Continuing on the road to Thimphu	High point on the Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road	Nearing the heartland of Western Bhutan
The road to Thimphu	Village clinging to the hillside near Chapcha, Bhutan	Now around 50 km south of the capital, Thimphu	There is very little flat land in Bhutan
Valley of the Wang Chhu River	The road to Thimphu following the east bank of the Wang Chhu River	Bhutan scenery	The road to Thimphu
9km south of Chuzon along the Wang Chu valley	Major highway for Bhutan	Dobji Dzong, Bhutan	Wang Chhu River
Wang Chhu River	Wang Chhu River	Wang Chhu River	Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road 31km south of the capital
Chuzom - the confluence	Chuzom is the confluence of the where the Pho Chhu (Father River) & Mo Chhu (Mother River) come together to form the Wang Chhu	Chortens at the conflence, Chuzom	Looking south along the Wang Chhu from the Chuzom Bridge
Wang Chhu River, Bhutan	Indo-Bhutan Friendship Bridge (1989-1990), Chuzom	From the junction, it's 19km to Paro Airport and a further 5 km to the town	Let us unite, fight AIDS & build a strong community to stop the spread of AIDS, Bhutan
The Mo Chhu branch of the Wang Chhu River heading towards Thimphu	The road to Thimphu passing some terraced fields	A traditional rural Bhutanese house, Wangsisna	Terraced fields south of Thimphu
In a country with little flat land, terraces are important features for agriculture	Sun Flower, Wang Chhu Valley	Agricultural area between Chhuzom and Thimphu	A pair of abandoned houses
Wang Chhu Valley just south of Thimphu	A small village with rice fields near Thimphu	Khasadrapchu, 19km south of Thimphu	Khasadrapchu, Bhutan
A school, perhaps...	Wang Chhu Valley nearing Thimphu	Rice fields along the Wang Chhu near Thimphu	Rice fields along the Wang Chhu near Thimphu
Rice fields along the Wang Chhu near Thimphu	Bhutan Licence Plate (private vehicle BP)	Bhutan License Plate (government vehicle BG)	Snow White Treks & Tours - recommended