One of the many reasons we love touring and trekking in Bhutan is that traveling in Bhutan is an amazing cultural experience. Even if you never set foot on a trail there, you’ll encounter an ancient Buddhist culture which was almost untouched by the outside world for centuries.

One indication of this quality is the number of languages spoken in Bhutan, which according to this article on the national newspaper, is 23 — 16 of them spoken only in Bhutan.

Remember, Bhutan has only about 700,000 residents living in an area of about 15,000 square miles. That’s fewer people than in our hometown of Portland, Oregon, living in an area a little bigger than Maryland. Of course, it’s the Himalayan Mountains of Bhutan that make this diversity happen; it’s not about the number of miles that separate two groups of people, but rather the topography.

All in all, another reminder of why we love traveling to Bhutan, whether it’s for cultural touring or trekking: it’s a country blessed with rare natural beauty and also amazing cultural diversity.