Chugging Back To Happiness: Riding A Royal Enfield Across Bhutan

Few countries can match Bhutan for eco credentials. Motoring editor Jeremy Taylor chats to Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby about how a remote Himalayan country is leading the way.

C&TH Guide To Responsible Tourism

Photography by Ben Akin-Smith

Bhutan On A Royal Enfield Himalayan

JT – What do you know about the world’s first mindfulness city?

JT-P – Nothing, but I’m guessing that Bhutan is the location, right?

Gelephu was announced last year by King Jigme – a global showcase for sustainability and urban development. Following the banks of a river network, it promises to be a spectacular enterprise.

I’ve read that King Jigme and Queen Jetsun are the ‘Wills and Kate’ of the Himalayas?

Yes, and HRH is determined to keep Bhutan a high-value, low volume destination. An incredible 70 per cent of the country is forested, the country aims to be waste-free by 2030 and volunteers work to keep Bhutan clean and beautiful.

So, what’s the first thing people ask when you tell them about visiting Bhutan?

Where it is! Sandwiched between the superpowers of India and China, Bhutan clings to the edge of the Himalayas and remains a low-revving haven of calm in an increasingly fast-paced world.

It’s a country infused with deep-rooted traditions and strong Buddhist beliefs. How come not so many people go there?

The Land of the Thunder Dragon only opened to tourists 50 years ago, celebrating that landmark anniversary as recently as last month (JUNE). Remote and removed, the country remains wrapped in a veil of mystique, partly because visiting is not exactly the cheap option. 

You had better explain about Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fund

The SDF is a bone of contention in the local travel industry as it requires every visitor to pay a daily fee of $100, money that is then pumped back into tourism. At one point the price was $250!

Ouch! I assume that deters a lot of tourists?

The SDF ensures Bhutan isn’t overwhelmed with travellers and helps maintains its other-worldly personae. A compulsory guide is an extra cost, although now visitors are allowed to book every element themselves, rather than via a registered tour operator as before.

Did you meet many tourists?

About six westerners in ten days! Saddling up on a motorbike is by far the best way to experience Bhutan’s sensational scenery and famous Gross National Happiness – a unique measure of the population’s overall wellbeing – up close and personal. 

I gather the flight to Paro from Delhi was ‘interesting’ too?

Paro is Bhutan’s only international airport. Nestled in a valley between 18,000ft peaks, only 24 pilots are qualified to land, thanks to the runway’s geographically complicated location. On the road, watch out for wandering animals – they’re everywhere.

Being a Buddhist country, the cows and horses obviously know it would be very bad karma if a driver hit them!

Indeed! The Bhutanese call these stubborn animals ‘roundabouts’ and they pop up everywhere. To counter such dangers, a blanket 50kph speed limit covers country roads – reduced to 30kph in urban areas. That may sound Draconian but you likely haven’t hit a cow pat on a hairpin, with a 200-metre drop on the exit and no barrier.

So, how was the Royal Enfield? Not the quickest bike but easy to ride.

My ten-day motorcycle tour was arranged by Bhutanese company, Jigme Expeditions. The Himalayan adventure bike I rode is one of the most sought-after machines in the country, thanks to its lightweight, low-speed, easy-to-fix and go-anywhere abilities. A single-cylinder plodder loaded with modest performance is ideal for a country built on mountains.

You came back in one piece but how were those roads?

Company boss Jigme Tshering calmly explained the rules of the road as we drove to the capital, Thimphu. Overtaking in slow-moving traffic – often on blind corners – is commonplace. Most of the lorries display a hand-painted ‘press horn’ sign on the rear to signal your intention to pass, while any white line in the middle of the road is for guidance only. 

What were the highlights?

The Buddha Dordenma Statue is a short ride from Thimphu. This massive, golden monument dominates a hillside and measures 169 ft high, with another 125,000 mini Buddhist statues hidden inside. Tootling about through the forests and hillsides, it’s clear Bhutan is enthused with a comforting sense of hassle-free calm. 

How high did you go in the Himalayas?

Around 12,000 ft. The mountainous road to Punakha, up the Dochula Pass, is a route that twists and turns like a contorted Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps. I managed a few treks too, although you might want to factor in the effect of altitude.

Anywhere else that you’d recommend to our intrepid travellers?

Yes, the Bumthang region. The roads here are infested with wild horses, monkeys and, for some unknown reason, snooker halls. The national sport is archery, although the Bhutanese play a sharp game of field darts too. Bumthang is a fertile region swathed in forests, buckwheat and red rice fields. Some of the oldest temples are located here.

And what about the food?

Expect a lot of pumpkin soup, chicken and spice, often mixed with yak cheese. Ema Datshi is the national dish, garlic, split chillies and tomatoes with rice, plus more yak cheese. In the evening, a can of Bhutanese beer and a snooker match is a big night out, or try a hot stone bath, which does what it says on the tin. Oh, and watch out for the tea – it’s incredibly sweet!

A bucket list trip?

Absolutely. Largely untouched by the modern world, in a country more interested in happiness than Gross Domestic Product, Bhutan is a unique and magical kingdom that also happens to be a biker’s paradise.

Getting There

Jigme Expeditions offer a ten-day bike tour from £2,500 per person full board, based on two people sharing a room in 3-star accommodation. Price includes SDF, guide, road captain, technician, back-up vehicle and motorbikes. jigmeexpeditions.com

Return flights from London to Delhi start from £740. Onward Drukair return flights to Paro from around £450. 

For more information on Bhutan visit bhutan.travel

Jeremy was working in Bhutan when this review was conducted.