Bhutan: Kingdom of the Sky
As our plane begins its descent towards the small airstrip at Paro International Airport, the Captain asked us to brace ourselves for what was expected to be a very bumpy landing, and I was painfully reminded that this remote Himalayan airport was reputed to be so dangerous that only eight pilots in the world are qualified to land there.
Paro Airport in Bhutan is 1.5 miles above sea level and surrounded by the tortured topography of jagged mountains, with towering peaks of up to 18,000 ft tall. The treacherous runway is just 6,500 feet long – one of the few in the world shorter than their actual elevation above sea level. Until July 2011, just one airline, Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, was allowed to use the facility.
Despite the perilous landing conditions, the views over the lush and verdant Paro Valley, with its sacred Buddhist temples, a scattering of historic buildings, pristine rivers and remote mountain villages, instantly remind you this is also one of the most beautiful countries in the Himalayas.
Nostalgic Flight :The short flight from Kathmandu in neighbouring Nepal, with Drukair’s new 48-seat, ATR 42-500 twin-turboprop, short-haul regional airliner took little over an hour, and being propeller-driven, provided what was unquestionably one of the most nostalgic scheduled flights I have ever had the good fortune to board, and possibly the most dramatic view of Himalayan scenery I have ever seen.
At this high altitude, flights into Paro are only allowed during the daylight hours and under visual meteorological conditions, in which the pilot must make his judgements by eye, rather than rely on instruments as would be the case in night flights.
The cool mountain air embraces us as we step off the plane in the tiny, dusty valley town of Paro, our faces immediately freshened from the stifling humidity of the cabin and anxieties of the hairy landing. Beyond the rudimentary airport buildings, and vision of the imposing Rinpung Dzong monastery, standing sentinel in the distance, the lush foliage of the Paro Valley shimmers in the bright morning sunlight, at once mesmerizingly beautiful and peaceful.
A Uniquely Distinct Country : Tucked away between China and India in the heart of the Himalayas, Bhutan remains a uniquely distinct country. Few explorers have been granted permission to visit this long-inaccessible Kingdom, now a democracy, where life quietly unfolds to the rhythm of traditions amidst the magnificent, unspoilt landscape.
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, has been remarkably successful in preserving its Buddhist culture while also drawing on the benefits of Western know-how, such as environmental conservation and improvements in public health and education.
Readmore : https://www.oxmag.co.uk/articles/bhutan-kingdom-of-sky/
Leave a Comment