In 2011, Sweet Mango will take a group of young people (17 - 25) to remote eastern Bhutan to trek and serve. July is warm in south-central, sub-tropical Bhutan. We’ll head east from the capital of Thimphu and then south into an extremely rural and untouched area of central Bhutan. Most of our time will be spent hiking (there are no roads), camping and exploring very rural areas of this mysterious country. We’ll be guests in farming villages and ancient Buddhist monasteries. The environment here is rich with sub-tropical flora and unusual fauna.

Our guide, Dasho Karma Ura, is the President of the Center for Bhutan Studies, an elected member of the National Assembly, a practicing Buddhist and an avid and knowledgeable environmentalist. He is from the region of Bhutan that we will visit on this un-tour. We are honored by his interest and expect to find his presence to be a most significant highlight of this adventure.

Dasho Karma and his wife, Chimi are working on a plan to build a school in this rural part of Bhutan. The curriculum will incorporate the four pillars of Gross National Happiness: good governance, cultural and spiritual preservation, environmental protection, and sustainable economic growth. Our group will likely help with these plans.

(see the Tours page for a similar option for “more mature” travelers).