Guides

GUIDE (cultural)

Karma Yangchen was born in the beautiful valley of Naja under Paro district. She has a Bachelor degree in Life Science (B.Sc.) from Sherubtse College at the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB). Karma is a sincere young woman who loves her country and strongly believes in the preservation and promotion of its rich cultural diversity. This also motivated Karma in her decision to become a professional cultural tour guide. Due to her past studies and Bhutan’s rich biodiversity – the country is listed as one among the top 10 biodiversity hot-spots in the world – Karma Yangchen has developed a deep interest in flora and fauna. She loves exploring new things and is eager to gain knowledge and learn about the world. Apart from that, Karma loves interacting with people, traveling, hiking and wildlife photography.

GUIDE (cultural)

Nim Dem has been with us for a long time and developed into a lovely and confident young woman. She was born and raised on a farm in Punakha and knows her way around villages and farm life. That makes her  an invaluable companion during farm/homestay visits where she can provide plenty of information on everyday Bhutanese culture and traditions. Nim Dem has been described as “smart, knowledgeable and energetic” by some guests. She is also well liked by our homestay hosts due to her grounded, helpful and hands-on mentality which reflects her deep interest in social work. Nim Dem loves her profession and enjoys meeting new people from all walks of life and is certainly great company to our women travelers. Furthermore, Nim Dem is interested in photography and she attended available training such as the Nat Geo Camp.

GUIDE (cultural)

Jamyang Thinley was born in Yadhi (Mongar) in the remote east of Bhutan. He holds a BA in Geography and Economics from Sherubtse College in Kanglung, Trashigang. During his studies he worked as a research fellow with guest researchers from Kyoto University. Hence he was able to explore many places in the east, learning a lot about culture and history but also agricultural practices and challenges faced by the farmers. After completion of his studies his greatest wish was to train as a tour guide because he loves travelling and learning more about the unique culture and history of his home country. At the same time he enjoys sharing his insights and passion with others. Jamyang’s enjoys interacting with people and he loves basketball, movies, reading and hiking. Jamyang is a charming and jolly young man who will go out of his way to make your days in Bhutan memorable!

SPECIALIST GUIDE: Textiles, weaving & dyeing

Rinzin Wangmo started weaving at the very young age of 10 years. Her mother, a full time weaver, insisted that she continue the family tradition in addition to her schooling. The art of weaving is very strenuous and can be monotonous at times especially for a little girl. However, young Rinzin got hooked when her first woven fabric, a male garment (gho), was sold at the local market and earned her some pocket money. Many years later in 2008 she was invited to represent the Bhutanese art of weaving at the Smithsonian Exhibition in the USA. Rinzin then realized that her passion for weaving and textiles combined with her interest in social work can contribute to the preservation of this important Bhutanese craft whilst supporting vulnerable rural people. She became a volunteer member of the Women Association of Bumthang where her responsibilities have since grown. Today she is the focal person for domestic and youth violence. Travelling with Rinzin will be informative in many ways!

GUIDE (cultural)
Karma Choden was born in a remote village half way to Haa valley. After completing class XII, Karma obtained a diploma in commercial accounting and worked in a private company for a while. As her interest in tourism grew stronger, Karma decided to train as a cultural tour guide. She loves to interact with different people and  share her insights into local traditions and the culture of her beautiful country. Karma is knowledgeable about village livelihoods, local rituals and hospitality practices due to many years she spent on her family farm. She is well aware of the many hardships and responsibilities Bhutanese rural folks face in daily life, especially women. Karma enjoys travelling and hiking and she is interested in photography, music and reading. Karma is a lovely and pleasant travel companion who will share her interesting insights once she opens up. 

SPECIALIST GUIDE: Bird watching & photography

Chencho Wangdi is from Khangkhu in Paro district. He holds a diploma in Financial Management and works as an accountant. Chencho spends most of his freetime with outdoor activities in particular hiking, bird watching and wildlife photography. With his photographs he wants to raise awareness and educate youth on the importance of wildlife conservation issues in Bhutan. Chencho is a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN) and loves meeting and sharing ideas with new people. Currently Chencho keeps record of birds found around Paro Dzongkhag and in future he wants to become a professional wildlife conservation photographer. You can follow Chencho’s stories and photography on his blog. Chencho is our specialist guide for birding and wildlife photography and keeps exploring new places in his beautiful country.

GUIDE (cultural)

Sonam Choden was born in Sumthrang, Ura valley, Bumthang. Her family belongs to the hereditary Ngoe lineage of which Pema Lingpa is a prominent exponent. The family founded the Nyoe foundation and the family monastery can be visited by our guests. Sonam currently pursues her Ph.D. in Tibetology at the University of Hamburg in Germany. She loves Buddhism and Buddhist history. She guides during her holidays in Bhutan and is mostly interested in pilgrimage tours, religious history and likes to focus on female saints in Bhutan.

GUIDE (cultural & trekking)

Sonam Chophel is one of our senior guides. He holds a Bachelor degree in science from Sherubtse College in Kanglung (East Bhutan). He occasionally worked as a research assistant and therefore is well trained and equipped to explain and interpret local cultural practices to foreign guests. He is a multi-talented and multi-skilled young man and well informed about ongoing issues in the country. Sonam is also extremely jolly and fun to be around. He is very capable when it comes to ad-hoc itinerary changes, organizing last minute changes and networking with all sorts of people. Some of Sonam’s salient features are his genuine and honest character and high ethical standards. He loves village life and Buddhism, hiking, trekking, and mountain biking. Sonam furthermore enjoys travelling with kids and keeps them entertained during long drives with his jokes and jolly nature.

GUIDE (cultural)

Kuenzang Choeden Tenzin was born in Lhuntse and brought up in Western Bhutan. She completed a degree in English Language Literature from CMS college of science and commerce, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Other than her mother tongue Kurtoepkha, she speaks Sharchop, Dzongkha, English, Nepali, Hindi and basic Tamil. Kuenzang wanted to become a tour guide because she is very interested in meeting with people from different cultures. She loves supporting rural communities and hence introducing guests to village life and farm/homeststay hosts. Kuenzang herself is well grounded in village life not least because she has been helping on her family’s farm in Yurbi, Lhuntse since childhood. Kuenzang is also interested in photography.