BIKING IN BHUTAN Three men, three Royal Enfields and one epic ride across the Himalayan Kingdom

IT IS BETTER TO TRAVEL WELL than to arrive, so the saying goes. It was what influenced Scott A. Woodward’s 10-day journey across The Land of the Thunder Dragon on two wheels. We chatted with the award-winning photographer about his incredible bike ride across Bhutan.

How did the idea for the trip come about?

Every year, my father, my brother and I go on a motorcycle ride somewhere around the world. I’ve been to Bhutan six times in the past decade and I wanted to share its magic with my family. Furthermore, the thought of riding motorcycles along Bhutan’s narrow mountain switchbacks, through forests of pine and stacked rice terraces and across its Himalayan passes was an old fantasy of mine. Sharing this experience with my father and brother was a dream come true.

The planning for this trip must have been massive.

Well, it took us a year to plan the ride, from December 2017 when I had the initial idea to 12 months later when we were riding in Bhutan. I worked closely with my friends at DrukAsia, the official representative of Bhutan’s national airline and a licensed tour operator. They helped to plan the route, managed the travel logistics, issued the visas we needed, hired our guides and support vehicles, and arranged for the rental of the Royal Enfield Classic 500cc motorcycles.

What were the most memorable experiences from this trip?

Oh, there are so many. From hiking towards the iconic Taktsang Monastery, commonly known as Tiger’s Nest, to stumbling upon a pair of monks practising their dungchens, or Bhutanese long trumpets, at Punakha Dzong,