Bhutan strictly controls access to its mountains, but that is because the people want it so. In the battle between sport and spiritual belief, the latter wins for the moment.
Where lies the perfect balance between earning easy dollars and preserving one´s traditions and culture? The dilemma which has confronted Bhutan ever since it opened to tourists extends to mountaineering expeditions as well. Many travel agencies have been established since the Government of Bhutan privatised tourism, and the Government has had to compromise on the number of tourists entering the country. Mountaineering regulations, however, have not been adjusted and remain extremely rigid in accordance with the spiritual sentiments of the population.
As Phub Thinlay, a gup, or village representative, for the Chomolhari region in the northeast, told a National Geographic writer: "I always pray to the local deities for snow when you outsiders come to our valley, so you will go away. You use all our firewood and show little respect for OUT tradition." Such emphatic outbursts have been echoed time and again in the brief span of mountaineering in Bhutan.
Only three peaks are open to climbers — Masang Gang (7200m), Jitchu Drake (6793m) and Khangbum (6500m). The royalty paid for these peaks are U$ 25,000, US 20,000 and U$ 15,000, respectively. All expedition hopefuls are screened by die Tourism Authority of Bhutan, a regulating body that was formed last year by the Bhutan Government.