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very important and urgent message for you: if you want to see Bhutan as it's been for centuries, go now . Right now before King Jigme Singye Wangchuck gives up his day job, and the nation becomes a constitutional democracy.The change is imminent, so don't delay.

In the meantime, the king has been very cautious. It's not that he's not a progressive thinker (on the contrary — the change in government was his idea). In fact, he's the first in a line of recent Bhutanese kings to open his kingdom up to foreigner visitors. But King Wangchuck is also intent on maintaining the integrity of his people's culture, protecting the pristine mountainsides on which they live, and preserving nature's delicate balance here.

Which explains why you need an invitation from the king himself to cross into Bhutan's border (at least for the time being).

R. Crusoe is on his short list. Join us for an exploration of one of Asia's most untouched countries (at least for the time being). Arriving in tiny Bhutan is like stepping into a time machine.Things are done pretty much as they have been for centuries &mdash: and the Bhutanese are a happy lot.

We offer two journeys to Bhutan: our seven-day Bhutan. Inside the Hidden Himalayan Kingdom, and a more in-depth journey, Farther Inside Bhutan. 11 Days.

Our seven-day tour begins in Paro, one of two Bhutanese "cities" (population: 35,000 or so). Take a gorgeous drive to Thimphu, the other Bhutanese metropolis. Meet the local population, see the national library and museum, learn all about dzongs and the fundamentals of tantric Mahayana Buddhism, central to everyday life here.

Traverse Dochu La Pass (elevation 10,300 feet) into the Punakha Valley, winter HQ of the government. Enter Anim Dratsang Nunnery by special permission, and see how female monks live, work, and worship.

Back to Paro for ancient temples, thangka paintings, and to hear of the trials and tribulations of Bhutan's first king, who set off a revolt in the late 1800s.

Does Rinpung Dzong looks familiar? No wonder; Bernardo Bertolucci used it as the setting for his 1993 film, "Little Buddha."

If you'd like, pony trek up to Tiger's Nest Monastery, where Guru Rinpoche came to figure things out a millennium ago. Or take a less challenging trek to Draka Dzong. Consider some retail therapy along the lovely little streets of Paro.

At the end of your stay, jet back to your Asian gateway city and then home, having finally made it to Shangri-La (at least for the time being).

R. Crusoe's 11-day tour through Bhutan takes you deeper inside the kingdom. The journey begins just as the shorter one does-Paro and Thimphu. Then we're off to the Phobjikha Valley, whose rough-hewn beauty is reminiscent of America's Southwest. This is home to a rich assortment of wildlife. Be on the lookout for rare black-necked cranes, red pandas, Himalayan bears, and other creatures on the ground and overhead.

In Jakar, also known as Bumthang, visit Gangte Goemba Monastery, founded by one of the kingdom's most significant religious figures.

Pele La Pass leads us to Trongsa. Altitude: 11,000 feet. Here Buddhism took root in Bhutan. See where it all happened hundreds of years ago. Likewise, in the Bumthang Valley, Guru Rinpoche touched down and changed the course of history here for good. Sprawling Wangdichholing Palace served as home to a succession of kings. We see its exterior, including five giant water-driven prayer wheels.

Over the Yoto La Pass (at 11,150 feet) to Wangdi or Punakha, depending on the hotel you favor. There are dzongs to explore before we, too, enter the Anim Dratsang Nunnery to meet the female monks at home.

Then choose a trek to Tiger's Nest Monastery, dramatically perched on a steep slope, or Dzong Draka, a somewhat easier walk, before we get cozy in Paro. Spend time in the National Museum, walk the city's main street, see monks chanting in a temple.

Then home, enlightened.

Bhutan. Inside the Hidden Himalayan Kingdom. 7 Days.

Further Inside Bhutan. 11 Days.