The Hidden Kingdom of Bhutan with Nigel McGilchrist
This tour, custom-designed for SBMA Members, offers a deep look not only into Bhutan’s delicate and charming daily life, but also its rich tradition in Buddhist art.
Recent press about Bhutan:
Click here to view a recent CNN special (Bill Weir’s The Wonder List) on Bhutan. Karma Lotey, SBMA's tour guide, was Bill Weir's guide and Karma is featured in the episode.
Click here to view an 8-minute feature on Bhutan on the CBS morning news
Tour Guide
Nigel McGilchrist
Nigel McGilchrist was born in Glasgow, educated in England, and for the past thirty years has lived and worked in Italy, Greece and Turkey. He studied first at Winchester College in England, and then at Oxford University where he took First Class Honors and three University prizes and medals in English and in Art History. In addition to being an art historian, he was also trained as a paintings conservator. He worked for the Italian government’s Ministry of Arts as an external consultant in the field of fresco conservation as the Vatican was embarking on its controversial cleaning of the Sistine Chapel. In the 1980s he worked with Federico Zeri, Italy’s then-most knowledgeable living art historian and formerly J. Paul Getty’s closest art advisor. McGilchrist has lectured on Buddist art on trips to Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia, and on Himalayan and Tibetan history in India. He will give a few formal talks to the group during the trip as well as be there throughout the tour to help interpret along the way. Along with top guide Karma Lotey, whose knowledge of Bhutan is endless, Nigel will interpret, proved insight into Buddist and Himalayan art and culture, and help travelers to appreciate what they are seeing.
