About Us
Kuzoo Zangpo La!
Thank you for visiting the Etho Metho website. Here we provide a brief introduction to the various cultural tours, special interest tours and treks, through which we hope to acquaint you with the scenic beauty, culture and customs of Bhutan. Whatever your choice, we are confident of delivering the best. We look forward to hearing from you.
Etho Metho is one of the largest and most experienced tour operators in Bhutan. The company was established in 1991 by three veterans of the former government-run Tourism Department when tourism was privatized. Etho Metho is now a private limited company with four directors. Through our collective experience of over 27 years in the tourism industry and the goodwill generated over the years from our clients and the local community, we have been able to rise from a modest beginning to the very top in the tourism business. Etho Metho is now one of Bhutan’s leading tour companies, both in quality and range of service provided and in the number of international clients handled each year.
Mission:
Our unwavering objective is to provide value-added services to the discerning travelers who come to experience our country. Equipped with a team of dedicated professionals and supported by an excellent infrastructure, we are committed to offering you the very best. We will guide you to all that is special about Bhutan, whether it is gazing at beautiful snowcapped mountains, attending the Kingdom’s colorful festivals or simply the charm and gracious hospitality of the people. Let us help you begin your journey into an enchanted realm…
Philosophy:
Mindful of the fragility of the natural environment, our aim is to “take nothing but photographs and leave nothing but footprints” when introducing visitors to this small, green Himalayan jewel – Bhutan.
| Etho Metho (pronounced ettoh mettoh) is the name given to the rhododendron in Bhutan's national language, Dzongkha. We have many varieties of rhododendron growing in the mountain forests of our beautiful country. If you are traveling in the hinterland during spring, you will experience the magnificent sight of towering tree species in their full glory, covered in a profusion of intense red and dazzling white blooms, as your journey takes you ever upwards towards the high passes. |
Dago Beda – Managing Director
Dago Beda graduated from Punjab University Chandigarh with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1979. She joined the Department of Tourism in 1980 as the Sales Manager and has been in the tourism industry for almost 29 yrs. After the privatization of tourism in 1990, Dago together with two colleagues from the tourism department started Etho Metho Tours & Treks in 1991. Being an entrepreneur by nature, she has set up and invested in numerous ventures - a primary school, the first cable TV company in Bhutan, real estate and stocks. Dago is considered one of the pioneers of her generation especially among women. Many younger women look up to her as a symbol of a successful career woman in Bhutan. When she is not running her businesses, she spends most of her free time gardening. She has managed to successfully turn the paddy fields surrounding her home into a green oasis. She is a loving mother of three children.
Accomplishments:
>> Vice President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN)
>> Nominated by IFC to represent the business community of Asia at the G-20 meeting in Washington D.C.
>> Nominated as one of the torch bearers for the UN Millennium Development Goal 2015 to promote gender equality and empower women
>> Board Director of Bhutan National Bank Ltd.
>> Board Director / Promoter of Bhutan Times Ltd. (first private newspaper)
Jochu Dorji – Director/ FinanceJochu worked in the Department of Tourism as well and joined his tourism colleagues Dago and Nim to form the company. With an excellent eye for details and numbers, Jochu has managed the company’s finances for over 18 yrs and is known for keeping a tight string on the finances. Besides being a partner in the tour company, Jochu is also into the real estate business. He is one person who loves to maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoys playing archery.
Nim Gyeltshen – DirectorNim also worked in the Department of Tourism. He was an avid trekker and has done most of the challenging treks in Bhutan including the arduous Snowman Trek. After the company was formed, Nim concentrated more on the operations of the company and slowly moved away from trekking. His other business ventures include the Hancock Tyre dealership, real estate and an archery shop.
T. Sangay Wangchuk – Director / ResearchSangay has spent almost two decades in the tourism business. In 1991, he was the only university graduate who joined the tourism industry/Etho Metho as a guide. Sangay has trekked most corners of Bhutan and climbed several trekking peaks. He did his practical mountain management courses in Chamonix, France. His pride is his passion for Bhutan’s culture and ecology. His book, “Seeing with the Third Eye, Growing up with Grandma in Rural Bhutan”, depicts his interest in local beliefs. In 2007, Sangay became a partner at Etho Metho and recently founded www.wildbhutan.com - an eco tourism branch of Etho Metho.
Monorath Dhungel (Sharma) – General Manager / FinanceSharma is a B.Com graduate and has a diploma in Accountancy & Hotel Management. He has been with the company since 1998. He takes pride in being a hardworking, determined and reliable person. Sharma is a quick learner and puts that extra effort in anything he does. He believes that a positive attitude in life takes one far. He is a caring father and a loving husband. During his spare time he enjoys outdoor games and is an ardent music lover.
Tenzin Namgay - General Manager / Tour OperationsTenzin follows the words of the great Aristotle “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore is not an act but a habit” With such a philosophy, it is not surprising that the class topper during his school days has made it a habit of himself and as well as all the people that he manages to deliver the best to all our clients. He started his career as a reservation officer in 1999, and since then has worked himself to the current position of the General Manager through his hard work, sincerity and dedication.
Eutha Karchung - General Manager / Marketing / AdministrationEutha completed her primary school in Bhutan, high school in India and university in the U.S. (Knox College, IL & UC Berkeley) where she studied Economics, Business & Marketing. She also worked at a marketing firm in Chicago and then joined the company in 2007 as the marketing manager. She now represents the company at travel fairs and enjoys them as she gets to travel to new places, meet people and do business - all at the same time! She is also one of the board directors of Bhutan National Bank Ltd.
MEET SOME OF OUR GUIDES:
Name : Ngawang Gyeltshen (English Speaking Guide)License No. : 0154
Ngawang has a Bachelor’s degree from Delhi University, and has been leading groups since 1998. With his vast experience & knowledge, clients both past & present are always full of praises for him.
Name : Kinley Tshering (English Speaking Guide)License No : 0329
Kinley or Kelly (as we all call him) joined the Etho Metho Family after completing his guide training in 2006. Kelly is a very friendly and down to earth person.
Name : Dawa Tashi (English Speaking Guide)License No : 0213
Dawa has been working with Etho Metho since 2005. A perfect companion: be it up on the mountains or down the valleys.
Name : Leki Phuntsho (English Speaking Guide)License no : 0521
With his infectious love & passion for the country, Leki carries the adventurous spirit of a true Bhutanese guide, which can be seen through many of the testimonials received from his past clients.
Name : Kinley Wangchuk (English Speaking Guide)License No : 0530
Kinley Wangchuk is a trained trekker & cultural guide. He’s very adventurous and is currently pursuing a course on bird watching in Bhutan.
Name :Karma Thinley (English & French Speaking Guide)License No : 0228
Karma did his French Language Course from Alliance Francaise, Paris (One of the world's largest school for French language) and has been leading French speaking groups with us since 2006. He has been leading other English speaking groups since 2000.
