Before you head off on your Bhutan trek you'll want to make sure that you've had the correct inoculations, packed the right supplies and have your paperwork in order. However, if you also want some idea of what to expect when you're in Bhutan, the following books are perfect for a spot of pre-trip reading:

A Baby in a Backpack to Bhutan - Bunty Avieson

When an Australian family decide to leave Oz and move to Bhutan, you can bet that there will be chaos and calamity all around. Especially when the family decide to take their young baby with them on their Bhutan trek holed up in a backpack. Some parts of Bunty's light narrative are especially poignant for mothers of small children who want to know the perils and dangers of travelling in a third world country with their young offspring. However, the insight that it gives into the Bhutanese culture will strike a chord with everyone travelling around Asia's happiest country.

Facts About Bhutan - Lily Wangchukk

This hardcover book is perhaps a little bulky to take with you on a Bhutan trek, however the stunning pictures make it a brilliant souvenir for you to take home from Bhutan. The huge reference guide contains fascinating pictures and data from the land of Druk. It also gives an insight into the land's turbulent history and cultural issues that tourists should take into account on their travels. The book was written by a former Bhutanese diplomat and most of the evidence is backed up with academic- looking charts and graphs. If you're planning on visiting more of the country after your Bhutan trek then you may be interested in the page detailing the driving distances between different Bhutanese attractions - although we recommend photocopying the page rather than taking the whole book with you.

Beyond the Sky and the Earth - Jamie Zeppa

Jamie Zeppa was a young, innocent Catholic girl who had never left her Canadian mining hometown, before accepting a two year stint teaching in a rural Bhutanese village. Jamie instantly fell in love with the country despite the initial shock of living without material goods. When the time came for Jamie to leave her mountain kingdom behind, she had undergone a personal transformation and found herself caught between two different worlds. It is mere coincidence that Jamie's story echoes that of the ancient Buddhist tale of Siddhartha, in that the author, at the age of 22, abruptly leaves a stale life behind in order to find enlightenment.

In the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon - Joanna Lumley

Joanna Lumley's grandparents visited Bhutan back in 1931, to invest King Jigme Wangchuk as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire. Without public transport, their Bhutan trek took four months through dense jungle, mountain passes and uncharted plains. Joanna, who has long felt an affinity to the country because of her grandparents, decided to follow in their footsteps by writing this book as she journeyed through the country. In the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon contains a collection of traditional recipes, ancient customs and a fascinating insight into Joanna's family history http://www.mountainkingdoms.com.