There are experts. And then there’s Brent Olson.

For over four decades, Brent has been doing something rare: truly living Bhutan. Not passing through it. Not studying it from afar. Living it — trekking its high passes, befriending its monks and governors, working alongside its government, and returning, year after year, because he simply can’t stay away.

Since his first visit in 1985, Brent has made over 55 journeys to the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon. He has lived there, worked with the Royal Government on a photographic archive of Bhutan’s artistic heritage, and forged deep friendships with Bhutanese from every walk of life — village elders, Buddhist lamas, regional governors, and nuns working to build institutions that will shape the country’s future.

That depth of connection is why Condé Nast Traveler has named Brent one of the United States’ top Bhutan specialists for 25 consecutive years — and why travelers who’ve been planning a Bhutan trip for years finally feel ready to go once they’ve spoken with him.

Before founding ETHOS Bhutan, Brent spent over three decades at GeoEx, the pioneering San Francisco-based adventure travel company, ultimately serving as Managing Director of Business Development. During that time he planned and led journeys to Bhutan for the Asia Society, the American Museum of Natural History, the California Academy of Sciences, Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology, the World Wildlife Fund, Tibet House, and dozens of other prestigious institutions.

Today, ETHOS Bhutan exists for one purpose: to craft the private Bhutan journey you’ve always imagined. Brent works with a carefully curated network of operators, guides, and hotels — not tied to any single company — so that every recommendation he makes is driven entirely by what’s right for you.