Robin & Cathy Smillie of Tampa, Florida are a husband and wife team who specialize in adventure tours to Bhutan for small groups of photographers. By staying small and focusing on Bhutan, they offer the best value for travelers like you. Here’s a bio to help you get to know them.

Robin is a masthead staff member of Florida Sportsman Magazine, the largest regional outdoor magazine in the country. Sportsman is in a publishing house of over 200 magazines, owned by Primedia. As an independent contractor, his main job is to manage the Florida Sportsman Fishing Shows--8 consumers shows held around the state, 4 in the spring and 4 in the fall.

He also writes feature and travel stories that cover the Tropics from Central America to the Bahamas. Many of Sportsman’s 12 annual issues feature his photography on the cover.

Robin has won 22 awards for his writing and photography from Outdoor Writers of America, Southeast Outdoor Press Assoc., and Florida Outdoor Writers Assoc.

Cathy is a dietitian/nutritionist with a masters degree in Public Health--she works at a local hospital. As they travel the world to exotic locales where health and hygiene are always a concern, her knowledge and good sense are constantly tuned in to their well being.

Robin’s business as a consumer show producer gives him down time from April through August, so for over 20 years they have been able to tour the world and return with photography to complement the stories that Robin sells to outdoor publications such as Flyfishing in Saltwaters, Field and Stream, the Orvis catalogue, and many others.

In April of 2001, Robin & Cathy went on a six-week tour of Viet Nam, Nepal, Thailand--and the most special place on the planet, Bhutan. The photo ops there were spectacular! Their tour operator was Rainbow Tours and Treks of Bhutan, one of the oldest and most reliable companies in the business, and they struck a deal to publish calendars and postcards from Robin’s photography, some of which you will see on this site.

Rainbow Photo Tours was launched in May of 2001, specifically to take like-minded photographers on tour to Bhutan.  In April of 2002, the first group of eleven photographers from around the world (U.S., Macao, Singapore, Japan, and Australia) met in Bangkok, and the first annual photographer’s Tour of Bhutan spent two weeks following the same jam-packed itinerary that you see listed for the 2009 Spring Festivals tour. The second tour in 2003 was just as exciting. (Please read Past Participant Comments on the Participant Gallery pages.)

This tour is a gold mine of itinerary nuggets not found with other tours:

• Along with numerous visits to temples, dzongs, markets, and other standard tourist fare, this tour offers several unique opportunities.
• Travel in a car--not a bus--with only one other participant (your spouse?) a Bhutanese guide and driver.
• Each pair of travelers has their own driver and personal photography assistant or cultural guide.
• Customize your tour to suit your interests and health restrictions—with your own car and guide you can usually go where you want aside from the planned itinerary.
Attend a special masked dance mini festival in the remote village of Phongmey, held just for our tour.
• Participate in an archery tournament with local farmers.
• Have lunch with the Ura Lama in his private temple at the Ura Festival and the Domkhar Lama in his private grandstand at the Domkhar festival.
• After blessing by a Buddhist lama, erect your own 20’ prayer flag in Ugen Choling.
• Dine at the residence of our delightful Bhutanese hostess, Soenam Ongmo
• Visit any number of Bhutanese families in their farmhouses.
• Take a hot stone bath during our overnight at a remote 16^th century temple and at our hotel in Paro.
• Gain entrance and photo permission to many places where most tourists do not go.
• Extend your tour or arrive early with customized itineraries--perhaps a better choice than a visit to neighboring Nepal, Myanmar or Tibet.

Non-photographers Information

We accept all skill levels of photographers, from those who have a "point-and-shoot" to those who are advanced pro/amateurs with all the latest digital SLR gear.  Our goal is to put you in front of remarkable scenes and cultural experiences--this is not a workshop with evening photography meetings or critiques.  Travelers who are not keenly interested in photography will have plenty to do, always with guides and drivers at your disposal.  

"I went on this trip strictly to keep my photography-crazed husband company and had a fabulous adventure. Where else could I have climbed to Tiger's Nest, participated in an archery competition, danced around a campfire, been dressed in a gorgeous kira and met amazing people? Armed only with my trusty point-and-shoot camera, I still managed to get some photos that make me proud...." ~ Mimi Krystel, 2009 Tour Participant (click here to see Mimi's Photos)

To read additional tour commentaries, please clck here to read the Past Participant Comments section.