In the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, nestled deep in the Himalayas, two men seek to escape their mundane lives. Dondup, an educated government official, dreams of escaping to America. Tashi, a restless farm youth studying magic, cannot bear the thought of a life consigned to his village. The two men embark on parallel, if separate, journeys. Their yearning is a common one — for a better and different life.

Dondup, delayed by the timeless pace of his village, is forced to hitchhike through the beautiful wild countryside of Bhutan to reach his goal. He shares the road with a monk, an apple seller, a papermaker and his beautiful young daughter, Sonam. Throughout the journey the perceptive yet mischievous monk relates the story of Tashi. It is a mystical fable of lust, jealousy, and murder that holds up a mirror to the restless Dondup and his blossoming attraction to the innocent Sonam.

Travellers & Magicians is the first feature film ever shot in the tiny kingdom of Bhutan. One of Himalayan Buddhism’s most revered lamas, the director Khyentse Norbu weaves intertwined tales of men seeking to escape their lives in this magical mixture of rustic road movie and mystical tale, a potpourri of desire and its consequences, set in a breathtaking landscape.