Bhutan Festival Cultural Tour – Journeys for Women Collection

• Day 1 – Paro to Thimphu – Driving time 1 hour

Arrive at Paro International Airport, situated in a beautiful valley at 2,280 metres and a fitting introduction to this charming Himalayan kingdom. You will be met by your guide and begin the scenic drive along the Paro and Thimphu river valleys to Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, at 2,320 metres. En route, stop to take in the magnificent Tamchhog Lhakhang, the hereditary place of worship associated with Thangtong Gyalpo, the revered iron bridge builder who organised the construction of Bhutan’s historic suspension bridges. Sightseeing today will depend on flight arrival time. Later, enjoy a gentle late-afternoon walk around town and soak in the atmosphere of this magical capital, with its busy shops, bazaars, and photogenic citizens dressed in national costume.

🛏️ Overnight: Pelyang Boutique, Thimphu or similar
🍽️ Meals: Dinner

• Day 2 – Thimphu sightseeing and women’s empowerment encounters

This morning, we will try to arrange a meeting with a representative from RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women), an organisation dedicated to ensuring a gender-based-violence-free society and safeguarding the rights of women and families. A representative such as Madam Tshering Dolkar, or one of her colleagues, will share insights into their work supporting women across Bhutan. Continue sightseeing with visits to the School of Traditional Arts, where Bhutan’s thirteen classical crafts are preserved and taught, followed by the National Library and the National Textile Museum, whose intricate woven collections reflect traditions historically maintained by Bhutanese women. You may also wish to browse the Craft Bazaar, whose stalls are run by local handicraft shops selling purely handmade Bhutanese articles with no imports. Later visit the revered Memorial Chorten and the immense Buddha Dordenma statue overlooking Thimphu Valley. The three-storey throne houses several chapels, while the statue itself contains 125,000 smaller Buddha images. On the return, visit Changangkha Temple, perched high above the town, where devotees circumambulate and turn prayer wheels throughout the day.

🛏️ Overnight: Pelyang Boutique, Thimphu or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 3 – Thimphu to Punakha via Dochu La – Driving time 3 hours

In the morning, drive approximately three hours to the old capital of Punakha via the Dochu La Pass at 3,050 metres, where spectacular panoramic views of the eastern Himalaya may be enjoyed. As you descend toward Punakha, lunch will be arranged at Aum Toeb Zam Homestay, where Aum Toeb Zam, the female owner, will guide you through an engaging Bhutanese cooking class, teaching the preparation of traditional dishes using authentic techniques and ingredients. There may also be opportunities to try traditional sports such as archery, khuru darts, or degor. Continuing into the low-lying Punakha Valley at 1,250 metres, notice the distinct change in climate and vegetation. Stop to visit Chimi Lhakhang, the 15th-century Temple of Fertility built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley, known as the Divine Madman, and set among terraced fields in Sopsokha village. Later visit the imposing Punakha Dzong, the “Palace of Great Happiness”, built in 1637 at the confluence of the Pho Chu and Mo Chu rivers.

🛏️ Overnight: Zhingkham, Punakha or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 4 – Khamsum Chorten hike, Nobgang and Sangchhen Nunnery

Take a hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten via Yebisa village. The walk begins at the suspension bridge below the temple, continuing gently through rice fields before ascending for around 40 to 50 minutes to the chorten. From the summit, enjoy beautiful views across the valley and surrounding villages. After visiting the temple, descend to the bridge and continue by road to Nobgang Monastery, dating from the 17th century and once residence of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. From here, begin a two-hour hike descending through chir pine forest, passing farms, school buildings, and traditional houses, with striking views of Punakha Dzong and the surrounding mountains. Nearby, visit Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery, home to one of Bhutan’s largest bronze statues of Avalokiteshvara and an important higher learning and meditation centre for nuns. If possible, you may join the nuns for evening prayers.

🛏️ Overnight: Zhingkham, Punakha or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 5 – Punakha to Bumthang via Trongsa – Driving time approximately 6 hours

Drive approximately four hours to Trongsa, gateway to central Bhutan at 2,180 metres. Along the way, prayer flags may be hoisted for good health and fortune. Stop to visit Trongsa Dzong, ancestral home of Bhutan’s royal family, dramatically positioned above the valley. Continue a further two hours through some of Bhutan’s most beautiful mountain landscapes to Bumthang, a region of high valleys between 2,580 and 3,100 metres known as the spiritual heartland of the kingdom. Stop in Zungney village in Chumey Valley to observe women weaving traditional yathra textiles, hand-woven wool strips with geometric patterns used for blankets, bedcovers, and winter garments.

🛏️ Overnight: Kaila Guest House, Bumthang or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 6 – Nalakhar Festival and sacred monasteries of Bumthang

Today drive approximately 1.5 hours to Ngang Lhakhang to attend the Nalakhar Festival together with local villagers. During the festival you will witness sacred masked dances performed by figures representing animals, deities, and protective spirits, accompanied by the resonant sounds of cymbals, drums, and horns. Monks chant ritual prayers as colourful brocade costumes whirl through the air in the distinctive thunderbolt dance step. Look out for the Atsara, the traditional clown figure who entertains onlookers while also conveying spiritual symbolism. Through ritual blessing and performance, the festival invokes protective deities, increases good fortune, and dispels misfortune, creating a deeply memorable spiritual experience. On the return journey through Bumthang Valley, visit a series of revered temples including Jamba Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples; Kurjey Lhakhang, associated with Guru Rinpoche’s meditation; and Tamshing Lhakhang, founded in the 16th century and known for its ancient religious paintings.

🛏️ Overnight: Kaila Guest House, Bumthang or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 7 – Tang Valley excursion and meeting a Bhutanese woman

Today take a full-day excursion to the remote Tang Valley, the most isolated of Bumthang’s valleys at around 2,700 metres.

Begin with a short drive to Membar Tsho, the sacred “Burning Lake”, one of Bhutan’s most important pilgrimage sites where devotees offer butter lamps and prayers. Continue for approximately one hour to Ogyen Choling, a historic palace now preserved as a museum that provides fascinating insight into aristocratic family life in Bhutan during the last century. Subject to confirmation, there may be an opportunity to meet Ashi Kuenzang Choden, the current owner of Ogyen Choling and a prominent Bhutanese woman, who may share reflections on women’s lives, traditions, and social change within Bhutanese society. A picnic lunch will be arranged before returning toward Bumthang, stopping en route at Ta Rimochen Lhakhang, a Nyingma monastery associated with Guru Padmasambhava. Sacred rocks behind the temple are believed to bear tiger stripes and meditation footprints, and local legend links the site to hidden spiritual treasures.

🛏️ Overnight: Kaila Guest House, Bumthang or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 8 – Beekeeping cooperative and journey to Gangtey – Driving time 5 hours

This morning visit a local beekeeper from the Bee Keeping Cooperative, an initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture, supporting local communities, and producing high-quality honey and bee-related products that contribute to the regional economy while fostering environmental conservation. Afterwards, drive approximately five hours to Gangtey at 2,900 metres. Stop in Trongsa to visit Ta Dzong, the watchtower museum dedicated to the Wangchuk dynasty, displaying royal artefacts and telling the story of the valley it overlooks. Continue onward to Gangtey, enjoying expansive views across the remote Phobjikha Valley and the surrounding Black Mountain ranges. Visit Gangtey Gompa, one of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries, and explore the valley where villagers continue to live a traditional rural lifestyle. This is also the site where black-necked cranes arrive in their hundreds each November after spending the summer in Tibet, making the valley one of Bhutan’s most important wildlife habitats.

🛏️ Overnight: Dewachen, Phobjikha or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 9 – Gangtey to Paro with visit to Shechen Nunnery – Driving time 5 hours

Today return west toward Paro, travelling through mountain landscapes and river valleys.

Before reaching Chuzom, stop to visit Shechen Orgyen Chodzong Nunnery in Sissinang. This important monastic centre offers women the rare opportunity to study and practise within the Nyingma Buddhist tradition. Around 125 nuns live, meditate, and study here under spiritual guidance, receiving full education as well as support for food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. A number of nuns have received full Bhiksuni ordination, representing a significant development for women in the Nyingma lineage. Spend time exploring the temple and, if possible, observing daily monastic life before continuing to Paro.

🛏️ Overnight: Olathang Cottages, Paro or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 10 – Paro heritage walk and female tea entrepreneur

This morning visit the National Museum, housed in the circular Ta Dzong watchtower above Paro Dzong, displaying Bhutanese artefacts including costumes, religious paintings, textiles, weapons, and historic stamps. From here take a gentle one-hour walk along a forested hillside to Zuri Dzong, passing Gonsaka Lhakhang and enjoying sweeping views across Paro Valley and Paro Dzong below. Continue down toward the valley where your vehicle awaits, followed by a visit to the impressive Rinpung Dzong, one of Bhutan’s finest examples of traditional architecture. After lunch, meet Sonam Choden, a Bhutanese female entrepreneur and founder of Bhutan Herbal Tea. Learn how locally cultivated organic herbs are transformed into premium tea blends that promote health and wellness while supporting Bhutanese farmers and expanding into international markets. Later visit Kyichu Lhakhang, a 7th-century temple and one of Bhutan’s most sacred shrines. If time permits, continue to Dumtse Lhakhang, built by Thangtong Gyalpo.

🛏️ Overnight: Olathang Cottages, Paro or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 11 – Tiger’s Nest pilgrimage hike

Early this morning drive to the trailhead for the hike to Taktsang Monastery, famously known as Tiger’s Nest and dramatically perched 900 metres above the valley floor. The walk to the cafeteria viewpoint takes around 1.5 to 2 hours, where tea may be enjoyed alongside spectacular views of the monastery. Those wishing to continue may hike a further 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the monastery itself, one of Bhutan’s most sacred pilgrimage sites where Guru Rinpoche is believed to have meditated for three months after flying to the site on the back of a tigress. You can also offer some butter lamps for future good health (these can be purchases at the time). After visiting the monastery, descend to the valley and return to Paro for a late lunch, with time for a gentle stroll through town or souvenir shopping if desired.

🛏️ Overnight: Olathang Cottages, Paro or similar
🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

• Day 12 – Departure from Paro

Early this morning transfer to Paro International Airport for your onward flight. Your guide will bid you farewell with the traditional Bhutanese blessing, Tashi Delek, wishing you good luck and safe travels.

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast