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Bhutan12 daysMax 12 travellersSolo-friendly
Bhutan Festival Cultural Tour – Journeys for Women Collection
A 12-day women-only journey for up to 12 travellers, led by a female guide throughout — from Thimphu's National Textile Museum and Punakha's sacred Dzongs to the Nalakhar Festival masked dances in Bumthang and the Tiger's Nest pilgrimage hike above Paro.
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About this journey
What to expect on this trip
This thoughtfully designed women-only tour through Bhutan offers an immersive journey into one of the Himalayas’ most culturally preserved and spiritually rich kingdoms. Travelling with a local English speaking female guide throughout, the itinerary moves from the lively capital of Thimphu to the fertile valleys of Punakha, the sacred landscapes of Bumthang, the tranquil glacial scenery of Phobjikha, and finally the historic Paro Valley. Along the way, you will experience Bhutan’s remarkable living traditions through monastery visits, village walks, artisan encounters, and the vibrant Nalakhar Festival, where masked dances, ritual music, and community celebration reveal the depth of Bhutanese spiritual life.
At the heart of the journey is a meaningful focus on the lives, skills, and leadership of Bhutanese women. Encounters with a female homestay owner, time spent within a Buddhist nunnery, and a meeting with a local female entrepreneur provide rare insight into women’s roles within family, faith, and contemporary society. These experiences are complemented by Bhutan’s most iconic cultural moments, including a pilgrimage hike to the dramatic Tiger’s Nest Monastery and exploration of ancient dzongs and temples set within pristine Himalayan scenery. The result is a deeply personal and culturally rich journey that combines spiritual discovery, authentic human connection, and the unique perspective of travelling entirely in the company and guidance of women. Explore our other Bhutan tour packages to discover more cultural and Himalayan travel experiences.
The journey
Bhutan Festival Cultural Tour – Journeys for Women Collection
What makes this trip special
Drawn from the full tour dossier — the standout days, encounters and views our specialists keep coming back to.
Thimphu: Culture, Craft & Women's Empowerment
The tour opens in Bhutan's capital with two days shaped around both the country's living cultural institutions and its women's organisations. A meeting with a representative of RENEW — a foundation supporting women and children — sets the tone before visits to the School of Traditional Arts, the National Library, the National Textile Museum, and the Craft Bazaar reveal the depth of Bhutan's craft traditions. The Memorial Chorten, the towering Buddha Dordenma statue, and the Changangkha Temple complete Thimphu's religious landscape, whilst the arrival day stop at Tamchhog Lhakhang between Paro and Thimphu offers the first encounter with Bhutan's densely layered spiritual geography.
Punakha Valley: Sacred Dzongs & Nunnery Life
The Dochu La Pass — draped in prayer flags — marks the descent from Thimphu to the warmer Punakha valley, where a cooking class with homestay owner Aum Toeb Zam provides a direct exchange with a Bhutanese woman in her own home. Punakha Dzong and the Chimi Lhakhang anchor the valley's spiritual sites, whilst a 40–50-minute hike to the Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten delivers panoramic views across the valley below. The day closes at the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery above Nobgang village, where the group joins the resident nuns for evening prayers — one of the most intimate encounters on the entire journey.
Bumthang & Tang Valley: Festivals, Temples & Living Traditions
The drive east to Bumthang passes through Trongsa, where the commanding Trongsa Dzong overlooks a deep river gorge and prayer flags are hoisted at the fortress walls. In Zungney village, women are met at their looms weaving traditional yathra textiles before the Nalakhar Festival at Ngang Lhakhang fills the following day with sacred masked dances and ritual music. The ancient temples of Jamba Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang, and Tamshing Lhakhang are explored across Bumthang valley, whilst a full day in the Tang Valley visits the Membar Tsho pilgrimage site — known as the Burning Lake — and the Ogyen Choling palace museum, with a potential meeting with its owner Ashi Kuenzang Choden. A local beekeeping cooperative, visited on the return towards Gangtey, adds a further dimension of rural Bhutanese enterprise led by women.
Gangtey, Phobjikha & the Tiger's Nest Pilgrimage
The wide glacial bowl of Phobjikha Valley — the winter habitat of endangered black-necked cranes — surrounds Gangtey Gompa in one of Bhutan's most serene landscapes. The following morning, the Shechen Orgyen Chodzong Nunnery, home to 125 nuns receiving Nyingma Buddhist education, provides the tour's most sustained encounter with nunnery life before the group continues to Paro. Day 10 unfolds across the National Museum in Ta Dzong, a forested hillside walk to Zuri Dzong, Rinpung Dzong, Kyichu Lhakhang, Dumtse Lhakhang, and a meeting with Sonam Choden — founder of Bhutan Herbal Tea. The pilgrimage hike to Taktsang Monastery — the Tiger's Nest, perched 900 metres above the Paro valley — closes the tour on Day 11 with butter lamp offerings and the descent back into Paro.
Key moments for Bhutan Festival Cultural Tour – Journeys for Women Collection
Full itinerary · 12 days
Free — no sign-up
Dates & prices
Choose your departure
Reserve your place with a £350 per-person deposit; the balance is due 70 days before departure. Prefer your own space? A single room is available on every departure.
Can’t find the right fit?
Every one of our Bhutan journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
What's included
What your tour price covers
Included in the price
- Arrival and departure transfers
- Overland transport throughout with professional driver
- All accommodation
- Services of English-speaking guide / tour leader
- Meals as listed
- Entrance fees for sites listed as part of the itinerary
- Bhutan Tourist Visa
Budget separately for
- International flights including to and from Paro (, contact , us, for expert advice and a quote)
- Any airport taxes
- Travel Insurance
- Drinks
- Items of personal nature
- Tips (Discretionary)
Before you go
Essential information
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
Voices from the road
What travellers say about us
Independently verified reviews from travellers who joined Bhutan Festival Cultural Tour – Journeys for Women Collection. Rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ reviewers.
Want to customise this tour?
Make Bhutan Festival Cultural Tour – Journeys for Women Collection your own — adjust the route, dates, pace or who travels, or start from a blank page with a specialist. We'll bring the details of this trip straight into your enquiry.
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Join a small-group departure, or let our Bhutan specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
Common questions
Things travellers usually ask
How many travellers will be in my group?
Maximum 12 travellers — that's the cap on every Undiscovered Destinations small-group tour. Small enough to eat in a local family home; large enough to share the wonder with other like-minded travellers.
Can I travel solo?
Yes — there's no compulsory single supplement on our small-group tours. You get your own room at no extra cost. About 60% of UD travellers come solo, so you'll be in good company.
How fit do I need to be?
Fitness requirements vary by itinerary, from gentle to demanding. The day-by-day tour dossier sets out walking distances, terrain and any altitude so you know what to expect. If you have specific concerns, speak to our team before booking — they can talk you through a typical day.
When are the next departures?
The next available departures are 19 November 2026; 19 May 2027; 9 December 2027. See the "Choose your departure" table further up the page for the full schedule and per-departure pricing.
What's included in the tour price?
Included items vary by tour — see the full list above. On this trip, expect: Arrival and departure transfers; Overland transport throughout with professional driver; All accommodation; and more. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
Where exactly does this trip go?
This tour visits Bhutan. Each destination has its own page with practical information, climate, and the attractions our specialists recommend — linked from the itinerary above.
