Bhutan: Buddhist Temples & Himalayan Vistas

Location: Asia
Duration: 11 Days
Price: From $12,995
Activity Level: Level 2 – Moderate

Bhutan: Buddhist Temples & Himalayan Vistas

Location: Asia
Duration: 11 Days
Price: From $12,995
Activity Level: Level 2 – Moderate

Overview

Journey through Bhutan, a kingdom where ancient traditions, sacred landscapes, and warm hospitality shape every experience. Over 11 unforgettable days, explore vibrant valleys, sacred monasteries, serene nunneries, and lively markets that reveal the heart of Bhutanese culture. Hike mountain trails, visit artisan cooperatives, and learn traditional crafts alongside local women. From dramatic Himalayan vistas to meetings with monks, nuns, and community leaders, each day deepens your understanding of this remarkable country. With meaningful cultural exchanges, breathtaking scenery, and immersive hands-on experiences, this all-women journey will stay with you long after you return home.

Main Attractions

Himalayan Hiking & Tiger’s Nest

Experience Bhutan’s most iconic pilgrimage as you hike to the cliffside Tiger’s Nest Monastery, taking in sweeping Himalayan views and the country’s most sacred, breathtaking landscape.

Monks, Nuns & Living Traditions

Explore monasteries and nunneries, witness rituals, share tea with monks and nuns, and gain rare insight into Bhutan’s deeply rooted Buddhist traditions and daily spiritual life.

Crafts, Culture & Local Women

Learn weaving, cooking, and ceramics while meeting women artisans and entrepreneurs whose skills, stories, and cultural knowledge offer a powerful window into modern Bhutan.

Map of Bhutan showing routes between cities, key destinations like Paro, Thimpu, and Tiger's Nest, with icons for travel by plane, car, and hiking; inset locates Bhutan in Asia.
A person with a backpack stands on a path overlooking the Tiger's Nest Monastery built into a steep, forested cliffside, partially shrouded in mist.
A group of people in traditional striped clothing stand near archery target flags outdoors on a sunny day.
Traditional Bhutanese fortress, Punakha Dzong, stands beside a river with an arched wooden bridge and blooming purple jacaranda trees in the foreground, mountainous backdrop visible.
Two cats rest on a wooden bench surrounded by flowers, with a rocky mountain and forest in the background and a colorful decorative object on the left.
A smiling person in a blue cap and light jacket stands outdoors near colorful prayer flags hanging between trees.
A group of people poses for a photo in front of the large Buddha Dordenma statue and temple in Thimphu, Bhutan, on a clear sunny day.
A traditional Bhutanese Buddhist temple with intricate woodwork, tiered roof, and a guardian lion statue at the entrance, surrounded by greenery.

Itinerary

A passenger airplane taxis on the runway at an airport with traditional Bhutanese architecture and forested hills in the background.

Welcome to Bhutan

Arrive in Bangkok one day early, then meet your group at the airport for your morning flight to Paro, Bhutan (Arranged by AdventureWomen). As you descend into Paro Valley, take in sweeping Himalayan views before meeting your guide and transferring to your hotel. Enjoy a relaxed walk through town with colorful shops, local markets, and fluttering prayer flags, followed by lighting a butter lamp for safe travels. End the day with a lively welcome dinner where you can connect with your fellow travelers

Meals dinner
A large white building with traditional architecture stands surrounded by dense green forest on a hillside.

Monastery Visits and Cooking Class

Fly into Bumthang, the spiritual heart of Bhutan, with its monasteries, legends, and deep-rooted traditions. Visit the impressive Jakar Dzong before hiking to Kurjey Lhakhang, where Guru Rinpoche once meditated, then continue on to Tamshing Monastery. Enjoy tea with monks as you learn about daily life inside the monastery. Later, stroll through the quiet town and step into a farmhouse kitchen for a hands-on cooking lesson featuring buckwheat pancakes and the beloved local dish ema datshi

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
A person in red robes walks across a large stone courtyard inside a traditional Bhutanese monastery with ornate wooden buildings and mountains in the background.

Nunnery Traditions and Scenic Trails

Drive to Pema Choling Nunnery in Tang to witness a powerful drum ceremony and sit with nuns for simple conversation that offers a rare look into their daily life. Enjoy lunch nearby, then continue to a beautifully restored manor house that reflects Bhutan’s traditional architecture and rich history. From there, set out on the bushman trails, a scenic and moderately challenging hike that blends natural beauty with cultural landmarks.
Distance: Approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) Elevation Gain: Around 1,089 feet (332 meters)

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
A large traditional fortress-monastery complex sits on a hillside, surrounded by green mountains and clear blue sky.

Mountain Roads and Living Traditions

Travel through Bhutan’s wild landscapes today, passing high mountain roads, sweeping valleys, and bright prayer flags along the way. Stop in Chumney to visit a Yathra weaving cooperative, sit with artisans, and try your hand at weaving on a traditional backstrap loom. Continue to Trongsa Dzong, the largest fortress in Bhutan, and learn about its significance in the country’s monarchy. By late afternoon, descend into the glacial bowl of Phobjika, winter home to black-necked cranes, before arriving at your lodge in Gangtey.

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
Two large birds fly in a clear blue sky above the corner of a wooden roof structure.

Nature Trail and Black-Necked Cranes

After breakfast, visit Gangtey Monastery before starting the Nature Trail, a peaceful walk-through pine forests and open meadows with panoramic views of the valley wetlands. As you wander, watch for black-necked cranes circling gracefully above their winter roosting sites. Enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before visiting the Gangtey Crane Information Centre to learn more about these rare birds.
Hike Details: Distance: 1.8 miles / 2.99 km, Time: ~1.5 hours, Elevation Loss: 462 ft / 140 m

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
Colorful prayer flags are strung from a central pole, with forested mountains and a clear sky in the background.

Prayer Flag Ceremony

Travel from Gangtey to Lawala Pass with a total driving time of 3-4 hours, where you will take part in a traditional prayer flag hoisting ceremony. At this high mountain pass, the wind carries blessings, protection, and positive energy across the valleys below. Continue your drive as the landscape shifts from alpine peaks to the warmer Punakha Valley. On arrival at camp, relax with a traditional hot stone bath before settling into your tented accommodations for the night.

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
A traditional multi-tiered Buddhist temple with ornate details stands against a backdrop of hills and a partly cloudy sky.

Hilltop Temples, Archery, and the Palace of Great Happiness

Hike through terraced fields and orchards to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, a four-story temple built by the Queen Mother to inspire peace and prosperity. Explore its intricate murals and sacred relics, then take in sweeping rooftop views of the valley, the Punakha River, and distant peaks. Later, visit Punakha Dzong, the Palace of Great Happiness, glowing at the confluence of two rivers. Finish the afternoon by trying your hand at archery alongside skilled women archers.

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
Colorful, intricately designed traditional dragon and animal masks are displayed in rows on a wooden wall.

Bhutan’s Capital and Women’s Crafts

Drive three hours to Thimphu, Bhutan’s vibrant capital where tradition and modern life meet. Explore the lively Centenary Farmer’s Market and the colorful Textile Museum. In the afternoon, visit a women-run textile cooperative to learn about traditional dyes and handloom techniques used in Bhutanese weaving. End the day with dinner alongside Bhutanese women leaders and entrepreneurs, whose stories of resilience and empowerment offer inspiring new perspectives.

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
A dented metal teapot with a covered lid and a cloth wrapped around its handle sits on a worn wooden surface.

Ceramics and Tea Ceremony

On the way to Paro, visit the Jabdo Pema Choling Nunnery to experience its serene spiritual atmosphere. Spend time interacting with the young nuns, learning about their daily lives. Upon returning to Paro, participate in a ceramic workshop, where you can learn the traditional art of painting on ceramics. Afterward, enjoy a tea ceremony as the team shares inspiring Folktales of perseverance and devotion, weaving stories into every pour and stir of the tea

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
A monastery built on a cliffside surrounded by lush green forest, with colorful prayer flags in the foreground.

Visit to Taktsang Monastery

Today’s highlight is a pilgrimage to Taktsang Monastery, the famed Tiger’s Nest (10,240 ft / 3,120 m altitude). The hike is challenging but unforgettable, with prayer flags strung across cliffs and views that leave you breathless. Spend a leisurely afternoon at the hotel. Enjoy a farewell dinner with your new AdventureWomen friends, reflecting on the cherished memories you’ve created and celebrate the conclusion of an amazing journey through this truly remarkable country.
Hiking Details:
Distance: 4.4 miles , Elevation Gain: 2,590 ft, Elevation Loss: 2,590 ft

Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner
A woman wearing sunglasses and a winter jacket stands outdoors with a large monastery and forested mountains in the background.

Farewell to Bhutan

Your time in Bhutan ends where it began, in Paro, with heartfelt goodbyes and blessings for safe journeys ahead. You leave carrying not just memories, but the warmth of connections made across valleys, kitchens, monasteries, and homes. Transfer to the airport in the morning for your flight as a group from Bhutan to Bangkok. Time TBD (likely early evening arrival in Bangkok). Ensure that you schedule a flight with a departure time after 8 PM to allow ample time for travel and airport procedures.

Meals breakfast
Red flowers in the foreground with terraced fields and a misty landscape in the background.

Accommodations

Please note that all amenities were current when written and are subject to change at any time.

A traditional Bhutanese building with ornate wooden details and stone walls, set against a backdrop of forested mountains under a clear sky.

Zhiwaling Heritage

Zhiwaling Heritage in Paro is an authentic, Bhutanese-owned 5-star hotel blending traditional architecture with modern luxury, set amidst 12 acres of gardens near the famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Spacious suites feature handcrafted details and underfloor heating for year-round comfort, while amenities include a spa, indoor pool, fine dining, and a tea house. Guests enjoy serene mountain views, attentive service, and opportunities for unique cultural experiences, making it an ideal choice for an immersive stay in Bhutan.

Amenities: complimentary toiletries, bathrobes, hair dryer, coffee / tea maker, bottled water, minibar, safe, cable / satellite TV, Wi-Fi

A traditional Bhutanese building with ornate woodwork stands behind a wooden outdoor seating area, surrounded by greenery and trees.

Rinchenling Lodge

Rinchenling Lodge in Bumthang is a family-run retreat set on 2.8 acres among pine and apple trees, just a short walk from the sacred Jampa Lhakhang temple. Blending traditional Bhutanese architecture with modern comforts, it offers spacious rooms, a cozy restaurant serving Bhutanese and international cuisine, and a meditation hall. Guests can relax in tranquil gardens, enjoy soothing hot stone baths, and experience warm hospitality for a peaceful, culturally rich stay in Bhutan’s spiritual heartland.

Amenities: complimentary toiletries, Wi-Fi

Traditional Bhutanese buildings with intricate wooden details stand on a grassy hillside, with dense forest in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Dewachen Hotel

Tucked away in the pine forests of Phobjikha Valley near Gangtey Gompa, home of the rare, Black-Necked Cranes, Dewachen Hotel offers 16 cozy rooms with modern comforts and breathtaking views. Rooms are warmed with wood stoves and hot water bags for comfort on the coldest nights. With thoughtful service and a serene setting, Dewachen is a place to unwind and return refreshed.

Amenities: complimentary toiletries, hair dryer, Wi-Fi

A winding river flows through a lush green valley surrounded by forested hills and distant mountains under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Tented Camp

Enjoy your stay at this remote tented camp. Basic amenities include cots, an open dining area with a fire pit, and separate toilet and shower facilities.

Amenities: complimentary toiletries, electricity in the dining and salon tents

A wooden building with large windows and an extended roof stands next to tall pine trees under a clear blue sky.

Zhiwaling Ascent

Zhiwaling Ascent in Thimphu is a contemporary Bhutanese boutique hotel set on 25 acres of lush parkland just outside the city. Inspired by traditional Bhutanese farmhouse and Dzong architecture, it features 20 spacious rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase panoramic valley and mountain views. The hotel offers a gourmet restaurant with seasonal, organic cuisine, a rooftop bar with 360-degree valley views, a spa, sauna, and yoga studio, making it a peaceful, stylish retreat close to the city’s cultural sites.

Amenities: complimentary toiletries, Wi-Fi

What People Are Saying

This was the best guided trip I’ve ever been on. Value for money and a bucket list experience all thanks for the local guides.

What People Are Saying

The personal guide, the food and being hosted in people’s homes was something that we could never arrange on our own and the reason I love Adventure Women. It’s the experiences that AdventureWomen is able to procure that we just could never get any other way.

What People Are Saying

The staff at AdventureWomen were incredibly helpful in all the planning stages. The local guides were knowledgeable and supportive and warm and personable. Their attention to every one of us was genuine. We couldn’t have done it without them!

Dates & Pricing

Start Date End Date Availability Starting At Booking Link
Mar 2, 2027 Mar 12, 2027
Space Available
$12,995
Standard Room Double
$12,995 total, $800 deposit
Standard Room Single
$14,595 total, $800 deposit

Arrival: Arrive in Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) one day prior.
Departure: Depart from Bangkok, Thailand, after 8pm on Day 11.

What's Included

  • Round-trip flights Bangkok – Bhutan
  • Domestic airfare
  • Accommodations as per itinerary based on double occupancy
  • All meals as listed in the itinerary
  • All ground transportation
  • One airport group transfer on scheduled arrival and departure days
  • English-speaking guide(s) throughout the trip
  • Activities as indicated in the itinerary
  • Bottled water in the vehicles
  • Drinking water to refill personal bottles
  • Permits, Museum, sightseeing and Institutional Fees applicable
  • All Government Taxes, Sustainability Development Fee (SDF), Visa Fees
  • Drinking water available in large jugs to refill personal bottles
  • Gratuities for hotel staff and waitstaff

What's Not Included

  • International airfare
  • Optional activities
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages (unless otherwise specified)
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Fees for passport, visas, immunizations, or travel insurance
  • Cost of hospitalization or evacuation
  • Gratuities for main guide and driver

FAQs

Absolutely! You belong here. AdventureWomen welcomes all women and individuals who identify as part of the women’s community. We celebrate all races, backgrounds, orientations, abilities, and ages. Our adventures reflect the vibrant diversity of our travelers.

You can process your registration on our online booking system or over the phone. Most deposits are $800. In many cases, and unless otherwise indicated, your deposit is transferable if you notify us in writing 120 before your trip departs.

Be sure to check the ‘What’s Included’ section of the trip you are interested in. Once you get to the departure city and meet the group, we often include most meals, all accommodations, all activities (although there might be an optional activity at an additional cost), transportation while on the adventure, qualified local guide(s) and some trips also include an AdventureWomen Ambassador. Our trips do not include airfare to/from the arrival and departure cities. Internal flights are included.

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it! Many of the women who travel with AdventureWomen come solo. For those that do not choose a single supplement, we pair you with a roommate. Usually, when we change accommodations on a trip, we will change roommates if we can, so you get a chance to know others in our group. A limited number of single supplements may be available for an additional charge.

That depends entirely on the trip! AdventureWomen adventure travel trips are rated according to the physical fitness level demanded by the included activities.

  • Level One: Easy Pace Our Easy Pace trips are thoughtfully designed for women who enjoy gentle activity, cultural immersion, and plenty of time to savor the scenery. They feature light walking, easy terrain like cobblestone streets or flat nature trails, and optional activities such as city tours, wildlife safaris, and scenic boat rides. This level offers a relaxed pace with flexible itineraries and minimal physical exertion.
  • Level Two: Moderate For women who enjoy staying active, balanced with some downtime, our Moderate trips offer a blend of movement and relaxation. Activities may include walking on gently rolling trails, with occasional uneven terrain like forest paths or shallow creek crossings. With activities like beginner kayaking or short e-bike excursions, this level is perfect for those eager to explore while trying something new.
  • Level Three: Dynamic Designed for adventurous women ready for a challenge, our Dynamic trips feature regular activity on varied terrain with moderate elevation gains. Expect natural obstacles such as rocky paths and shallow creek crossings. From glacier walks and whitewater rafting to ziplining and kayaking in calm to lightly-choppy waters, this level is perfect for those with hiking and outdoor experience and a sense of adventure.
  • Level Four: High Energy Our High Energy adventures are designed for women who crave being on the go! You should be prepared for full days of hiking across rugged, moderate-altitude terrain. With some steeper inclines and rocky paths, these trips often feature back-to-back adrenaline-fueled activities like canyoneering, multi-day treks, and Class IV whitewater rafting—perfect for experienced adventurers and hikers with good stamina and a passion for pushing their limits.
  • Level Five: Challenging Our Challenging trips are crafted for seasoned adventurers ready to take on remote, high-altitude terrain, and full-day treks. These trips are demanding yet deeply rewarding and designed for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts. You should be in excellent physical condition and be able to hike up to 14 miles per day with steep ascents, rugged trails, and elevations reaching 19,500 feet. These are strenuous trips that require endurance and a commitment to training before departure.

A trip extension is an optional add-on to your main AdventureWomen itinerary. Extensions allow you to explore a destination more deeply, visit nearby regions, or enjoy additional activities before or after your scheduled trip. You can request an extension by contacting your Trip Manager. We’ll confirm availability with our local partners and send you the details, pricing, and next steps. For more information about AdventureWomen extensions, please visit our FAQs.