Bhutan for Women

Bhutan has one of the world's most attractive airports and clearing customs here is usually very quick and efficient. Once outside we will be met by our guide and driver for the trip, who will transfer us to our accommodation.

We will spend the afternoon wandering the uncrowded streets of Paro's main downtown area. There are many souvenir shops here and a couple of good coffee and cake shops as well. Speak to your guide if you would like to exchange money or use an ATM.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,280 metres.

This morning we plan to explore the Paro Valley on foot, with a walk on the newly opened Trans Bhutan Trail. The TBT is a 403-km trail that crosses the entire country, from Haa in the west to Trashigang in the east. It links ancient footpaths into one long track that traverses a wide variety of landscapes, through forests, villages, mountains, valleys and gorges. Our walk will take us around the wide Paro Valley, which is a fertile rice growing area. We can expect to see impressive views of the dzong, the large fortress that dominates the landscape.

In the afternoon we will drive to Thimphu, Bhutan's small capital.

Hiking time: 2 hours.

Driving time: 1½ hours.

Overnight in Thimphu. Altitude: 2,320 metres.

Today we'll be taking the scenic drive to Punakha, Bhutan's former seat of government until the mid-1950s. 

From Thimphu, it's a short, uphill drive to the Dochu La, Bhutan's most photogenic high pass, at 3,140 metres in altitude. The Dochu La is a striking sight, with 108 white chortens that sit atop a small rise in the centre.They were built by the queen mother in 2005 to atone for the loss of life during skirmishes with Indian militants in the border area and contain Buddhist prayers within.

Down the road from the Dochu La, we can pick up the Trans Bhutan Trail once more. Depending on our energy levels, we can walk as far as we feel comfortable, or even all the way to Punakha. The trail is mostly downhill to begin with, with some mild hills as we near Punakha.

Once in Punakha, we can visit the magnificent dzong, considered Bhutan's most beautiful. Its auspicious location, on the confluence of two rivers, add to the grandeur of this incredible building. It has a number of courtyards and temples, with the largest temple open to the public. Before entering the dzong check out the bee hives under the eaves. The nearby suspension bridge, one of the longest in Bhutan, is also worth a look.

Walking time: 2 - 6 hours.

Driving time:  ½ - 2 hours, depending on length of walk.

Overnight in Punakha. Altitude: 1,250 metres.

Today we travel further east to the Phobjikha Valley, home to several hundred black necked cranes during the winter months. These endangered birds are a rare alpine species that escape the harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau every year and migrate to two valleys, the Phobjikha Valley in the central part of Bhutan and the Bomdeling Valley in the remote north east.

A great way to find out more about these large and magnificent birds is to begin at the Black Necked Crane Information Centre. From here we can head down the road and begin the Gangtey Nature Trail, a short easy-grade walk that skirts the flanks of the valley before rising to a forest of blue pine and farmland. The trail continues up to the village and the Gangtey Goemba, a monastery dating back to the seventeenth century. It recently underwent a major restoration.

Hiking time: 1½ hours.

Driving time: 3 hours.

Overnight in Phobjikha Valley. Altitude: 2,900 metres.

We have a great walk planned for today.

From the upper reaches of the Phobjikha Valley we head up the hill to reach a pass strewn with prayer flags and with commanding views back over the valley. In clear weather snow capped mountains can be seen distantly in the other direction. From the pass we make our way down through a beautiful rhododendron forest. There is a less common species of rhododendron trees found here that have a distinct bark and are smaller than the more common type found in Bhutan.

The trail eventually winds down to the village of Longtey, where our driver will collect us and take us to Punakha.

Hiking time: 3-4 hours.

Driving time: 2-3 hours.

Overnight in Punakha. Altitude: 1,250 metres.

This morning we will take the gorgeous hike to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, located on a hill in the upper Punakha Valley. The hike begins at a suspension bridge across the river before winding its way uphill through the rice paddies. As you ascend you gain increasingly stunning views of the valley, the river and the forest. The temple was built in 2004 in honour of the current king and has several floors, including an accessible rooftop with more fantastic views.

This afternoon we visit the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery in Wolaka. This beautifully maintained nunnery has some of the best views of the Punakha Valley and features a Nepalese-style white domed stupa. We plan to meet the nuns and learn a little of their lives.

Hiking time: 2 - 3 hours.

Overnight in Punakha. Altitude: 1,250 metres.

Today we head back to Thimphu, where there is a huge range of cultural sights and activities. Your guide will discuss the options with your group:

• The National Memorial Chorten - dedicated to the third king and a great place to meet the locals.
• Buddha Dordenma - the 51.5-metre high statue that has a temple containing over 120,000 small statues of the Buddha enclosed within.
• The Centenary Farmers Market - shop with the locals for organic produce.
• The Post Office - Bhutan's is famous for its beautiful stamps.
• National Institute for Zorig Chusum - better known as the Painting School, where students learn the thirteen traditional arts of Bhutan.
• Archery - Thimphu's main archery range always has a match going on.
• The Tarkin Preserve - an enclosure for Bhutan's national animal has been set aside on the outskirts of the city.
• Cheri or Tango monasteries - it's about a 1-hour hike uphill to either of these small monasteries.
• Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre - you can watch the women at work creating Bhutan's beautiful textiles. There's a shop upstairs as well.
• Walking trails - Thimphu is surrounded by mountains so finding a trail is easily done. The tracks range from easy to difficult.

Driving time: 3 hours.

Overnight in Thimphu. Altitude: 2,320 metres.

We're off to the Haa today. It's a beautiful drive over the Chele La, Bhutan's highest pass accessible by car. We can take the short walk to Kila Nunnery from here. After lunch, we can explore the walking trails around the Haa Valley, as well as the small town.

Overnight in Haa. Altitude: 2,670 metres.

Driving time: 3 hours.

Today we plan another section of the TBT before the drive back to Paro. The Panorama Trail will take us up through a mix of forest and open pastureland, with scenic views looking back over the Haa Valley. The second half then takes us into beautiful, quiet pine forest.

Driving time: 2 hours.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,280 metres.

Today we have saved the best for last, with the hike to the famous Tiger's Nest monastery.

It is all uphill for the first hour to reach the cafeteria - a good place to grab a cup of tea. We then continue upwards before flattening out to reach the viewing point. You will need your camera handy! From here we climb down a series of steep stone steps before reaching a bridge and waterfall. More stone steps going upward will take us to the temple itself, which is actually a number of small temple rooms built around a sacred cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated.

Hiking time: 5-6 hours.

Driving time: 1 hour.

Overnight in Paro. Altitude: 2,280 metres.

The hike to the amazing Tiger's Nest Monastery is one of the best in the world. As you ascend through pine and rhododendron forest you glimpse the monastery high above and the Paro Valley down below. Suddenly, after a final push upwards you are faced with the most magnificent views of the Tiger's Nest clinging to the side of a cliff. It's simply breathtaking.

The Phobjikha Valley is known for the black necked cranes that migrate here every winter from Tibet but it is a great year-round destination. There are some excellent walking trails, including the Gangtey Nature Trail, a short, easy-grade walk that takes us through farmland, pine forest and then along the flanks of the valley, with wonderful panoramic views.

Some of the best views in Bhutan can be seen from the rooftop of this gorgeous temple, set on a ridge high above the Punakha Valley. It was built in 2004 in honour of the current, fifth king. It's a great walk to get there, as the trail winds through the rice paddies then pine forest, with the views becoming more spectacular as you ascend. Further up the hill are the monks’ quarters and beyond that is a royal retreat.

The hike to Zuri Dzong is short, and sometimes steep, but it doesn't get much better for spectacular views over the Paro Valley. The dzong itself is much smaller, older and far humbler than the main Paro Dzong but it offers a charming, more authentic experience. You'll need to climb some steep wooden staircases to make it up to the fifth storey!

The beautiful dzong at Punakha sits at the confluence of two great rivers and is reached by a wooden cantilevered bridge. This elegant building displays the very best of Bhutanese architecture, embellished with intricately carved, painted and gilded woodwork. The dzong is the site for the coronation of Bhutan's kings and it is the winter residence of the central monk body.

Thimphu is one of the world's smallest capital cities but has seen rapid growth in the last few years. It has no traffic lights, just a white-gloved policeman to conduct traffic. Thankfully traffic jams are rare and the main centre is still small and easily negotiated. Thimphu is full of cultural attractions, such as the National Library, the Post Office, the National Memorial Chorten, the Painting School and the Tarkin Preserve, where a small herd of Bhutan’s national animal lives in a protected environment.

The high passes in Bhutan are places where we usually pause in our journey and stop to take in the magnificent views. The Dochu La not only has great views of the mountains but is an impressive sight in itself, with 108 chortens spread over a small hill at its centre.