Himalayan Odyssey

Day 1: Arrival at Bagdogra
After you reach the Bagdogra airport, you are going to get transferred to Darjeeling by road. This place is extremely well-known for its tea plantations that were established around 1840. Once you reach there, complete the check-in formalities at your pre-booked hotel. The day is at leisure. If you want then you can explore the surroundings on foot or can visit the local market as well. Stay overnight.

Day 02: Darjeeling
Day 2 is for sightseeing of Darjeeling where you are going to cover the major attractions. Start your day with an early morning visit the Tiger Hill from where you will view the striking sunrise. While returning to the hotel, cover Ghoom monastery that was erected in 1850. Have breakfast at your hotel and later leave the hotel to visit the other attractions. The other visits of the day will be the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center. Here you will observe the Tibetan craftsmen making traditional stuff such as feather goods, carpet, woolen boots etc. Stay overnight.

Day 03: Darjeeling – Kalimpong
Have your breakfast and leave for Kalimpong, located at an altitude of 1250 meters. This place is extremely popular for its nurseries and beautiful colorful flowers. The afternoon is fixed to explore the Tharpa Choling Monastery. Treat your eyes to the surrounding beauty. Overnight in Kalimpong.

Day 04: Kalimpong – Gangtok
On day 4, relish your breakfast and leave by road for Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim. On arrival, check into your pre-booked hotel. This city is a perfect mix of the old and the new. Set-out for enjoying sightseeing in Gangtok. Beautiful monasteries and stupas are sprinkled all over the place. The day is fixed for visiting Do-drul Chorten- an important stupa, Enchey Monastery – a 200-yr-old monastery and Research Institute of Tibetology. The last visit of the day will be Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom – an inventory where you can shop for authentic shawls, blankets and carpets. Stay overnight.

Day 05: Gangtok
Once you have your breakfast, leave for covering the remaining attractions in and around the place. In the morning, you will leave for visiting the Rumtek Monastery also known as the Dharmachakra Centre. The other visit is Tashi View Point. From here you will enjoy a mesmerizing view of Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt. Siniolchu. Overnight in Gangtok.

Day 06: Gangtok – Phuentsholing
Today, check-out of your hotel and leave for Phuentsholing, a town situated on the border of Bhutan. On the way, you are going to enjoy the mesmerizing view of the lush green tea gardens. Located on the foothills of Himalayas, Phuentsholing is a prosperous commercial hub. The highlight of the place is the perfect amalgamation of Indian and Bhutanese culture. On reaching, check-into your hotel. The evening is fixed for visiting Zangtho Pelri Lhakhang, a small temple containing various ancient Buddhist artifacts. Later, enjoy a leisure walk around the local market. Stay overnight.

Day 07: Phuentsholing – Thimphu
Today after breakfast, you are going to leave for Thimphu, the capital town of the Kingdom of Bhutan. On the way, you are going to visit Kharbandi Gompa – a striking monastery erected by the Royal Grandmother, Ashi Phuntsho Choedron in 1967 and then Simtokha Dzong – a small dzong, one of its kinds, built in 1629. After arriving in Thimphu, check-into your hotel for staying overnight. If you want, you can explore the surroundings on foot.

Day 08: Thimphu
The eighth day is for visiting the popular attractions of Thimphu. You will visit Tashichho Dzong – the Buddhist monastery cum fortress, Memorial Chorten – a chorten built in memory of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Bhutan’s 3rd King, Art School, National Library, The Textile and Folk Heritage Museum, Traditional Medicine Institute and lastly, Government Handicrafts Emporium. Overnight stay.

Day 09: Thimphu – Punakha
After breakfast, get transported to Punakha by road. You will cross the Dochula pass from where you can enjoy an enchanting view of Bhutan. On reaching, complete the check-in formalities at your hotel. The first visit of the day will be Punakha Dzong, also popular as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong- the second largest as well as oldest dzong. The other visit of the day will be Wangdue Phodrang for exploring the magnificent Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, situated on a hilltop at the union of rivers Punakha Chhu and Tang Chhu. Overnight in Punakha.

Day 10: Punakha – Paro
Have your breakfast and leave for Paro, a stunning historic valley that is quite popular for its scenic beauty, rich culture, and numerous legends. Check-in to your hotel, relax for some time. Post lunch, in the afternoon you will explore Ta Dzong-constructed during 1951 originally as a watch tower, National Museum of the Kingdom and lastly the Rinpung Dzong- a huge Drukpa Kagyu Buddhist monastery and fortress. Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 11: Paro
Morning head towards Drukgyel Dzong, now in ruins, this structure is a fortress cum Buddhist monastery. Next, you will visit a traditional farm house where you will get a sneak-peak into the lifestyle and culture of the locals. The evening is fixed for exploring Taktsang Monastery- a Buddhist sacred site as well as a temple complex and then Kyichu Lhakhang, another popular Buddhist temple. Stay overnight

Day 12: Departure from Paro
Today is the last day of the tour when post an early breakfast, you will get transferred to the Paro airport to catch a flight for your onward journey.