India and Bhutan Cultural Tour

Destinations Covered: Delhi - Bagdogra - Darjeeling - Pemayangtse - Gangtok - Lachung - Yumthang - Rumtek - Kalimpong - Phuntsholing - Thimphu - Punakha - Paro - Agra - Jaipur - Delhi
Duration: 18 Nights/19 Days

Day 01: Arrival at Delhi
Our representative shall pick you up from the airport and help you to check-in to a hotel. Thereafter, you will be taken for city sightseeing. You will be visiting the famous tourist places which include India Gate, Presidential Palace, Humayun's Tomb, Red Fort, Raj Ghat, Lotus Temple, etc. In the night, you will return to hotel for dinner & overnight stay.

Day 02: Delhi - Bagdogra - Darjeeling
Early in the morning, you will check out from your hotel room and move towards your next destination, Darjeeling. Our representative will escort you till airport from where you will catch a flight for Bagdogra. Bagdogra is a small city surrounded with the tea gardens. As soon as you arrive, you will be received by our representative and later, driven for 90 km towards Darjeeling through tea estates. Upon reaching there, our representative will help you to check-in the hotel. In the evening, you will be free. Relax and enjoy the scenic beauty of the dazzling valley surrounded with hills.

Day 03: Darjeeling
This full day is for city sightseeing. Early in the morning you will be driven for 11 km towards Tiger Hill (2590 m), to watch sun rise on Mt Kanchenjunga (8585 m) - the third highest mountain of the world. Thereafter, you will have your breakfast. Later, you will visit the Bhutia Busty Monastery, also known as Karmaa Dorjee Chyoling Monastery, which houses a collection of old Buddhist scripts. Continue your city visit with Observatory Hill, Zoological Park, which is the only place in India having its collection of Siberian tigers and Botanical Garden with rare Himalayan plants, flowers and orchids. Later you will visit Ghoom Monastery and enjoy the Toy Train ride. Later in the evening, you will return to your hotel for dinner & overnight stay.

Day 04: Darjeeling - Pemayangtse
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will be driven 130 km / 4 hours towards Pemayangtse (2085 m). Here you will enjoy the excellent view of Mt Pandim (6691 m) and Mt Kanchenjunga. Pemayangtse (means Perfect Sublime Lotus) is a Buddhist monastery, which was founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1705 century. The monastery is located on the hill top, surrounded with the snow capped mountains from two sides and gives the picturesque vision of the place. Overnight stay will be at a hotel/guest house.

Day 05: Pemayangtse - Gangtok
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will move towards your next destination, the capital of Sikkim - Gangtok. It will be drive of near by 140 km / 6 hours. En route you will be visiting Tashiding (means The Devoted Central Glory) Monastery. Founded by Ngadak Sempa Chempo Phunshok Rigzing in 1716 century, it is perched atop a conical hill in between Rangit and Ratong rivers. It is one of the most sacred and holiest monasteries in Sikkim. Later, you will continue your drive to Gangtok. Upon your arrival, you will check-in to a hotel for overnight stay.

Day 06: Gangtok
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will be taken for a tour of the city. Your city excursion starts with the visit Rumtek Monastery, also known as Dharmachakra Centre. Rumtek has a large monastic school for monks. The monastery was founded by 9th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, in 16th Century. Later in the afternoon, you will be taken for the visit of Orchadium and Lal Bazaar in Gangtok. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 07: Gangtok / Lachung
On the seventh day of your tour, you will be moving towards the next destination Lachung. In the morning, after breakfast you will be driven for 120 km / 6 hrs towards Lachung, located in North Sikkim. This area has its own picturesque beauty, as it decorated with the panorama of snow-capped mountains, astonishing waterfalls and stunning streams. En route you will visit to Phodong Monastery built by Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal somewhere in the first quarter of 18th century. It is one amongst the six most important Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim. As soon as you reach there, you will be transferred to a lodge / hotel for overnight stay.

Day 08: Lachung - Yumthang - Lachung
Early in the morning, after having breakfast, you will be driven 24 km towards Yumthang valley, the valley of flowers, which is quite wide with snow capped mountains of Pauhunri and Shundu Tsenpa in between. The months of March and April are the most special as it is during this time that the valley is full with rhododendron flowers. You will make a small excursion trip in this picturesque valley. It will be a chance for you to enjoy the extraordinary exquisiteness of this valley by exploring the prettiness of flora species, immense hills and astonishing streams. In the evening, you will be driven back to Lachung for an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 09: Lachung - Gangtok
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will check-out from your hotel and move back towards Gangtok. As soon as you reach, you will be checking-in to a hotel. In the evening, you are free to explore the nearby area and enjoy the picturesque innate beauty of the city surrounded with the hills. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 10: Gangtok - Rumtek - Kalimpong
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will be taken for Gangtok sightseeing. Thereafter, you will be driven 24 km towards Rumtek on the other side of Ranipul valley. Rumtek has a large monastic school for monks. The order of the monastery was founded in 11th century. Though the building is not so old, it is quite impressive. Later, you will move further towards Kalimpong. It will be a drive of 76 km / 3 hours. Upon your arrival, you will be checked-in to a hotel. Later you will be taken for a visit to the monastery and curricular centre where silk worms are bred and silk is produced. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 11: Kalimpong - Phuntsholing
In the morning, you will be driven for 140 km / 5 hr towards Phuntsholing, the Bhutanese border. Upon your arrival, our representative will help you out with your passport formalities at the border and thereafter, they will transfer you to the hotel. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 12: Phuntsholing - Thimphu
On the twelfth morning, you will be driven 175 km / 6 hours towards Thimphu. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, surrounded by the valley, Dzongkhag. In the afternoon, you will be having your lunch at Bunakha Cafeteria. As soon as you reach Thimpu, you will be checked-in to a hotel for overnight stay.

Day 13: Thimphu
In the morning, you will be taken for the city sightseeing. You would be starting with a visit to the memorial stupa of the late king, built in 1974. Later, you would move to indigenous hospital, where traditional medicine is still practiced. Thereafter, you will be visiting school of traditional art, where children learn ancient art of painting, and Handicraft Emporium. In the evening, you will return to your hotel for dinner & overnight stay.

Day 14: Thimphu - Punakha - Thimphu
Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will move further for the day excursion trip to Punakha, formerly the capital of Bhutan and presently the winter capital for Monk body. It will be a drive of 70 km via Ducha La (pass)/ 3050 m. If the weather is good, you can have excellent view of high peaks of Bhutan and the sizzling valley. Here you have lunch cum picnic where you enjoy your food, relax and rejuvenate yourself with the innate magnificence of the valley. Thereafter you will be driven towards Wangdi Phodrang to explore the Dzong (Monastery). Later in the evening, you will be driven back to Thimphu for overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 15: Thimphu - Paro
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will drive for 54 km / 2 hours towards Paro. En route, you will visit Simtokha Dzong, the oldest fort in Bhutan built in 1627. This would be continued with a visit to Ta Dzong, a watch-tower built in 17th century. Later, you will be visiting Taksang Monastery (Tiger's Nest) - the most famous monastery, which was founded as a meditating cave by the famous saint, Padmasambhava in the 8th century. Next, you would be taken to Paro town, a single market town in the Dzonghag. In the evening, you will visit Paro Dzong - also known as the Rinpung Dzong which means a fortress that sits on a heap of jewels. It is located on the bank of Paro River. Overnight stay will be at the hotel in Paro.

Day 16: Paro - Delhi
This day, you will be moving back to Delhi leaving Bhutan behind. In the morning after breakfast, you will check-out from your hotel and move towards airport from where you will catch a flight for Delhi. Upon your arrival you will be received by our representative. Thereafter you will be checked-in to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 17: Delhi - Agra
In the morning, after having breakfast you will be driven 220 km / 5 hours towards Agra. As soon as you reach, our representative will escort you to check-in to the hotel. Thereafter you will be taken for the visit of world famous Taj Mahal, built by Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz. En route you will visit the Sikandara Fort, a monument of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Overnight stay will be at a hotel.

Day 18: Agra - Jaipur
On the eighteenth morning, you will driven further towards your next destination Jaipur. It will be a drive of 240 km / 5 hours. En route, you will be visiting Fatehpur Sikri - a historical city, establish by Mughal emperor Akbar in the beginning of 1570. As the first planned city of the Mughals, it is forwards a perfect blend of Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture, which reflects as the idyllic paradigm of Mughal architecture. Upon your arrival at Jaipur, our representative will help you to check-in to the hotel. Thereafter, you will be taken for the visit of Amber Fort, where you can enjoy the elephant ride. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 19: Jaipur - Delhi
In the morning, after having breakfast, you will be taken for the city sightseeing. You would be taken to Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Observatory. Later in the afternoon, you will be driven back 260 km / 5 hours to Delhi. Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to the international airport from where you will catch a flight for your onward journey.

Also Mapped to: • Jaipur Tours • New Delhi Tours • Agra Tours