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Itinerary |
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Day 1
Fly from London Heathrow to Kolkata (Calcutta) arriving early
the following morning.
Day 2
Transfer to the 5-star Taj Bengal Hotel where rooms will be
available for immediate occupancy. After a late breakfast depart
for visits to the Victoria Memorial, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mother
Teresa’s House and the Kalighat Kali Temple.
Day 3
Morning flight to Bagdogra. Continue by road to Darjeeling for a
two-night stay at the Mayfair Hotel.
Day 4
View the sunrise over the Himalayas from Tiger Hill and continue
to the Yellow Hat Monastery at Ghoom. Afternoon tour of
Darjeeling, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Zoo.
Day 5
Drive from Darjeeling to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, for a
two-night stay at the Nor-khill Hotel.
Day 6
Full-day sightseeing of Gangtok including a drive through
emerald green rice terraces to the Rumtek Monastery, head of the
Kagyud (Black Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
Day 7
East to Kalimpong arriving after lunch at the Zong Dog Palri
Fo-Brang Gompa. Consecrated by the Dalai Lama this monastery is
famed for its wall paintings, rare three dimensional mandala and
amazing mountain views. Overnight at the Silver Oak Hotel.
Day 8
Continue to Phuntsholing, the gateway to the legendary kingdom
of Bhutan and an overnight stay at the Druk Hotel.
Day 9
Depart along a steep, winding road to an altitude of 2500 metres
before beginning the descent through light mountain jungle,
sprinkled with lianas and orchids, to Paro. A two-night
stay at the Gangtay Palace Hotel.
Day 10
This area is home to some of Bhutan’s oldest temples and
monasteries including Rinpung Dzong, the wonderfully named
‘fortress of the heap of jewels’ commanding spectacular views
over the valley. Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the most sacred
shrines of Bhutan dating back to the 7th century when Buddhism
was first introduced to the country, and finally Drukgyel Dzong
which commemorates the triumph over Tibetan invaders in 1646.
Day 11
Full day to visit Thimpu including the 400-year-old
Tashichhodzong, the fortress of the glorious religion and the
monastery of the Simtokha Dzong. Visit the National Library with
its extensive collection of Buddhist manuscripts before
departing for Paro and visiting a typical Bhutanese village home
en-route. Overnight in the Druk Hotel.
Day 12
Return to Paro by road. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 13
Early morning flight from Paro to Calcutta. Transfer to Hotel
Taj Bengal. Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 14
Early morning flight to London reaching Heathrow later the same
day. |
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