Mystic Realms of India & Bhutan

Day 1 -

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Day 2 - Kolkata

A guided tour of Kolkata will take us to some of the city’s key sights this morning. We’ll see freshly cut blooms, piles of petals and marigold garlands at the flower market (one of the country’s biggest), admire the white-marble monument to Queen Victoria (also a museum), and visit Mother House, where Mother Teresa lived, worked and is now buried. We’ll also drive around Dalhousie Square, edged by some of Kolkata’s finest Raj-era architecture. Our afternoon is just as exciting, with a rickshaw ride, a trip to some of the local markets, and a scenic sail along the river to take in the city from the water (look out for some of the historic bathing ghats along the waterfront).

Day 3 - Darjeeling

A short flight takes us north to Bagdogra. From here, it’s a few hours’ drive (with a stop for lunch on the way) to reach Darjeeling, the heart of India’s tea country, where we’ll spend the next three nights.

Day 4 - Darjeeling

It’s an early start to Tiger Hill this morning - but it’ll be worth it to watch the sun rise over the Himalayas. They’ll loom dark on the horizon before the day’s first golden light hits them and reveals peaks like Kanchandzonga and (if we’re lucky with the weather) Everest. Take photos, snap a selfie or simply sit and contemplate the raw beauty of these majestic mountains. Later that morning, after breakfast and a chance to freshen up back at the hotel, we’ll visit the Himalayan Zoological Park, where conservation breeding efforts protect rare red pandas and snow leopards. You’ll also find the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute within the park - guides and climbers from across the world come here to receive intensive training before ascending these mighty peaks. Our final stop this morning is the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre, where refugees produce and export handicrafts such as Tibetan carpets, bronze and copper pots, prayer wheels, carved-wood frames and traditional leather boots. An afternoon walk leads us to the viewpoint at Observatory Hill (where you’ll enjoy more mountain views) and on to the Bhutia Busty Monastery, home to a collection of old Buddhist scripts, including one of the original manuscripts of The Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Day 5 - Ghoom - Darjeeling

Around six kilometres from Darjeeling is the quaint hill town of Ghoom. The best way to get here is on the ‘toy train’, a UNESCO-protected narrow-gauge train still pulled by its original steam engine. We’ll board its cobalt-blue carriages for the journey up through the lush hills to Ghoom, the highest station on the entire Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Peaceful Buddhist monasteries dot the mountainsides here, and we’ll visit one of the most famous: Yiga Choeling Tibetan Monastery, known as Ghoom Monastery. The biggest monastery here, it houses a gold-painted Buddha statue studded with precious stones, and a collection of rare Buddhist manuscripts. The rest of the day is at leisure back in Darjeeling - perhaps join your guide for a walk in the local market to sample some delicious dumplings from street food stalls.

Day 6 - Phuentsholing

It’s a long but exciting day of travel today, as we cross the border into the beautiful kingdom of Bhutan. This tiny, remote corner of the world only opened its doors to foreign visitors 50 years ago, and still keeps numbers low today to ensure tourism remains sustainable. Bhutan is a land of tradition and spirituality, with a philosophy of prioritising ‘Gross National Happiness’ - the health and wellbeing of its people - over GDP. It’s a real privilege to visit Bhutan, and we can look forward to an incredible week ahead.

Day 7 - Thimphu

A photogenic drive with a backdrop of mountains and waterfalls brings us to the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu. At an elevation of 2,350 metres, it’s the third-highest capital in the world. Although modernity is embraced here, heritage is still tightly protected - all new buildings must be constructed in traditional Bhutanese style, and the skyline is still dominated by the striking fortress monastery of Tashichho Dzong. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring. First, we’ll learn about the Bhutanese weaving, a national art, at the Textile Museum. Exhibitions display traditional styles of dress, many still worn by locals today. We’ll then visit Zilukha Nunnery, set on the slopes just outside Thimphu, where you may have the chance to meet some of the nuns. The evening will be spent touring Tashichho Dzong. The complex includes beautifully kept gardens, temples, shrines and chapels, and is the seat of the royal government. Afterwards, a trip to a local craft bazaar gives you the opportunity to browse Bhutanese arts and crafts, from prayer beads and brass Buddhas to hand-carved wooden bowls and textiles.

Day 8 - Thimphu

Enjoy a full day of sightseeing around Thimphu today, starting at the Memorial Chorten. This spectacular stupa is a place of daily worship for many Thimphu locals, who come to light butter lamps, take ritual walks and turn huge prayer wheels. From here, we’ll then head up into the mountains to the Buddha Dordenma statue, one of the largest Buddha statues in the world. Gilded in gold and reaching a height of more than 50 metres, this magnificent statue looks out over Thimphu and its verdant valleys. Hidden inside its body are 125,000 smaller Buddhas, while thousands more fill the chapel beneath the statue. Our morning finishes at the Royal Takin Preserve, a wildlife reserve dedicated to the takin, Bhutan’s national animal (imagine a cross between a goat and an antelope). The rest of the day is all about Bhutanese tradition and culture. After a delicious lunch of authentic dishes at the Simply Bhutan living heritage museum, we’ll meet and chat with local students learning different forms of Bhutanese art at the National Institute for Zorig Chusum. We’ll then return to the Zilukha Nunnery, where we’ll be able to join the nuns for an intimate tea-offering ceremony. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a cultural dance performance - a brilliant end to our day.

Day 9 - Tango Monastery and Pangri Zampa

We’ll lace up our walking shoes for hikes to two historic monasteries today. First up is Tango Goemba, or Tango Monastery, which sits in the hills above the Thimphu Chhu River. The first monastery here can be traced back to the 12th century, although the building we’ll now see is a 15th-century one, founded by Lama Drukpa Kuenley (known as the ‘Divine Madman’ for his eccentric ways and light-hearted lifestyle). The walk up to the monastery will take around an hour, on a trail through shady rhododendron forests. Learn about Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, a great Bhutanese saint, who meditated in a cave nearby to ensure the defeat of an invading Tibetan army, and hear how the monastery is today functioning as a university for Buddhist monks. The second monastery we’ll visit is Pangri Zampa. Dating back to the 16th century, it’s one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. The monastic school here teaches students about Lamaism and astrology based on the Buddhist philosophy. We’ll return to the hotel in the afternoon and the rest of the day will be at leisure.

Day 10 - Punakha

This morning, we’ll follow winding roads through thickly forested hills to Punakha, Bhutan’s former capital. Our first stop will be Chimi Lhakhang, a temple and monastery sitting on a hilltop overlooking paddy fields and the waters of the Puna Tsang Chu River. The temple is dedicated to fertility rites - pilgrims seeking a blessing are struck lightly on the head with a silver-handled wooden phallus to bestow luck. We’ll later continue to Punakha Dzong, or the Palace of Great Happiness. It’s Bhutan’s second-oldest and second-largest fortified monastery, and considered the most beautiful, with whitewashed walls, a brass roof, ornate windows and gardens of jacaranda trees which turn lilac in springtime.

Day 11 - Paro

Nestled in a lush Himalayan valley is the historic town of Paro, rich in cultural heritage and traditional architecture. We’ll spend two nights here, immersing ourselves in Bhutanese culture. We’ll begin at the National Museum of Bhutan, where you can browse more than 3,000 exhibits, showcasing Bhutanese art over the past 1,500 years. The museum is housed in a six-storey watchtower, once part of the 15th-century Rinpung Dzong fortress, which we’ll visit next. Built onto a steep hillside, the views across the valley and Paro Chu River are stunning. But it’s the building itself that’ll really impress. Described by Lonely Planet as a real ‘high point’ of Bhutanese architecture, we’ll admire intricately carved wooden ornamentations, majestic white buttressed walls and sloping, layered roofs. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a lesson in archery (the national sport) at a local farmhouse, before sitting down to a traditional dinner. Rice is a staple of all meals here, with local ingredients such as cheese and chillies also taking centre stage. Afterwards, we stop at the Namgay Artisanal Brewery for a guided tour and beer-tasting session.

Day 12 - Tiger's Nest Monastery

Seeing the Tiger’s Nest Monastery is undoubtedly a highlight of our Bhutan tours. Clinging to a cliff edge, halfway up a mountain above the forested Paro Valley, this 17th-century monastery looks like something out of a picture book. We’ll hike up to the Tiger’s Nest viewpoint on the opposite side of the valley for unforgettable views of this sacred building (named after the second Buddha, Padmasambhava, who is said to have arrived here on the back of a flying tiger). Admire the monastery’s red, gold and white pagoda, and take in the views right across this spectacular valley. If you want to, you can continue your hike up to the monastery itself; if not, there’s a café at the viewpoint where you can wait, or you can begin your walk back down. The hike to the viewpoint takes around three hours round-trip. If you’re going right up to the monastery, it’ll be around five to six hours in total. It’s a steep, challenging hike (especially due to the altitude), but incredibly rewarding, and a wonderful experience. In the afternoon, we’ll head to the 7th-century Kyichu Lhakhang, another of Bhutan’s oldest temples. According to myth, it was constructed on the left foot of a giant demoness who was preventing the spread of Buddhism.

Day 13 - Paro - Kolkata

A morning flight takes us back to India. After checking in to our hotel, you’ll have the afternoon at leisure to enjoy Kolkata.

Day 14 - UK - In flight

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.