Mystic Realms of India & Bhutan
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Riding the heritage toy train through the lush hills of Darjeeling. Hiking to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the cliff-clinging Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro. Taking a lesson in archery, the Bhutanese national sport.
There are so many pinch-yourself moments on our India & Bhutan tour, it’s hard to pick out the highlights. Exploring India’s north-eastern corner, you’ll embrace Kolkata’s vibrancy and colour, before heading to the hills of Darjeeling for tea, toy trains and an unforgettable sunrise over Mount Everest. We’ll then cross the border into Bhutan, the ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’, a country closed to visitors until just 50 years ago. With tourism numbers still strictly limited, it’s a real privilege to travel here. We’ll immerse ourselves in Bhutanese culture, heritage and tradition, experiencing everything from a spiritual tea-offering ceremony with nuns to platefuls of deliciously authentic local cuisine at simple, charming hotels. Trek through forested landscapes to admire the sight of the famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery, explore ancient dzongs (fortresses), visit mountaintop monasteries, and enjoy peace and tranquillity in spades. There are many festivals taking place across the year - if we’re lucky, we’ll be witness to one during our time here.
- VIP door-to-door travel service
- Knowledgeable tour managers
- Selected meals and international flights
- Included excursions
Or Call us FREE on 0800 988 5823 to book this holiday
23 excursions & visits
34 meals
Group size up to 24
Adventurer pace
Your itinerary
Day 1 - UK - In flight
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your overnight flight to Kolkata.
UK - In flight
Day 2 - Kolkata
We arrive into Kolkata this morning, the first stop on our India and Bhutan tour. After checking in to our hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure to relax or explore Kolkata at your own pace. Set along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, this 350-year-old city is a wonderful mix of faded colonial architecture and sacred Hindu temples, crowded bazaars and serene gardens.
The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata (5-star)
Today includes…
Day 3 - 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).
The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata (5-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: City tour of Kolkata (morning)
Rickshaw ride to local markets (afternoon)
Cruise along Hooghly River (afternoon)
Day 4 - 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.
Mayfair Hotel, Darjeeling (4-star)
Today includes…
Day 5 - 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.
Mayfair Hotel, Darjeeling (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Sunrise at Tiger Hill (morning)
Excursion to the Himalayan Zoological Park, Mountaineering Institute & Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre (morning)
Visit to Bhutia Busty Monastery (afternoon)
Day 6 - 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.
Mayfair Hotel, Darjeeling (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to Ghoom (morning)
Visit to Ghoom Monastery (morning)
Day 7 - 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.
Hotel Phuentsholing (3-star)
Today includes…
Day 8 - 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.
Hotel Druk, Thimphu (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Visits to Thimphu Textile Museum and Zilukha Nunnery (afternoon)
Visit to Tashichho Dzong & craft bazaar (evening)
Day 9 - 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.
Hotel Druk, Thimphu (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Excursion to Memorial Chorten, Buddha Dordenma statue & Royal Takin Preserve (morning)
Meet with Bhutanese art students (afternoon)
Tea-offering ceremony with Zilukha nuns (afternoon)
Bhutanese cultural dance performance (evening)
Day 10 - 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.
Hotel Druk, Thimphu (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Visit to Tango Monastery and Pangri Zampa (morning)
Day 11 - 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.
RKPO Green Resort, Punakha (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Visit to Chimi Lhakhang (morning)
Visit to Punakha Dzong (afternoon)
Day 12 - 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.
Tiger’s Nest Resort, Paro (3-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Visit to National Museum of Bhutan and Rinpung Dzong (afternoon)
Archery lesson at a local farm (evening)
Guided brewery tour and beer tasting (evening)
Day 13 - 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.
Tiger’s Nest Resort, Paro (3-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery (morning)
Visit to Kyichu Lhakhang temple (afternoon)
Day 14 - 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.
The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata (5-star)
Today includes…
Day 15 - Kolkata - UK
Our India and Bhutan tour comes to an end today as we transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. Upon arrival, your Titan vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.
Kolkata - UK
Today includes…
Day 1 - UK - In flight
Day 1 - UK - In flight
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your overnight flight to Kolkata.
UK - In flight
Day 2 - Kolkata
Day 2 - Kolkata
We arrive into Kolkata this morning, the first stop on our India and Bhutan tour. After checking in to our hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure to relax or explore Kolkata at your own pace. Set along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, this 350-year-old city is a wonderful mix of faded colonial architecture and sacred Hindu temples, crowded bazaars and serene gardens.
The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata (5-star)
Today includes…
Day 3 - Kolkata
Day 3 - 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).
The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata (5-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: City tour of Kolkata (morning)
Rickshaw ride to local markets (afternoon)
Cruise along Hooghly River (afternoon)
Day 4 - Darjeeling
Day 4 - 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.
Mayfair Hotel, Darjeeling (4-star)
Today includes…
Day 5 - Darjeeling
Day 5 - 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.
Mayfair Hotel, Darjeeling (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Sunrise at Tiger Hill (morning)
Excursion to the Himalayan Zoological Park, Mountaineering Institute & Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre (morning)
Visit to Bhutia Busty Monastery (afternoon)
Day 6 - Ghoom - Darjeeling
Day 6 - 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.
Mayfair Hotel, Darjeeling (4-star)
Today includes…
Excursions & visits: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to Ghoom (morning)
Visit to Ghoom Monastery (morning)
What's included
34 meals
13 breakfasts
8 lunches
13 dinners
Transport from the UK
International and regional flights as detailed. Prices are based on return flights with Emirates from London Gatwick via Dubai.
Accommodation
13 nights in hotels and 1 in flight
Transport
Travel in destination by coach
Tour highlights
23 excursions & visits
City tour of Kolkata
Rickshaw ride to Kolkata local markets
Cruise along the Hooghly River
Sunrise at Tiger Hill, Darjeeling
Excursion to the Himalayan Zoological Park, Mountaineering Institute & Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre
Visits to Bhutia Busty Monastery, Ghoom Monastery, Thimphu Textile Museum, Zilukha Nunnery, Tashichho Dzong & craft bazaar, Tango Monastery & Pangri Zampa, Chimi Lhakhang, Punakha Dzong, National Museum of Bhutan & Rinpung Dzong, and Kyichu Lhakhang temple
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to Ghoom
Excursion to Memorial Chorten, Buddha Dordenma statue & Royal Takin Preserve
Meet with Bhutanese art students
Tea-offering ceremony with Zilukha nuns
Bhutanese cultural dance performance
Archery lesson at a local farm
Guided brewery tour and beer tasting
Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery
1 days free time
Enjoy time to explore independently, relax at your hotel, join our optional excursions or ask your tour manager for their recommendations.
Adventure made effortless with Titan Travel
VIP experience
Titan's VIP door-to-door travel service
Experts
Titan tour manager
Porterage
Services included
Key information
Important notes
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