titan logo
0800 988 5823BrochuresMy bookingAgent login
  • Destination
  • Holiday types
  • Offers
  • Inspire me
  • Our services
  • Contact us
Vidyasagar Setu - The longest cable stayed bridge in India on the river Hooghly at sunset

Mystic Realms of India & Bhutan

We love...

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.

Included with every escorted tour
  • 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

Titan VIP door-to-door service, new logo

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

Titan VIP door-to-door service, new logo

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

The Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, India

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…

Dinner

Ancient Hindu temple of Goddess Kali on the bank of Hooghly river at sunrise; Kolkata, India

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)

Breakfast and Dinner

Munnar Tea Plantations landscapes. Patterns of tea bushes on hills.

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…

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Red panda, a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China

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)

Breakfast and Dinner

Old Ghoom Monastery is located at Ghum near Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal, India.

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)

Breakfast and Dinner
Free time

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

19 September 2025 departure coincides with Thimphu Festival (dates subject to change). This tour contains areas of high altitude and customers that may be concerned are recommended to consult their doctor. The hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is moderately strenuous, with a steep ascent (approx. 1,200 steps) and uneven terrain - a good level of physical fitness is required. We recommend sturdy hiking shoes and layers are worn. Due to strict controls on development in Bhutan, hotels are relatively basic, but comfortable and in keeping with the environment.
newletter

Receive inspiration in your inbox

Subscribe to our newsletter for holiday inspiration and the latest special offers

For more information about how we use your personal information, please view our Privacy Policy.

Why choose a Titan tour?

Titan Travel have always been about seeing more and doing more – which is why we meticulously plan our award-winning escorted tours so that our expertly crafted itineraries make sure that so much is included. Once you book your holiday, you can relax knowing that every element has been taken care of. Choose the tour that gives you more.

VIP travel service

Smooth transfers to and from home with unlimited mileage

More value

From excursions to hotels, entry tickets and dining packages, we include more than any other tour.

More knowledgeable

Be guided by some of the most passionate and knowledgeable tour managers in the world, on hand to help every step of the way.

More flexible

Feel free to amend or extend your travel plans, up until final payment, and enjoy free time on your tour with us too.

cruise-awards
BTA 2024 Overall Winner Circle White - Titan won 13 awards
Silver travel awards 2022
wave awards 2022
cruise-awards
BTA 2024 Overall Winner Circle White - Titan won 13 awards
Silver travel awards 2022
wave awards 2022