Bhutan and Sikkim Odyssey

Welcome to India! Meet our representative at the arrival gate who will transfer you to the nearby hotel for check-in. The balance of the day is for rest.

A two-hour long flight brings us to Bagdogra airport in eastern India. Meet your local guide at the airport and proceed for a scenic three and half-hour long drive to Darjeeling (100 km or 65 miles). Enjoy the scenery as the road goes through the coniferous forest and terraced tea gardens.

Darjeeling, situated at an altitude of 2,134 m (or 7,000 ft.) has soothing temperature and so British developed their summer retreat here, to escape the heat of Calcutta. Darjeeling remains timeless, retaining its colonial character until today. On a clear weather day, we can enjoy spectacular views of the Himalayas that includes the third highest mountain on earth- Kanchenjunga- regarded as a guardian deity by the people of Sikkim.

Upon arrival, check into the hotel and balance of the day is at leisure.

Before dawn, we visit Tiger Hill (11km/7 miles) for sunrise and mountain panorama view. Tiger hill (2,590 m or 8, 495 ft) is the highest point in this area and famous for breath-taking sunrise view on Mount Kanchenjunga. On our way back we stop to visit the sacred Ghoom Monastery-that enshrines a 15-ft tall image of Maitreya Buddha and preserves sacred Buddhist manuscripts and murals. Now, we get on the toy-train and enjoy the fantastic views of Kanchenjunga and picturesque surrounding. We have 10 minutes stop in Batista Loop that has a garden and a war memorial built in tribute to Gorkha soldiers of Darjeeling who sacrificed their lives in the battle. 

We return to the hotel for breakfast and after that set out with our guide and driver to explore attractions of Darjeeling that includes: Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (remains closed on Thursdays), Tenzing Rock, Chitrey Tea Garden (outer views), Japanese Temple and the Peace Pagoda.

In the evening, take a stroll in Chowrasta and Mall Road-a favorite place for locals to hang out.

After breakfast, check out hotel as we move on to our next destination-Gangtok-the capital city of Sikkim. It's a whirly and adventurous drive on the winding roads, with the captivating beauty of the terraced tea estates and soaring Himalayan peaks. We will have a short tea-break in Lopchu-a famous Lover's Point that offers views of the confluence of Teesta River and Rangit River.

A few miles before Gangtok, we take a side excursion of Rumtek Monastery which is 12 km (or 7.5 miles) from the main road. Rumtek Monastery -built by the 16th Karmapa Lama- the supreme head of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism is the largest monastery of this sect outside Tibet. The 16th Karmapa, along with his followers, fled Tibet in 1959 after the Chinese takeover of Tibet and built this monastery with the help of Sikkim’s Chogyal (king) Tashi Namgyal to preserve the wealth of his lineage and portable spiritual treasures & relics. Also, visit the Karma Nalanda Institute for higher Buddhist studies. 

We arrive in Gangtok by mid-afternoon. Check into your hotel and balance of the day is for rest. If you wish, you can take a stroll in and around MG Road and get the feel of Gangtok’s local life.

Today, we visit the unique Research Institute of Tibetology on a hilltop which was established in 1958 to promote research on Tibet and Mahayana Buddhism. Here, we will see the biggest collection of Tibetan scripts and an excellent collection of rare Thangka, bronze and cult objects. We also visit the Orchid Sanctuary in the south of the institute. This sanctuary contains over 450 indigenous species. Sikkim is considered a paradise for orchid lovers. 

Next, visit the Tsuk-la-Khang, the royal chapel which is standing on a high bridge. It is a significant place of worship and has a large and impressive collection of scriptures. We visit the Institute of Cottage Industries which is an attraction as it produces a wide range of local Lepcha handicrafts. Finally, visit the Enchey monastery- which is believed to be 200 years old. The monks of this monastery belong to Mahayana Buddhism.

We have a long day today. So we leave after early morning breakfast. We travel via Ravangla (43 miles, 3-hours) and stop to visit the 118 feet tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava-who is known as Guru Rinpoche by locals. Our hotel in Pelling is further 28 miles, a 2-hours scenic drive on the winding roads.

We will have time to settle into our room and after lunch, visit the Pemayantse Monastery- an ancient and one of the most exceptional monasteries of Sikkim. The monastery has an impressive and exquisite architecture and houses an unusual Sangdok Palri "Temple of Heaven" which contains a wooden figure that took seven years to carve single-handedly by the late Dugzom. The monastery is the principal seat of ancient Nyingmapa sect and controls all other Nyingmapa monasteries of Sikkim.

Based on available time, you may visit other attractions of Pelling.

A scenic three hours drive, 65 km or 41 miles brings us to Kalimpong-another British developed hill resort town. Set amongst the rolling foothills and deep valleys of the Himalayas, Kalimpong is a  relatively small but bustling and rapidly growing town. Here, the culture and lifestyle of people reflect the influences of neighboring Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

Check in to your hotel and after some rest, proceed for the exploration of Kalimpong. Begin from Dr. Graham's Home, started in 1900 by a Scottish missionary, Dr. John Anderson Graham, who along with his wife, dedicated their lives in building up this beautiful complex for the education & care of orphans & other underprivileged children. Continue visits of Thapa Choling monastery- which houses a library of Tibetan manuscripts and Thangkas. We will also visit the Thongsa monastery and Durbin Dara the highest point in Kalimpong with superb views over the plains rolling down to Siliguri.

After breakfast, we leave on a scenic drive to Jaldapara National Park ( 90 miles, 4 hours)-one of the prominent wildlife sanctuaries in the eastern Himalaya. The park is home to exotic wildlife that includes Royal Bengal Tiger, Gaur, Leopard, Sambar, Chital, Hog Deer, Barking deer, Great one horned Rhinoceros, Bisons, elephants, etc. It's also a haven for bird watchers - Bengal Florican, Horn Bill, Racket-tailed Drongo, Paradise Flycatcher, etc. can be spotted here.

Check into your hotel. After wash up and change, we proceed for the afternoon safari in the park (3:00 PM-4:30 PM). Most commonly spotted animals are Great One Horned Rhinoceros, Bisons and elephants.

After an early morning cup of tea or coffee, we go for an elephant safari. The elephants are primarily for the use of forest guards for patrolling the park, and so they are subject to availability. In case elephants are occupied, we will take the alternative jeep safari. The elephant takes us through dense jungles with patches of marshy and grassy lands and water holes. Most commonly spotted animals are Great One Horned Rhinoceros, bison and elephants. 

We return to the hotel for breakfast, and we have free time until afternoon jeep safari which starts around 3 p.m Or you can go for a village walk or visit the Tiger Rehabilitation Center.

Leisurely morning breakfast and transfer to Phuentsoling-the frontier town of Bhutan where we switch to Bhutanese car and guide. After completing border formalities, we travel to Thimphu (110 miles, six or seven hours). It's a scenic journey through the spectacular landscape with waterfalls, small villages and with continually changing vegetation.

We arrive in Thimphu late afternoon. Check into your hotel for well-deserved rest. In the evening, your guide will take you for a stroll in the town to get the feel of the city.

We have a busy day today! After breakfast, we are off for an exploration of Thimphu. On the weekend, it's worth visiting the weekend market. In the nearby stadium, we can also watch archery matches. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. 

Next, visit the National Institute Zorig Chusum that offers a six years course on Bhutan's traditional arts and crafts that include painting, wood carving, embroidery, and statue making. Then, visit the Simply Bhutan Museum, a living museum of Bhutan, resembling a typical village that promotes the cultural heritage and local lifestyle. Here, you will have a chance to wear traditional Bhutanese costumes and pose for photographs, if you wish.  

Next stop – the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, dispensary of traditional Bhutanese herbal and other medicines. Other attraction, if time permits and if you wish is the textile academy that preserves the centuries-old living art of Bhutan. Thimphu's latest addition is Buddha Dordenma, a gigantic 177 ft tall Buddha statue on a ridge overlooking the valley.

Late afternoon, take a short 10-minute hike through the forest to visit the Takin Sanctuary. Takin– a kind of sheep by way of antelope, is the National animal of Bhutan and believed to exist only in Bhutan Himalaya. On the way back to our hotel, we’ll stop at the Zilukha Nunnery in Drubthob Goemba, home to 40-60 Buddhist nuns.

Finally, we visit the Trasichoe Dzong that houses the Royal Throne, National Assembly, and the seat of Chief Abbot of the central monastic body.

Hiking option: Hiking enthusiasts keen to experience a monastic lifestyle away from the crowds of town can take a half-day hike to Tango Goemba monastery. You’ll miss some sights listed above though. Tango Goebma Monastery is Bhutan's highest learning center for Buddhist studies. All Je Khenpo, the religious head of Bhutan, must complete a nine-year program here and a three-year, three-month, three-day in mediation at the nearby Cheri Goemba Monastery! With luck, the monks will be in recess, and we can join them for tea.

If you are interested, and with a booking, you can visit Pangri Zampa Temple for Buddhist astrology consultation. More than a hundred monks study astrology in this center, and they welcome the public for astrology consultation if anyone is interested.

(77 km/ 48 miles, 3 hrs.)

Following breakfast, we begin a scenic drive to Punakha, the former winter capital of Bhutan. As we leave Thimphu behind, the road gradually winds up through villages and pine forests to Dochula Pass (3100m/10168 ft.), marked by 108 Buddhist shrines, flickering with sacred prayers flags offered by the Buddhist devotees. On a clear day, the pass offers a superb panorama of the snow-capped mountains and the valleys.

From Dhochula Pass, the road drops slowly through the changing vegetation to the sub-tropical lowlands of the Punakha and Wangdue Valleys, and we arrive at our hotel in about two hours. 

Settled into our room and re-energized after lunch, we will go hiking to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten-situated atop a beautiful hillock overlooking the valley. Built by the Queen Mother, the temple is an example of Bhutan's most excellent traditional architecture. Total trip from the parking should take about one hour.

Back down, we ride to the stunning Punakha Dzong, probably the most impressive of all the Dzong (fortress) architectures of Bhutan. It has served as the winter capital of Bhutan, and even today the chief abbot moves there from his base at Trassichoe Dzong of Thimphu.

Rafting opportunity: If you wish, you can experience a short rafting trip down Mochu River. The rafting put-in point is just below the suspension bridge, and the take-out point is near the Punakha Dzong.  It's grade II or III river, with Himalayan white waters and demands no previous experience. Cost: $150 for a group of six people.

(142 km/89 miles, 4.5-5 hrs)

After breakfast, we will take a short and pleasant hike through paddy fields and villages to the legendary temple of Chime Lakhang (a.ka. Fertility Temple) associated with the Lama Drukpa Kuenley who is famously known as the Divine Madman! The houses in the village have some funny paintings of phallic symbols, and you may even come across phallus shaped door handles or crafts! Ask your guide. Why?

Now, we retrace our drive across Dhochula Pass to Paro. Shortly before the pass, we can stop at Lamperi Botanical Garden that preserves the rich fauna including Rhododendron flowers. After a lunch stop in the Dhochula pass-another opportunity to view the panorama, we will continue to Paro.

Check into your accommodations and the rest of the day is for rest.

A special day, with an early start. After breakfast, we’ll hike to the famous Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest, a highlight of any trip to Bhutan. It is dramatically perched on the edge of a 4000-foot cliff above the valley floor; making it an unbelievable sight. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava, known as Guru Rinpoche by Tibetans and Bhutanese, flew on a tigress from Tibet and landed at the monastery’s site. Guru meditated in a cave here, it is said, and subdued the local demons and established the supremacy of Buddhism in Bhutan. Therefore, the monastery is a significant pilgrimage destination for Bhutanese people.

The hike up is less than three hours and return trip down takes about half of that time. With a prior arrangement, ponies can take you two-thirds of the way up, but no further and not on the return trip down. On the way back to the town, we will the ancient Kyichu Lakhang Temple, notable as one 108 temples that King Songsten Gampo of Tibet built miraculously over a single night in the 7th century in order to subdue a demon!

Late afternoon, visit a typical Bhutanese farm family and their colorful farmhouse, made up of wood without the use of a single nail! With prior arrangement, we can share a traditional meal with the family.

Experience Traditional Hot Stone Bath (Optional): 
After such an active day, we recommend a traditional Bhutanese Hot stone bath, an ancient Bhutanese method of curing skin ailments, joint pains, hypertension, stomach disorders, arthritis, and many other diseases. Your guide needs one day advance notice to arrange the hot stone bath and it can be taken at some hotel or a private farm house. Estimated cost is $25 per person.

Your two weeks long Bhutan and Sikkim Odyssey conclude today. You have the option to fly to Delhi or Kathmandu or Bangkok. We can book the flight for you and bill you separately.