(Click on each day to reveal detailed itinerary)

Depart UK and fly to Kolkata

On arrival in Kolkata you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel. After some time to rest after your journey your tour leader will meet with the group and take you on a short orientation tour, the rest of the day will be free in this magnificent city, once capital of British India. There will be some time for sightseeing on your return to Kolkata so you may wish to have a relaxed start to your tour, perhaps visiting the Botanical Gardens or wandering through one or two of Kolkata’s superb museums. Overnight in Kolkata. (Hotel) Meals: no meals included today

This morning you will take an early morning flight to Bagdogra in northern West Bengal. From there you’ll proceed by road into the Himalayan foothills to your hotel in Darjeeling. Darjeeling has always been a popular holiday retreat, first during the time of the British Raj and now for the people of Kolkata who come here to escape the summer heat. Darjeeling is a picture perfect hill station with rolling tea plantations, English colonial houses and wonderful Himalayan views. Overnight in Darjeeling. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Today you will have the whole day to explore this charming hill station. For the energetic there is the option of trekking up to Tiger Hill, Darjeeling’s highest viewpoint, to watch the sunrise. You may also wish to visit the Zoological Park which has a captive breeding programme for the endangered snow leopard and Tibetan wolf or visit the Tibetan Refugee Centre.  No visit to Darjeeling would be complete without a trip to the tea plantations and sampling the finest tea in the world. We have included a trip to the Happy Valley Tea Estate; one of Darjeeling’s most scenic. In the afternoon we have also included a trip on the ‘toy train’ to the Ghoom Monastery, now a world heritage site this little 2m gauge track is one of the last remaining, operational hill railways in India. The return journey can be done on foot, offering fantastic views. Overnight in Darjeeling. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

This morning you will continue through the rolling tea plantations to the capital of Sikkim. Gangtok means “hill-top” in Sikkimese and from here the surrounding scenery is spectacular. Gangtok is a popular starting point for many trekking routes and has a great, friendly atmosphere. It is a lovely place to stay for a couple of days with a good choice of restaurants and plenty to see in the surrounding area. In the afternoon you will drive out to the opposite side of the valley to visit the Rumtek Monastery. This huge monastic compound is traditionally the seat of the Karmapa the head of the ‘Black Hat’ sect of Buddhism, here you will be permitted to sit in on the prayer sessions of the monks and see the exquisite ‘Golden Stupa’ which houses the remains of the 16^th Karmapa. Overnight in Gangtok. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

This morning you can visit the beautiful little monastery of Enchey, today it houses around 100 monks and is set amongst tranquil pine forests on the hill side above the city. Sikkim is famous for its number of monasteries and there are plenty more that you can visit. Alternatively you may wish to visit some of the viewpoints where you can get excellent views of Mount Khangchendzonga. We have left the day free for your own exploration. Overnight in Gangtok. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Today you leave Sikkim by road and continue your journey to Kalimpong. Kalimpong is a friendly bazaar town in West Bengal, the climate here is much warmer than in Darjeeling as it is situated in a valley and sheltered by the Himalayan foothills. Much of the population here is of Nepali origin but with its proximity to both China and Bhutan, Kalimpong is a melting pot of different cultures and beliefs.

In the afternoon there will be time for sightseeing including a visit to Kalimpong’s largest monastery – Dzong Dog-Palri, this monastery was consecrated by the Dalai Llama in 1976 and houses some very fine paintings and 3-dimensional mandalas. You will also have some free time to wander through the colourful bazaars in the centre of this charming town. Overnight in Kalimpong. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

You will leave the mountains behind this morning as you travel back to the plains. It will be a long day on the road but passing through incredible scenery as you journey to the border town of Phuntsholing. Overnight in Phuntsholing. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Today you will journey into the heart of Bhutan. The drive to Paro offers mountain scenery that is simply breathtaking. On arrival in Paro the rest of the day will be free to relax and take in your surroundings. Overnight in Paro. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

The whole day is spent exploring Paro; in the morning your guide will take you to visit the Drukgyel Dzong, the ruined fortress where the Bhutanese finally defeated the invading Tibetans. Drukgyel Dzong is 16 km from Paro, en-route you can view Mt. Jhomolhari (7,341m), covered with snow throughout the year. The rest of the day is free for you to soak up the atmosphere and make friends with the inquisitive local people. For the energetic there is also the option to climb up to the famous 'Tigers Nest' Monastery perched high on the cliff-side. Overnight in Paro. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

The morning will be spent on the road travelling between Paro and Thimpu (54km), following the meandering Paro Chu and Wang Chu rivers, the drive takes you through typical Bhutanese countryside, villages, rice paddies and forests. In the afternoon there will be a chance to see some of the sights in Bhutan’s lively capital including the Memorial Chorten (stupa) dedicated to the third king of Bhutan and the National Library which houses many ancient manuscripts. Overnight in Thimpu. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Today you will leave the new capital and head for the old. On the way to Punakha you will cross the Dochula Pass (3116m) which gives incredible views of the highest peaks in Bhutan. On arrival in Punakha you’ll visit the Punakha Dzong, this fortress monastery is one of Bhutan’s most attractive, built in 1637 the Dzong can house as many as 600 monks. Today it is used by the central monk body during the winter months. In the afternoon you can walk through the streets and markets of Punakha. Overnight in Punakha. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

This morning you will drive out to the Dzong (Fort) at Wangdiphrodang and in the afternoon drive back along the beautiful Paro Valley. Overnight in Paro. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

In the morning you will fly back to Kolkata. There will be time for a half day guided tour of Kolkata to include some of the most prominent buildings from the time of the Raj, centred around Dalhousie Square and the magnificent marble Victoria Memorial. After the tour the rest of the day will be free. Overnight in Kolkata. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Depending on flight times there may be time for some additional sightseeing in Kolkata before you leave for the airport. We will provide a transfer from your hotel to the airport for your onward journey. Tour ends in Kolkata. Meals: breakfast