Itinerary 1 - Oct 28 departures
Day 1 Fly from London Heathrow to Kolkata. Arrive early the following morning and transfer to the Taj Bengal Hotel.
Day 2 Afternoon sightseeing includes the Victoria Memorial, Dalhousie Square, St. John’s Church, Howrah Bridge and a drive around colonial Calcutta. Overnight at the Taj Bengal Hotel.
Day 3 Transfer to the domestic airport for the flight to Bagdogra, continuing by road to Darjeeling (93 kms) and two nights at the Hotel Mayfair.
Day 4 Morning visit to Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise, continuing to the Yellow Hat Monastery at Ghoom. Later travel by toy train to the highest railway station in India. Afternoon tour of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the zoo and Tibetan refugee centre.
Day 5 Drive to Kalimpong (80 kms). Afternoon visit to the Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa. Overnight at the Silver Oak Hotel.
Day 6 Drive to Gangkok, the capital of Sikkim. Two nights at the Hotel Norkhill.
Day 7 Full-day sightseeing of Gangkok including the Institute of Tibetology, Enchey Monastry, Government Institute of Cottage Industries and Rumtek Monastry.
Day 8 Continue to Puntsholing (237 kms). Evening exploration of the town. Overninght at the Hotel Druk, Puntsholing.
Day 9 Drive to Paro visiting en route the Kharbandi Goemba, and overnight at the Hotel Druk, Paro.
Day 10 Drive to Thimphu and visit the National Memorial Chroten and the Dupthop Lhakhang. Continue to the traditional medicine institute. After lunch visit the Dzong where His Majesty the King will grant audience to the general public. Return to Paro and the Hotel Olathang for a three night stay.
Day 11 Morning drive to Thimphu to join the celebrations with a cultural programme performed by all sections of Bhutanese society. Afternoon drive back to Paro to visit the Drukgyel Dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest and most sacred shrines.
Day 12 Morning at leisure. Afternoon visit to the national museum with its fine collection of paintings, textiles and ancient weapons.
Day 13 Drive back to Puntsholing and overnight at the Hotel Druk.
Day 14 Morning drive to Bagdogra airport (140 kms) for the return flight to Kolkata. On arrival transfer to the Hotel Taj Bengal.
Day 15 Morning visit to the flower market, take a boat across the Hoogley river to the Dakshinashwar Temple. In the afternoon visit a Jain temple and Kalighat Temple, the book market and the writer’s building.
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