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Bhutan Sikkim Darjeeling Tour INDEPENDENTYOUR DATESPRIVATEJOURNEY

Bhutan Sikkim Darjeeling Tour

Sikkim Darjeeling Tour with Festival in Bhutan

Bhutan Festival and Sikkim tour is a journey of Geographical and cultural contrasts, as you travel from a rich mixture of ecosystems ranging from sub-tropical to the high mountain ranges, and across unique culture and traditions. Join us on this life-changing journey that begins in the Indian state of Sikkim, where you’ll explore mountain monasteries, sip tea beneath the Himalayan peaks at the Raj-era hill hotel in Darjeeling, then cross the vast plains of Dooars to the magical Kingdom of Bhutan.

Amid verdant valleys dotted with historic fortresses and shrines, delve into Bhutan’s rich culture, discovering how happiness is woven into the fabric of everyday life. As you travel into the heart of the Kingdom’s Bumthang district, meet with monks, nuns, farmers, children, and artisans. Explore villages, historic monuments, and sacred sights. On this trip, we also join in the celebration of one or more than one Tsechu, an extremely colorful local festival where the local community comes together to witness religious mask dances, receive blessings and socialize.

Wind Horse has been operating this tour for the last 10 years with a small modification each year. In the past, we used to start the tour in Bhutan, but this year, we are starting the tour from Sikkim. We have also have added a flight from Bumthang to Paro, to cope with changing road conditions.

Outline Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Delhi

Day 2 & 3: Gangtok, Sikkim

Day 4 & 5: In Darjeeling

Day 6: Phuentsholing, Bhutan

Day 7 & 8: Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan

Day 9 & 10: In Punakha  /Wangdue valley

Day 11: Gangtey, Phobjikha valley

Day 12 & 13: In Bumthang

Day 14, 15 & 16: In Paro valley and hike to Taktsang

Day 17: Departure

 

Activities: Culture Tours, Festival Tours

Trip highlights

  • Famous hill stations of Sikkim and Darjeeling
  • Tea plantations
  • Absorb diverse Buddhist traditions
  • A journey between India and Bhutan to appreciate the natural and cultural diversities
  • Wander in bazaars, villages, and towns
  • Meet monks, nuns, farmers, and children and interact with them
  • Join in the celebration of a colorful festival or two
  • Try out local foods
  • Hike to famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery
  • Enjoy spectacular views of snow-capped Himalayas from several locations on this trip

Day by day

The full day-by-day itinerary.

Meet and transfer to the hotel in Aero city. Free to pursue your own interests.

Meals Dinner

Meet the group during breakfast. Transfer to the airport in time for the morning flight to Bagdogra airport, near Siliguri. Meet our local guide and drive to Gangtok, where you spend two nights.  Visit monasteries, viewpoints, Flower Exhibits, the local market, and other attractions (some places will be covered on foot).

Overnight in a hotel Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Explore the queen of the hills, spread over the ridges, surrounded by emerald-green tea plantations and towered over by majestic Khangchendzonga. Spend two nights in a comfortable Raj-era hotel.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

En-route to Phuentsholing, we have an opportunity to meet the natives of Dooars working in Tea Estates. Immigration formalities and enter the Bhutanese frontier town.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Journey up the hills, through changing vegetation, past villages and waterfalls to the bucolic capital of Bhutan.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Cross the spectacular Dochula pass with the panorama of Bhutanese peaks and descend into a semi-tropical valley, covered by terraced rice-fields.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Climb up to the alpine setting of Phobjikha valley (2900m), the highest night halt on your journey. For some departures, we visit Gangtey and stay in Trongsa.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Visit Trongsa Dzong, perhaps the most spectacularly sited Dzong (fortress cum monastery) in Bhutan. Then cross into Bumthang, the spiritual and cultural heartland of the Kingdom. Spend two nights in the valley of buckwheat fields, apple orchards, and chalet-like houses, surrounded by pine-forested hills.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

This 20-min scenic flight whisks you to Paro, avoiding the long winding road back. You have one and a half-day to explore serene Paro valley and a day dedicated to hiking to the iconic Taktsang (tigers nest) monastery.

Meals Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Transfer to the airport in time for your departure flight. You could return to Delhi or go to Kathmandu, Kolkata, Bangkok, and some days even to Singapore.

Meals Breakfast

17-day trip, from 2000 per person. Tell us your dates and group size and we will price it exactly.

Included

  • All transfers
  • Sightseeing with entrance fees
  • English speaking local tour guides
  • Accommodations in listed hotels or similar (3 & 4 star type mix, with good location,  local character,  and good, if not best reviews)
  • All meals throughout the trip (except in Delhi, where only breakfast is included).
  • Bottled water in the vehicle (during the day)
  • Bhutan Visa and all required permits.
  • Bhutan’s daily tourists’ fees
  • Flight Delhi to Bagdogra
  • Flight Bumthang-Paro

Not included

  • Indian Visa.
  • Flight into Delhi
  • Flight out of Paro
  • Medical Insurance
  • Bar/Beverages, Laundry, Gifts, Gratuities and other personal expenses not listed in included section

Hello Anand, I'm writing at the end of a very busy week at my hospital; let's see how far I get before my energy and memory are failing. I'd like to break the trip into 2 segments: Bhutan and Sikkim/Darjeeling. I liked Bhutan. The country has a fascinating history based on it's religion. This is shown very clearly in every…

Dear Anand - Thank you so much for your email. I was planning on writing and giving my thoughts, but you prompted me to get started. Firstly,  I would like to thank everyone for their help in such  a splendid trip.  We thoroughly enjoyed every moment.For the sake of simplicity and time, I will condense my comments instead of in a…

TID 781 (Oct 03 - 19, 2014) My partner and I recently participated in the Windhorse Tour to Bhutan, Sikkim and Darjeeling. We had a marvelous time. We were both extremely impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of our Bhutanese Guide, Sonam. And our bus driver, Arun, did an amazing job keeping us all safe amidst the traffic on the…

These guide have years of experience and are very good at their job. They are friendly and can entertain you throughout the whole journey.

Anand Thapa

Anand Thapa

Anand Thapa grew up in Jaigaon, a small border town next to Phuentsholing, Bhutan. He attended school in Bhutan before moving to Darjeeling for further studies. Surrounded by lush tea gardens, colonial-era churches, and views of Mount Kanchenjunga, he developed a lasting fascination with travel. After his studies, Anand lived…

Kezang Norbu

Kezang Norbu

Kezang is a graduate from Gedu Business School college in Bhutan, but he was always interested in the Buddhist Philosophy, which made him alter his ambition to being a tour Guide. He is super polite and Buddhist to the core, because his parents and their parents were all affliliated to…

Namgay

Namgay

Guide - Culture, Trek & Nature Growth in Tourism in Bhutan has also its share of impact on young minds. With tourists freely moving around, the curiosities to know them, talk to them holds ground firmly on young minds . Namgay is one among many youth whose imagination was captured…

Pankaj Pradhan

Pankaj Pradhan

Pankaj Pradhan hails from Kuersong in India but his upbringing was in Thimphu. He has seen from close quarter the growing stature of tourism in Bhutan. While kid, he says that he could see a a handful of tourist in Thimphu during festival, but now it has grown substantially .…

The following lists are the essential trekking gear that is recommended for trekking in Nepal and all listed gears can also be bought easily in Kathmandu, Kathmandu has a number of shops selling the necessary clothes and gear for trekkers.

  • A few pairs of Thermal tops
  • Fleece jacket/pullover
  • Windcheater – waterproof shell jacket one pair
  • Down jacket -( It will be provided by the company if you do not have your own)
  • Comfortable Fleece/wool trousers
  • Trekking pants- at least 2 pairs
  • Mittens/woolen gloves
  • Warm Hiking socks
  • Trekking sue with spare laces
  • Pair of flip flop
  • Under wears & Swimming costume
  • Hiking Cotton trousers/t-shirts
  • Sun hat/scarf
  • Sunglasses
  • Sleeping bag -( It will be provided by the company if you do not have your own)
  • Trekking poles (Not 100%)
  • Day bag above 40 L
  • 1 set- Headlamp
  • Small lock for the day backpack
  • Reusable water bottles- 2 letters
  • Water purification tablets/ electric light
  • Wash towel
  • Toiletries (wet tissue, quick-drying towel, toilet paper, moisturizers, lip balms, sunscreens, sanitary pads, hand sanitizer, nail clipper, small mirror, toothpaste & brush, etc.)
  • Rain poncho
  • Basic personal first aid kit

What travelers most often ask us before a trip to Bhutan.

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