9 or 16 DAYS Bangkok, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Phuntsholing, Kalimpong, Gangtok, Pemayangtse, Darjeeling, Bagdogra

Day 1 Mon: Depart North America
Board your Singapore Airlines flight tonight for the first segment of your journey to the exotic Himalayan Wonderland.

Day 2 Tue: Singapore / Bangkok
After connecting in Singapore, arrive in Bangkok, the vibrant capital of Thailand. Your afternoon is at leisure. ASIA AIRPORT Hotel

Day 3 Wed: Arrive Paro
Your flight this morning takes you to the majestic mountain retreat of Bhutan. This hidden treasure of the Himalayas, known as the Dragon Kingdom, is still home to an ancient style of life. A stroll down the main street is a very pleasant experience. OLATHANG HOTEL (BLD)

Day 4 Thu: Paro Sightseeing
Your tour of Paro includes visits to Ta Dzong, now the national museum, and fascinating Rimpung Dzong. Visit the interesting Drukgyel Dzong from which one has a commanding view of Mt. Chomolhari on a clear day. (BLD)

Day 5 Fri: Paro / Thimphu
You are driven through spectacular mountain views and peaceful countryside to Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital. You will stop en route to visit a Bhutanese farmhouse traditionally built entirely without nails. Your tour of Thimphu includes visits to Simtokha Dzong and Tashichho Dzong, the center of government and religion in Bhutan. Stroll to Changgankha Monastery, and visit the handicrafts emporium. HOTEL PEDLIN (BLD)

Day 6 Sat: Thimphu
Visit the lively Sunday Market, where folk from outlying areas come to buy goods. Dressed in colorful traditional garb, these remote mountain dwellers descend upon the marketplace, creating a photographer’s delight as they barter among themselves and socialize with friends. This afternoon, visit the memorial chorten built in memory of the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. (BLD)

Day 7 Sun: Punakha Excursion
Your first stop after leaving Thimphu is Dochula Pass. Situated at 10,500 feet above sea level, the pass offers breathtaking views of the Himalayan Range and the valleys below. While in Punakha, visit Punakha Dzong, which the first Shabdrung of Bhutan, Ngawang Namgyel, strategically built at the confluence of the Phochu and Mochu Rivers in 1637. (BLD)

Day 8 Mon: Thimphu / Paro
This morning, drive back to Paro. Rest of the day at leisure. OLATHANG HOTEL (BLD)

Day 9 Tue: Paro / Bangkok / Home
This morning, board your flight for Bangkok. Upon arrival, connect to your flight back home. (B)

SIKKIM EXTENSION

Day 8 Mon: Thimphu / Phuntsholing
This morning, drive to Phuntsholing, a small town on the India / Bhutan border. Stop En route at the beautiful Kharbandi Gompa, a monastery situated in tropical gardens. Later this evening, walk along the Phuntsholing bazaar. DRUK HOTEL (BLD)

Day 9 Tue: Phuntsholing / Kalimpong
Today, drive from Phuntsholing to India’s colorful town of Kalimpong, which is famous for its abundant flowers. Among the sights you’ll see are Raja Dorje market and the Tibetan Monastery. This peaceful and scenic town includes a number of houses that bear testament to the town’s heritage and gracious living in the early 1900s. SILVER OAKS HOTEL (BLD)

Day 10 Wed: Kalimpong / Gangtok
The road to Gangtok meanders through the pretty Teesta Valley to the mountainside capital of Sikkim. Looking like something out of a fairy tale, the houses balance precariously on steep mountain slopes above incredible panoramas. Pagoda-like homes, painted turquoise roofs, and busy bazaars are filled with elegantly costumed, smiling-faced people, adding to the magic of this scene. NORKHILL HOTEL (BLD)

Day 11 Thu: Gangtok Sightseeing
Tour some of Sikkim’s 194 monasteries or gompas, which belong to the ancient Nyingma and Kagyu orders. Rumtek Monastery, built in the 1960s is an excellent replica of the original Kagyu headquarters in Tibet. This afternoon, tour Gangtok, visiting the Research Institute of Tibetology, which houses nearly 30,000 volumes on diverse subjects like astrology, magic and philosophy. Also visit the orchid sanctuary featuring an enormous number of rare and beautiful orchids. (BLD)

Day 12 Fri: Gangtok / Pemayangtse
This morning, drive to Pemayangste, which is located 73 miles (188 km.) from Gangtok. Stop en route to visit the Temi Tea estate. Pemayangste, situated at 6,000 feet above sea level, is home to the famous Pemayangste Monastery. Overnight at NORBU GHANG RESORT (BLD)

Day 13 Sat: Pemayangtse / Darjeeling
This morning, visit the Pemayangste monastery, the second oldest monastery in Sikkim and the headquarters of the Nyingma sect. Later, drive to the beautiful hill station of Darjeeling. This evening, enjoy a visit to the bazaar for a taste of life in this little piece of heaven. WINDAMERE HOTEL (BLD)

Day 14 Sun: Tiger Hill & Darjeeling Sightseeing
Set out early this morning to see the truly spectacular sight of the snow-clad Kanchenjunga Range (weather permitting). Home to some of the world’s tallest peaks, the range is clad in the orange-gold raiment of the rising sun. From here, Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest may be seen. Visit the Tibetan-style Ghoom Monastery, which enshrines an image of Maitreya Buddha. Later, tour this picturesque area, stopping at Lebong Valley, where the world’s highest racetrack and the Mountaineering Institute of India are located. Visit a tea plantation to learn about and sample Darjeeling tea, considered among the world’s best. (BLD)

Day 15 - Mon: Darjeeling / Bagdogra / Delhi
Travel to Bagdogra for your flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel, where room will be provided for wash & change. Following dinner, you will be transferred to the international airport for your flight back home. (BLD)

Day 16 Tue: Arrive Home
Today arrive home, filled with colorful memories of your experience in Bhutan and Sikkim.