HIMALAYAN KINGDOMS 24 DAYS FROM PER PERSON
$9,980
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SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, BRISBANE, ADELAIDE OR PERTH
MOST MEALS
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Discover Kolkata’s culture Gaze on colossal Mount Kanchenjunga
Spot rhinos and elephants Soak up Bhutan’s culture Hike through paddy fields to local villages
Explore tea plantations in Darjeeling Hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Paro PRICE INCLUDES • 22 breakfasts, 21 lunches & 22 dinners • International flights and current taxes • Domestic transportation • 3-4 star accommodation • Touring with guides and entrance fees • Visa fees for Australian passport holders
ITINERARY DAY 1: FLY TO KOLKATA Fly to Kolkata. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture. DAY 2: EXPLORE KOLKATA Enjoy a relaxed morning before venturing out for an afternoon tour with visits to the magnificent Victoria Memorial and Kalighat Temple – you’ll also see Fort William. DAY 3: TRAIN TO NEW JALPAIGURI Get up early to visit a fragrant flower market and view the cantilever Howrah Bridge. Stop by Kumortuli, the potters’ quarter, and see a Jain temple. Later board a train to New Jalpaiguri before driving to Siliguri to spend the night.
Learn about sacred Black-Necked Cranes
EXPERIENCES YOU’LL LOVE ay a visit to the fascinating BlackP Necked Crane Information Centre in the spectacular Phobjikha Valley, where you can learn about these sacred birds and their environment. ollow a well-trodden trail, festooned with F colourful prayer flags and the occasional prayer wheel, to reach one of Bhutan’s most magnificent sights, Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched 900 metres up the steep side of the spectacular Paro Valley. xplore Kolkata’s traditional potters’ E quarter, Komortuli, where you’ll see the skilled artisans sculpting idols of gods and goddesses for festivals.
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DAY 4: DRIVE TO DARJEELING Head out of Siliguri through endless tea plantations to the famous hill station of Darjeeling, which is located at a cool 2,134 metres. DAY 5: EXPLORE DARJEELING Wake before dawn to catch the sun rising over Mount Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill, which you’ll reach by jeep. On the way back to Darjeeling visit Yiga Choling Monastery. Later, all aboard the famous ‘Toy Train’ which winds its way through the lush green hills and plantations before exploring the Himalaya Mountaineering Institute. DAY 6: INTO SIKKIM Drive north to Pelling, crossing into the state of Sikkim. Visit Pemayangtse Monastery, one of Sikkim’s oldest, where you can find tranquillity along with amazing views.
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DAY 7: KHECHEOPALRI LAKE Visit the spectacular Khecheopalri Lake, considered sacred by both Buddhists and Hindus, and the magnificent Kanchenjunga Falls. DAYS 8-9: DISCOVER GANGTOK Drive through more spectacular scenery to Sikkim’s vibrant capital Gangtok, stopping at 18th-century Tashiding Monastery en route. There is nowhere better than Gangtok to enjoy exotic flowers and mountain panoramas. The next day visit the Enchey Monastery and the Sikkim Research Institute of Technology. DAY 10: RUMTEK MONASTERY Begin the day at Dharma Chakra Centre and old Rumtek Monastery, before continuing to the bustling bazaar town of Kalimpong. DAY 11: KALIMPONG AT LEISURE Take a day to catch your breath and enjoy some leisurely explorations of Kalimpong – there are plenty of spots to enjoy Himalayan panoramas and also flower nurseries full of local orchids. DAY 12: GORUMARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY Take a jeep safari into the depths of Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary, where you might be lucky enough to spot one-horned rhinos, elephants, leopards and bison. DAY 13: INTO BHUTAN Cross into Bhutan and continue to Phuentsholing. Later visit the Zangtho Pelri Lhakhang Temple in the centre of the town.
F O R A D E TA I LE D TO U R D O SSI E R