Discover the old world charm of the Himalayan Triangle

• Colonial perspectives of Darjeeling Hill Station
• Explore the enchanting, remote landscapes of Sikkim
• Glimpse the Shangri-la Kingdom of Bhutan

By popular demand HF Holidays is expanding its Himalayan Triangle trip to the mountain kingdom of Bhutan. This new holiday itinerary combines the colourful beauty of tea plantations, exotic forests and blossoming hillsides of Darjeeling, with Tibetan-inspired Buddhist monasteries and views of the mighty Himalayas in Sikkim.

This unforgettable holiday travels further into the remote, little visited mountain kingdom of Bhutan. Unsurpassed in its scenic majesty and vibrant culture, this purely Buddhist Himalayan Kingdom shares with Nepal the world’s greatest concentration of Mountains and living heritage of Buddhism. Bhutan is one of the few countries in the world still untouched and a paradise for tourist interested in Buddhist culture and philosophy, flora and fauna, trekking and mountaineering.

Our journey starts from Calcutta with an overnight stay and afternoon guided tour of this fascinating city. The following morning we take a short flight to Bagdogra and a scenic drive to the mountain retreat of Darjeeling. Renowned for the quality of tea grown on its hills, Darjeeling has been a popular hill station since the British established it as a rest and recreation center, on account of its welcome relief from the humidity and heat of the lowlands. We spend two nights here, with walks through the surrounding small villages and tea plantations, where you can observe how tea is manufactured, and ride on the famous Darjeeling Railway. For the remainder of day five we cross the state border into Sikkim, to reach our hotel at Pelling.

Despite its tiny size, Sikkim is geographically diverse, due to its location on the Himalaya, and is a popular tourist destination for its culture, scenic beauty and biodiversity. The world's third highest peak is located in the northwestern part of the state on the boundary with Nepal.

We start day six with a walk to the Pemayangste Monastery, the most important in Sikkim, and visit the Rabdanste Palace Ruins. After a lunch back at the hotel, we spend the afternoon walking to the Sanga Choeling monastery, which was built in 1697 and belongs to the Nyingmpa sect. The following day we complete a journey from Pemayangste to Martam Village, mostly on foot. En route we visiting the Tashiding monastery, the holiest monastery in Sikkim, and the Rumtek Monastery, also had known as Dharma Chakra Centre. The next morning we walk through rice-fields and surrounded villages, visiting some typical Bhutia and Nepalese houses where we can interact with the locals. After lunch we visit the Hermits cave, before retracing our steps to our overnight stay. Our route continues to Kalimpong in West Bengal, where we spend two nights. This airy retreat may be less famous than Darjeeling but is equally enchanting and our walks provide a contrast along villages paths, terraced hillsides and small hamlets.

We check out of Sikkim on the morning of day 11 and enter the Buddhist Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, where we stay for the next six nights. Bhutan has the richest and one of world's finest cultural heritages that has largely remained intact due to its isolation from the rest of the world. The landscape ranges from subtropical plains in the south to the Himalayan heights in the north, with some peaks exceeding seven thousand meters. Continuing onto the secluded, relaxed capital, Thimpu, we walk the trail to Tango monastery with excellent views of the beautiful valley below. The next day our route takes us over the Dochula Pass for spectacular views of the eastern Himalayas on our way to Punakha, with its remarkable 'dzong', a fortress set at the confluence of two rivers. We travel onto Paro where we stay for two nights, and have time to soak up the bucolic atmosphere. From here we visit Taktsang, the 'tigers lair' perched on the very edge of a rock face.

Our epic journey concludes with a short return flight to Calcutta. After checking into our hotel, you’re free to spend the afternoon at leisure. A farewell dinner is provided in the evening, where we can reflex on our holiday experience.

Each tour is personally escorted by an HF Holidays’ leader and a local guide, and is the perfect combination of cultural sightseeing and walks in the Himalayan foothills. This ultimate adventure breathes reality into your perceptions of India and once you have walked in the foothills of the Himalayas, walking will never be the same again.

Why not try...

A guided walking and sightseeing holiday in Nepal, click here for more information.

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