Bhutan, 12 days
optional Sikkim, 8 days
Daily Itinerary
DATES
26 October – 6 November 2010 - No availability
14 March – 25 March 2011 (Bhutan)
14 March - 2 April 2011 (Bhutan and Sikkim/West Bengal)
24 Oct – 4 Nov 2011 (Bhutan)
24 Oct – 12 Nov 2011 (Bhutan and Sikkim/West Bengal)
The flight into Paro is spectacular. In clear weather, magnificent views of the world's highest peaks give way to the verdant greens of the Paro Valley. The first gift from Bhutan is the cool, clean fresh air as you step from the plane. Walk through the main streets of Paro before taking charge of your bike and participating in a short practice session.
Paro is set in a beautiful valley offering many sights of cultural interest. While you become acquainted with the vagaries of the Royal Enfield, we'll take a ride around the valley to visit some small villages, the national museum, the Rinpung Dzong (monastery) and the ruined Drugyel Dzong.
A short ride takes us to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. With a population of approximately 100,000, Thimphu manifests an interesting blend of modern and traditional lifestyles. There are many stores, cafes and curio shops to investigate then, in the evenings, the bars and nightclubs come to life. Of a more culturally sensitive nature, there is the monastery and Dzong, which houses the offices of the 5th King, as well as many memorial stupas dedicated to the past kings of Bhutan.
An early breakfast allows for some more sightseeing in the lovely Thimphu Valley on our way to Punakha, the old winter capital of Bhutan. En route you'll cross the fabulous Dochula Pass at an altitude of 3,150m/ 10,335ft. On a clear day the whole range of the Eastern Himalaya can be seen from here, so fingers crossed! The road down from the pass into the Punakha Valley has lots of sharp bends and breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys!
Today's ride to Trongsa takes you through two major passes and the small town of Wangdue. After the settlement of Nobding the road ascends sharply to the Pelela Pass (3,300m/ 10,827ft) before descending through pastureland to Sephu and its historic Chendebji Chorten. While Punakha and Trongsa are at approx the same elevation, there are lots of bends, beautiful waterfalls and thick forest cover on the way. This part of the ride offers a good view of the south Trongsa Valley and stunning views of the Trongsa Dzong.
Ride to Bumthang valley via the Yotongla Pass (3425m). The Bumthang Valley is known as the Switzerland of Bhutan with its gentle hills, mountains, lush greenery and herds of doe-eyed Swiss cows. The countryside, dotted with colourful prayer flags, makes for some very pretty pictures. On reaching Bumthang you can explore the valley and visit some very old monasteries like Kurgye and Jambay Lhakhang.
Bumthang valley is one of the most culturally vibrant valleys in Bhutan. You will ride towards the east, visiting the Tang Mebartso and remote villages en route. To make tomorrow's ride more manageable, after lunch in Jakar, we'll back ride to Trongsa (67kms) for the night.
Today's ride takes you towards the south of Bhutan, through rural areas rich in flora and fauna. The towns and villages are very remote with no tourism infrastructure, so a picnic lunch will be provided. The destination for the day is on the Indian border, virtually at sea level, so the weather will be tropical.
Today you'll encounter villages which have a slightly different feel to those in the north. The route takes you to the district town of Tsirang which is famous for its mandarin orchards. After the town of Tsirang, the road follows the mighty Punatsangchu River where you'll see huge hydro-electric plants under construction. While the plants are not particularly picturesque, the ability to sell the generated hydro-electricity to other countries has become the basis of the Bhutanese economy and allows the country to be self-sufficient.
The road to, and through, the Haa Valley is one of the most beautiful rides in Bhutan with hardly any traffic and great views. The route travels through the little villages of Dawakha, Bitekha and Shar before arriving in town of Haa. The pristine Haa Valley was only opened to Western tourist in 2002.
Heading back to Paro you'll ride the Chele-La. At 3,810m (12,573ft), it is the highest motorable road point in Bhutan. Weather permitting, from the pass there are stunning views of Jhomolhari and Jichu Drake mountains, the rugged Himalayan range and the Haa valley. On reaching Paro, there'll be time for a rest or more sightseeing before a Farewell Dinner to celebrate completing the entire loop of West-Central and South Bhutan.
Sikkim and West Bengal tour extension
Ride from Paro to the border town of Phuntsoling.
Kalimpong's 10th Mile old market area has the feel of the bustling Tibet trade which existed until 1959 when Tibet was annexed by China. The scenically located monastery at Durpin, offers us a birds eye view of the town below. Kalimpong is renowned for its floriculture- we will visit some of the flower nurseries to view the beautiful world of orchids, cacti, foliage plants and a huge variety of other seasonal flowers and shrubs.
Ride to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. Enroute we visit the Rumtek Monastery, a magnificent Buddhist monastery established by the late Gyalwa Karmapa, the head of the Kagyupa sect. Built as an exact replica of the original Kagyu monastery in Tibet it is also the international headquarters of the Karma Kagyu centers.
In the morning we explore the main sites of Gangtok, including-
* The Government Institute of Cottage Industry - observe the local artisans at work and their skills being imparted to young boys and girls.
* Do-Drul Chorten - one of the most important stupas of Sikkim.
* Namgyal Institute of Tibetology - renowned worldwide as a center for study of Buddhist philosophy and religion, it is a treasure house of rare Thankas, and Buddhist objects of art (the largest outside of Tibet).
* Flower Show Pavilion - situated on the ridge above the city, this centre displays the floral diversity of Sikkim, including the famed orchids.
After lunch, the ride to Rabong passes through typical Sikkimese villages, and cardamom plantations that dot the slopes of the Teesta valley. Our sightseeing includes-
* A visit to the Temi tea garden to observe the plucking and processing of one of the finest tea in the world.
* Samdruptse - the site of the 113 ft tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rimpoche, the patron saint of Sikkim and the Buddhist scholar who restored Buddhism in Tibet in the 7th century AD. This location also offers a breathtaking view of the Sikkim Himalayas and the Darjeeling hills.
* With the spectacular backdrop of the peaks of Narsing, we visit the monasteries of Jopuno and Kabur.
A morning ride to Pelling leads us to the Pemayangtse Monastery. Built in the 18th century, this monastery follows the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. We will also visit the Rabdentse Palace ruins- strategically located on a ridge with commanding views of the Rangeet valley and the villages scattered in West and South Sikkim.
Enroute visit Khecheodpalri Lake, also known as the 'wishing lake'. This unusually calm lake, located in the midst of a dense forest is considered very sacred.
We continue on to the quaint little village of Yuksom. It is the trail-head for trekking to Dzongri and Goecha-la. Yukson is also the place where the three Lamas met and consecrated the first king of Sikkim in 1641. The Norbugang chorten and the Coronation throne stand mute testimony to this historic event.
Darjeeling-"The Queen of the Himalayas" is a bustling tourist town renowned for its tea gardens, the Himalayan mountaineering Institute, the sunrise over the Himalayas from the Tiger Hill and imprints of the British Raj. Enroute visit Tashiding monastery considered the most sacred monastery in Sikkim.
Early morning ride to Tiger Hill to witness the first sun rays bathing the Himalayas. On return visit the Ghoom Monastery. Built in 1875 the monastery, which follows the Gelugpa sect, houses one of the largest statue of the Maitreya Buddha- "the future Buddha". Darjeeling sightseeing options-
* (Our pic) Ride on the UNESCO heritage listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (the 'Toy Train') to Ghoom and back. Upon return, explore Darjeeling's local markets.
* Himalayan Zoo which houses Himalayan fauna in their reconstructed natural habitat like the Red Panda, black bear, yaks, tigers, snow leopard etc.
* Himalayan Mountaineering Institute - a premier training centre for mountaineers and museum detailing the ascent of Mt. Everest by Tenzing Sherpa & Sir Edmund Hillary.
* Tibetan Self Help Centre - training young people in the intricate art of Tibetan handicrafts and handlooms - a great place to buy souvenirs.
In the morning continue to explore the sites of 'the tea capital of the world', before we ride to our final destination - Bagdogra.
Tour arrangements end ~ flights home.
Contact us to secure your spot on this wonderful tour.
