Himalayan Contrasts

Tour to Sikkim and Bhutan

The Himalayan area is a land of contrasts. Watch the world melt into tranquillity from chaos as you make the journey from the Tea Plantations of India into the natural paradise of Bhutan.

Beginning in West Bengal, India this tour to Sikkim and Bhutan will take you from the busy hub of Bagdogra through the rolling hills of Darjeeling and into the mountains of Sikkim, a region in India where few travellers venture. Meet the local people in this place that is a melting pot of culture at the crossroads between India, Nepal and China. Get to know a local family and cook dinner with the lady of the house in the village of Kewzing, stay in an old tea planters bungalow and ride the Himalayan toy train to the highest railway station in India.

Cross from India into the small, beautiful Kingdom of Bhutan overland and arrive in the capital Thimphu where it is so peaceful there is in fact no need for traffic lights. Hike to the iconic Tiger’s Nest monastery, perched on a rocky crag overlooking the town of Paro. Explore Punakha, including it’s amazing Dzong and temple of fertility built by the ‘Divine Madman’ and appreciate a place where frequently all you can hear is the sound of insects, birds, the wind and the rushing of the mighty Mo Chu River.

Tour to Sikkim and Bhutan HIGHLIGHTS

Discover the lost land of Shangri-Las in Bhutan, an isolated Himalayan Kingdom to which few travellers have ventured.
Hike to the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched on a cliff face overlooking the town of Paro
Enjoy one of a kind local experience like a hot stone bath in Bhutan and cooking with a local family in Sikkim
Discover Tibetan Buddhism at the monasteries of Gangtok and Rumtek in Sikkim
Explore the heights of West Bengal and Sikkim, two of India’s lesser visited provinces at the foothills of the Himalayas and ride the toy steam train to India’s highest train station
Stay in unique and traditional accommodation on this tour to Sikkim and Bhutan, from an old tea planter’s bungalow to a homestay with a family in Sikkim and a cabin at a jungle retreat.

The Basics

Start: Bagdogra, India

Finish: Paro, Bhutan

Trip style: Special Interest

Max group size: 10

13 Days

Bagdogra – Paro

$7999 AUD*

Departure date: 8th October 2025

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Trip code: HCBP* from

ITINERARY

Arrive at the small, busy airport of Bagdogra, gateway to West Bengal to begin your tour to Sikkim and Bhutan. Meet your transfer for the drive to Mim Tea garden. Tonight, we will stay at a former tea planters bungalow, which has been converted into a resort with in the tea garden.

This evening you will meet your tour leader and travel companions for a brief pre-departure meeting followed by dinner.

This morning, we head out into the tea garden to walk the lush plantation and take a tour of the facility. Meet the workers plucking tea from the bushes and visit the factory where the manager will explain to us the process of tea manufacturing. At the end of the tour, we will taste the tea for which this area of India is famous for – the Darjeeling blend.

In the afternoon we will drive into Darjeeling, popularly known as the “queen of the hills” to visit the Tibetan self-help centre. This centre is a refuge for Tibetan refugees fleeing the invasion into their homeland by China. We will meet the people who live and work here and watch the make Tibetan handicrafts, the profits from which help to sustain both themselves and the facility.

While in Darjeeling we will ride the Himalayan toy train to Ghoom, the highest railway station in India and then have some time to explore the charming town of Darjeeling. Explore the streets, shop up a storm or sit in one of its many cafes and watch local life.

We will head back to Mim tea garden in the late afternoon.

We depart Mim tea gardens this morning for our next stop on our tour to Sikkim and Bhutan. The village of Kewzing, in the state of Sikkim. Kewzing is a typical Bhutia village where a stay with a local family has been arranged. The Kewzing homestay project provides many families in Sikkim with an income by hosting travellers in their homes. As we are actually staying in authentic homes, our group will be spread over several houses, all of which are close by to each other.

On arrival in Kewzing you will be greeted with a warm welcome by the villagers, followed by a traditional homely lunch. After lunch we will take a short walk to check out the village and observe rural life in this part of the world.

In the evening, we will dine with our local family, the lady of the house may even invite you to assist with the cooking.

We wave a fond farewell to our new friends in Kewzing this morning and head for Rumtek in East Sikkim. Rumtek is located on a beautiful, terraced slope and is famous for its monastery which is the second largest in Asia.

We will arrive in the afternoon and visit the monastery, which is a replica of the original Kagyurpa Monastery in Tibet. The monastery now functions as the headquarters of the Dharma Chakra Religious Centre. After we have explored this colourful monastery, we will visit the Shri Nalanda Institute for higher Buddhist studies which is just adjacent to the monastery building.

Later in the afternoon we will check into our eco-retreat which is run by a local Sikkimese family.

Today we depart Rumtek for the nearby city of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

First up we will visit the Tibetology Institute and museum. This is one of the most important centres in India and perhaps the world for Tibetan Buddhist study. View the collection of Buddhist artefacts and perhaps if we are lucky, we will be treated to a visit to the upstairs library which houses important scrolls, mantras and sutras.

Next on our agenda is the Tsuklakhang Palace and Monastery which is the oldest building in Sikkim, perched above Gangtok town. Built in the traditional Sikkimese style the building used to be the Royal Chapel for the Chogyal of Sikkim.

In the afternoon we will take a stroll down MG Marg, Gangtok’s major shopping mall. This is the most popular place in town for both tourists and locals alike to shop and eat different cuisines.

We leave early this morning and spend the first half of the day driving the winding, but scenic roads to Kolakham.

Around noon, we will check into our jungle camp, which is situated on a slope with panoramic views of snow-covered mountains. After check in you can explore the village, spend the afternoon taking in the view of Mt Kanchenjunga or go for a short walk in this area which is famous for its bird life to see the Chhange Falls.

After breakfast we will set out for Gorumara national park, our final stop in India on our tour to Sikkim and Bhutan. Gorumara national park is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. The national park is home to Asiatic one horned rhino, bison and elephants.

In the afternoon we will check into our jungle bungalow. Later there will be time for you to take a nature walk and explore the area.

This evening there will be a tribal show from the local people to welcome the group.

We say goodbye to India today as we head for the Phuntsholing, the main entry point to the Kingdom of Bhutan. On the way we will see vast open lands, carpeted in tea gardens and forests. We will take some breaks along the way to enjoy the landscape and to take photos.

On arrival at the border, our Bhutanese guide will come across to assist us with formalities, before we continue on to Thimphu the capital of Bhutan, a drive which will take us the rest of our day. We will arrive with plenty of time to take a stroll around the town and soak up the atmosphere of Bhutan’s magical capital.

We will begin the second part of our tour to Sikkim and Bhutan with a tour of Thimphu this morning including a visit to a local farmers market, were farmers display local fruit and vegetables for sale.

The we will head up into the hills to visit the Memorial Chorten, a huge statue of Buddha Dordenma, which has a tremendous view over Thimphu valley.

Time permitting, we will visit the School of Traditional Arts and the Folk Heritage museum. In the late afternoon our guide will arrange for us to try our hand at archery, Bhutan’s national sport.

Dinner tonight is a real treat, as we dine at the Babesa Village Restaurant which offers authentic Bhutanese dishes in a heritage listed building.

Departing Thimphu today we take a scenic drive to the town of Punakha, stopping on the way to view the spectacular Dochula Pass at an elevation of 3050m. If the weather is good, we may be able to see the eastern Himalayan ranges.

On arrival in Punakha, we will take a pleasant walk across the terraced fields of Sopsokha village to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of fertility, built in the 15^th century by the “Divine Madman.” In the afternoon we will visit the impressive Punakha Dzong, built in 1637, it is strategically placed at the confluence of the Po Chu and Mo Chu rivers.

Later we will check into our hotel.

We make our way to our last stop on our tour to Sikkim and Bhutan today – Paro. We will start our exploration of the Paro Valley with a visit to the National Museum, located in Ta Dzong. The Ta Dzong houses an amazing collection of Bhutanese artefacts, from religious paintings to costumes and postage stamps. From here it is a short drive to view to impressive Paro Rinpung Dzong, from which we will walk to Paro bridge.

In the afternoon we will visit a local farmhouse for tea to experience Bhutanese village life. Take the opportunity while at the farmhouse to enjoy a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath* which has many restorative properties.

* Optional extra, cost not included in the tour price.

Today is our most active day on the tour and sure to be the highlight of your tour to Sikkim and Bhutan. We take a hike up to the Tiger’s Nest monastery, Bhutan’s most iconic site. The sacred Taktshang monastery clings to the rock face 900m above the valley floor and Guru Rinpoche is said to have flown up to the site on a winged tigress.

The hike is relatively short, but challenging and can be completed in half a day. If there is time, we will have lunch at the café at the foot of the cliff face with a view of the monastery to rest after our hike.

Later, depending on time and how we are feeling we can visit the Namgay Artisanal Brewery to see the process of beer making in Bhutan.

Your amazing tour to Sikkim and Bhutan through contrasting Himalayan kingdom’s comes to an end today with a transfer to Paro airport to catch your onward flight home.

Tour to Skiim and Bhutan map — Trip Map – Tour to Sikkim and Bhutan Festival of Colour

Details – Tour of Sikkim and Bhutan

Duration: 13 Days

Trip style: Unique

Group size: Minimum 6 / Maximum 10

Trip code: HCPB

Cost: $7999.00 AUD twin share

Single supplement: $1779.00 AUD

Inclusions

12-nights accommodation in locally owned and operated eco-lodges, traditional hotels, homestays and jungle camps
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
All meals
Visa for Bhutan
$100 USD per day compulsory sustainability and development fee for Bhutan
Services of your Inverted Atlas trip leader and local guides
All entrance fees as per itinerary

Trip price does not include

International airfares or domestic airfares
Visa for India
Additional accommodation before or after the tour
Items of a personal nature including but not limited to laundry, souvenirs, porterage, mini bar etc.
Travel insurance – please note comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel with Inverted Atlas

Important: India has just introduced a new rule for travellers to Sikkim. Travellers who were born in or have visited any of the following countries in the last 6 months will not be allowed to enter the region of Sikkim: China, Taiwan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Macau, Nigeria or Afghanistan. If you have recently visited these countries and have stamps from them in your passport, this can be mitigated by getting a new passport prior to travel. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept travellers born in the specified countries on this tour to Skiim and Bhutan at this time.

Journey Rating – Quest

This tour of Skiim and Bhutan travels through a relatively unknown part of India to travellers. It is very different to Rajasthan and people will not typically be curious about you. This trip does involve a lot of walking during the sightseeing, to get the most out of this trip you should be able to walk confidently across uneven surfaces and climb stairs.

Hotel standards while in India will be at a very local level and in Sikkim and West Bengal, hotels are typically very small family owned businesses which makes this tour extra special, but also why it is strictly limited to 10 travellers.

Women are strongly advised to either wear a floor length dress or pants while in India and in temples in Bhutan. This will avoid causing offense culturally and is mandatory in temples. To be culturally sensitive, men should wear trousers while in India.

Good quality hospitals, pharmacies and other public amenities will be limited to big cities but should never be too far away.

A note about fitness

This tour of Sikkim and Bhutan requires a good level of physical fitness. You should be able to walk up to 4km at times and manage uneven surfaces during sightseeing, which will sometimes be at an incline. In addition, you should be able to climb up to 200 stairs unassisted and use an eastern style squat toilet (beware if you have knee issues). The Tiger’s Nest monastery hike can be achieved in half a day, but do be aware that it is a challenging climb, please consider your physical fitness before embarking on this part of the tour. Additionally, temple sanctuaries in Bhutan are often reached by a short, almost vertical flight of steps which look a little like a ladder this may prove challenging for some travellers.

You will need to be able to carry your own luggage to and from the coach. (Due to OH&S regulations our trip leaders are not able to assist with luggage.)

In addition, you should be in good health, with no major chronic conditions requiring frequent medical attention. This tour to Sikkim and Bhutan often travels through remote locations where the availability of a hospital or even phone reception to call an ambulance is limited. While all our trip leaders are required to have a valid first aid certificate, they are far from doctors and any assistance they are able to provide will be limited to basic first aid. For more information please see our booking conditions.

Single supplement

Traveling by yourself? No problem, we love single travellers and don’t believe in penalising them by charging half the trip price again for our single supplement. With us you are only paying the actual cost to have a room all to yourself. If you’re up for making a new friend, you can elect to share with another single traveller of the same sex and only pay the twin-share price. The choice is yours!

Please note, the availability of share rooms is limited and is allocated on a first come first serve basis. If no appropriate single traveller can be found, you will be required to pay the single supplement on this tour to Sikkim and Bhutan.

Trip leader description

Accompanying you on your tour to Sikkim and Bhutan will be your Inverted Atlas trip leader. Your trip leader is a logistics extraordinaire, keeps the trip running smoothly and ensures you have the best time possible on your trip. It is important to know that while your trip leader has the best job in the world, they aren’t actually on holidays, but rather they are there to make sure you have the best time while you are on your holiday! Your trip leader may at times need some time out so that they can complete back of house tasks that ensure everyone continues to enjoy the trip. It is also your trip leaders’ job to handle any issues (heaven forbid!) that come up while you’re on your trip like:

If you lose your passport or other travel documents
If there is a problem with your room at the booked accommodation – seriously please tell your trip leader don’t wait until you leave
If you become unwell and need to find a pharmacy
Assisting with restaurant recommendations or additional sightseeing during free time
Questions regarding the itinerary

Your trip leader will have some good local knowledge about the destination in which you are traveling, however they are not a ‘local guide’. You’re welcome to ask your trip leader anything about the trip and if they don’t know they will find out and get back to you. Other people you will meet along the way are ‘local guides’ who are generally available to the group in specific towns or at specific sites like national parks, temples or archaeological sites. These people are the local experts and will be able to answer any questions you may have about the history and culture of a specific site.

Itinerary disclaimer

This itinerary for this tour to Sikkim and Bhutan, is correct at the time of upload to our website and we have composed it in good faith. From time to time we may elect to make changes before departure, if we are making a big change we will of course notify you, however if it is a small change this will be reflected in the final trip notes. So, make sure you download these prior to departure. Small changes prior to departure are usually made with the groups best interests in mind and come about due to liaising with our best resources – our past travelers and of course our trip leaders! The ability to change and evolve depending on what our travelers enjoy is what makes us such a great trip operator.

While we strive to operate our trips exactly to the letter of the itinerary, sometimes we may need to make changes on the ground while the group is on the road. This is all part of the adventure of traveling and we would ask that you come on your trip with an open mind and a good sense of humour because as much as we want it to, everything doesn’t always go to plan. In fact, these impromptu situations often make the best stories that you can have a laugh with your friends about later.

Age requirements

Minimum Age: 16 years

There is no shared accommodation on this tour to Sikkim and Bhutan, and we will be traveling through a relatively well travelled part of the world, in this instance we would welcome everyone above the age of 16 years. Should you wish to bring younger children, please give us a call.

There is no upper age limit for this trip, but you should consider the above fitness requirements prior to booking. If you are 65 years or over, you will be asked to complete our Health Check Form and have your medical practitioner sign it to confirm you are in good health and able to participate safely on this trip.

If you’re interested in the festivals of India why not take a look at this helpful calendar?

Travel insurance

Please note that comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel with Inverted Atlas on this tour to Sikkim and Bhutan. Insurance must include provision for medical situations, emergency medical repatriation to your home country and personal liability at a minimum. Proof of valid travel insurance will be requested by your trip leader on arrival at the pre-departure meeting. Please have this paperwork available for them. If you are unable to provide proof of comprehensive travel insurance, you may not be allowed to join the trip and no refund will be payable.