Arrive in Delhi and transfer to your luxury hotel. This afternoon, ease into India with a gentle orientation: weave through Old Delhi’s lanes by rickshaw, pass the Jama Masjid and Red Fort, then glide along the wide avenues of New Delhi by India Gate and the Presidential Palace. Evening at leisure.

Fly to Bagdogra and drive into the misty foothills to Darjeeling. Check into a heritage planter’s retreat overlooking tea gardens. Sip your first cup of authentic Darjeeling tea and breathe the cool mountain air as twilight settles on the ridgelines.

Rise early and drive to Tiger Hill for a sunrise tableau over the Kanchenjunga massif (weather permitting). Continue to Ghum Monastery and board the UNESCO-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway “toy train” for a nostalgic steam ride. Visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and stroll the Mall Road, pausing for buttery pastries and mountain views.

Walk plantation trails with a tea expert to learn plucking and processing secrets from leaf to cup. Enjoy a private tasting at a colonial-era planter’s bungalow, then visit a local monastery for quiet contemplation. Late afternoon free for boutiques and cafés; consider a sunset viewpoint above the town.

Cross the valley to the revered Rumtek Monastery, spiritual seat of the Karmapa lineage, to hear monks’ chants echo through golden halls. Continue to Enchey Monastery or Tashi View Point for sweeping Himalayan panoramas. Optional (permits & weather dependent): high-altitude excursion to Tsomgo Lake for mirror-like alpine reflections.

Descend to the border at Phuentsholing, complete formalities, then continue by spectacular valley roads into the Kingdom of Bhutan. Prayer flags ripple above forested slopes as you approach Thimphu, the serene capital. Evening at leisure in your luxury lodge. (Note: This is a long but rewarding drive; we can add a buffer night at Phuentsholing on request.)

Stand beneath the hilltop Buddha Dordenma statue for a sweeping view of Thimphu Valley. Spin prayer wheels at the National Memorial Chorten, then delve into Bhutanese creativity at the Institute of Zorig Chusum (13 traditional arts) and the Textile Museum. As dusk falls, admire the illuminated Tashichho Dzong, seat of Bhutan’s civil administration and monastic body.

Drive into pine forests for a contemplative walk to Tango or Cheri Monastery, where crimson robes and fluttering prayer flags set a tranquil tone. Return for a private blessing with monks (subject to schedule) and browse the weekend market (on market days) for incense, yak cheese, and handwoven textiles.

Climb to the cloud-brushed Dochula Pass with its ring of 108 chortens and Himalayan vistas on clear days. Descend to the warmer Punakha Valley to explore the magnificent Punakha Dzong, poised at the confluence of the Mo and Pho rivers. Stroll through rice paddies to Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple revered for its blessings.

Cross a suspension bridge and follow terraced paths to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten for sweeping valley views. Visit a village farmhouse to learn about butter-lamp offerings and Bhutanese country cuisine; share a farm lunch and stories with your hosts. Optional: gentle rafting on the Mo Chu.

Return west to Paro. Explore the hilltop Ta Dzong (National Museum) with its masks and thangkas, then walk down to Rinpung Dzong, where monks chant beneath carved balconies. Try your hand at archery, Bhutan’s national sport, and visit the ancient Kyichu Lhakhang, said to date to the 7th century.

Ascend forested switchbacks until the cliffside Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest Monastery) appears, mirage-like above a thousand-foot gorge. Explore smoky chapels and cave shrines, then descend for a restorative spa session back at the lodge. Celebrate your journey with a Bhutanese farewell dinner.

Transfer to Paro Airport for your flight to Delhi and onward to NEW YORK. Carry home memories of Darjeeling & Sikkim’s tea-clad ridges and Bhutan’s sacred valleys—an uncommon, deeply immersive Himalayan journey.