CME & Cultural Tour of North India & Bhutan | doctors-on-tour

Welcome to fascinating India...

Where will you find a more colourful land? The sights and sounds will excite you; the palaces, forts and old walled cities will thrill you; the varied and exotic scenery will captivate you and the warm and smiling people will charm you. Many images, but few are more powerful than the heritage of the Moghul Empire in Rajasthan where much of our tour is based – a legendary land defined by the patchwork of kingdoms and principalities that were, till independence, ruled by maharajas, rajas, ranas and rawals. From the cackle of it’s colour charged towns and cities that this tour will visit (Jodhpur, Udaipur, Deogarh), to the luminous splendour of it’s sun-kissed desert and it’s forts and palaces, Rajasthan is romantic and historic India wrapped in gaudy royal robes where bards still roam the countryside, picking out complex tunes on single-stringed instruments, and sing of heroic battles, chivalry and sacrifices. Visit the Golden Triangle of India’s capital, Delhi, Jaipur with its’ spectacular Amber Fort and the magical wonder of the Taj Mahal in Agra - the jewel in India's crown. 

And the mystical Kingdom of Bhutan...

Continue on to the mystical Kingdom of Bhutan, sandwiched in the Himalayas between China, Tibet and India. Our tour will take you to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan with its architecturally interesting monasteries and important Buddhist highlights and interspersed with bustling markets and museums specializing in textiles, folk heritage, and traditional Bhutanese arts and crafts. Then, drive through the mountains to Punakha, the ancient winter capital located in a sub-tropical valley where rhododendron and magnolia bloom and orange and banana trees flourish. Conclude your stay in this captivating hidden kingdom in Paro, a resort town nestled among the Himalayas and the site of the 15C Paro Dzong Fortress, National Museum and the perfect base to access Tiger's Nest, a breathtaking monastery clinging to a cliff that is one of the most important icons of Bhutan.

Tour Highlights

• Explore the political and cultural capital of bustling Delhi, a captivating combination of ancient and modern with no shortage of museums, monuments and other opportunities to learn and immerse yourself
• Wander the historic forts of the blue city, Jodhpur, a jewel on the edge of the Thar Desert
• Relax on a cruise on Lake Pichola and gaze upon the intricate lake-side temples and palaces as beautiful Udaipur builds up around you, historically considered the most romantic city in all of India 
• Complete the "Golden Triangle" with visits to India's absolute must-see's: vibrant Jaipur and its magnificent palaces and temples like the Amber Fort, and the greatest of all romantic gestures, Agra's Taj Mahal
• Experience Bhutan's thriving Buddhist culture on visits to magnificent dzongs (fortress-monasteries…), museums and local homes in Thimphu, Punakha and the country’s capital, Paro
• Visit a monastery or school in Bhutan where you may attend a short prayer session, chat with young monks about their day, spin a wheel or ring a bell
• Test your skills at archery, Bhutan’s national sport with a traditional bamboo bow & arrow
• Explore the Bhutan’s rich craft heritage as you browse the markets for traditional handicrafts
• Travel the Dochu-La Pass and see the Himalayan peaks
• Hike to the cliff-perched Taktshang Monastery (Tiger's Nest)
• Watch snow lions dance and monks pacify demons during one of the country's colourful tsechu (festivals)

CME Program / Group Medical Director: Dr. Rachel Kassner, Charlottetown, P.E.I. 

(17 CME hours focused on Health and Healing; Certificate of Attendance provided)

• Medical Meeting in Jodhpur with presentations by Canadian & Indian medical experts & interactive discussions on current medical issues 
• Visit to Maharishi Ayurveda Hospital to learn about holistic healing practiced by this specialist hospital including Ayurveda, therapeutic yoga and herbal medicine (Delhi)
• Tour of the Sawai Man Singh Hospital to meet with local doctors and review the public health system and its facilities (Jaipur)
• Visit Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, a home for orphaned children of all age groups as well as the elderly (Agra)
• Visit to Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), a local public hospital in Thimphu to meet with physicians and learn about the local health care system in Bhutan
• Visit to the National Institute of Traditional Medicine (Thimphu)
• Presentation on the therapeutic healing benefits of Bhutanese traditional Hot Stone Baths (Paro)