Magical Sikkim & Darjeeling Trip

Upon arrival at Kolkata international airport (late night or early morning) and transfer to our hotel. After a short break, you will start by getting to know the "City of Joy". We begin our journey at the enchanting Princep Ghat and continue to a number of iconic landmarks that show the city's British colonial heritage, including Bidhan Sabha, the Kolkata High Court, the Ministry of Finance, St. John's Church and the historical buildings of B.B.D. Bagh, including the General Post Office, the Writers' Building, the Currency Building and the Dead Letter Post Office. In the evening, a boat trip on the Hugli River awaits us at sunset.

Meals: Dinner

On an extensive sightseeing tour, we get to know all the beauties of the West Bengal capital: First, the flower market, a unique wholesale market for flowers, which is located on the banks of the Hugli near the famous Howrah Bridge. A short tram ride takes us through the busy streets, past historic buildings and Dalhousie Square. Around midday we stroll through College Street and enjoy a hot coffee in the famous Indian Coffee House. Once refreshed, we visit the Kalighat Kali Temple. We visit St. Paul's Cathedral and the Victoria Memorial. This magnificent white marble building was built in memory of Queen Victoria between 1906 and 1921. We end our sightseeing tour with a visit to Mother Teresa's House.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch included

Transfer to the airport and flight to Bagdora. After our arrival, drive to Kurseong (55km, approx. 2 hours). Kurseong is known locally as "Kharsang", which means "the land of white orchids" in the Lepcha language. Our accommodation for today is located on the outskirts of the main town of Kurseong, the Cochrane Palace, a reconstructed and restored stately British colonial house. We are enchanted by the breathtaking view of the tea gardens and mountains of the eastern Himalayas.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

In the morning we visit the Makaibari tea factory and plantation. We get an insight into the production of the famous Darjeeling tea and can also taste it. After lunch we transfer to the Kurseong train station. From here we take the toy train to Darjeeling (30km, 3 hours). This unique mountain railway project was started in 1878 on the initiative of Sir Ashley Eden and is now a world heritage site.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

An early start to the day awaits us. We want to be at the Tiger Hill viewpoint in time for sunrise to admire the third highest mountain in the world, Kanchenjunga. On our way back to the hotel we visit the Ghoom Monastery and the Batashia Loop War Memorial. After a hearty breakfast we start our tour of Darjeeling. We visit the zoo with animal species that have adapted to the alpine climate, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the Tibetan Refugee Center with its handicraft workshop. In the evening we enjoy a stroll along the main street, The Mall.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

Today we drive to Pemayangste (Sikkim). The 128 km takes us around 5 hours. The rest of the day is at our leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

A short drive takes us to the entrance to the ruins of the Rabdentse Palace. From here we enjoy a short walk through the jungle to the ruins of the palace, which was founded by the 2nd Chogyal of Sikkim Tensung Namgyal in 1670 and destroyed in 1814 by the invading Nepalese army. A short hike (2 km) takes us to the Pemayangste monastery, the oldest and most important monastery in Sikkim. After our visit we drive to Yuksom (35 km, approx. 1.5 hours), a picturesque little mountain village that was once the first capital of Sikkim. We explore the small village on foot and then drive back to Pemayangste. On the way we stop at Khecheopalri Lake, which is holy according to Buddhist belief and grants wishes.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

Today we drive to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim (123 km, approx. 5.5 hours). After our arrival we take a first walk to get our bearings.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included. 

In the morning we visit the Roomtek Monastery, one of the largest monasteries in the Eastern Himalayas. After our visit we continue to the picturesque Lepcha village of Rey Mindu, where traditional agriculture and ancient practices still exist. We take a walk through the lush rice fields and discover the 100-year-old traditional Lepcha houses. Back in Gangtok we visit the Dro-Dul Chorten and the Tibetan Institute with an extensive collection of Tangkhas and literary documents.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

A delightful drive to Tsomogo Lake awaits us, at an altitude of around 3,700 m and just a few kilometers from the Chinese border. The lake is 1 km long and 15 m deep and is considered sacred by the locals. On our way back we visit the Enchay Monastery, which was built by Lama Druptob.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

Our journey takes us to Kalimpong (80 km, 2 hrs), a quiet hill town in the Eastern Himalayas. Kalimpong is famous for its orchids and nurseries, where some of the rarest cacti and orchids can be seen. From the Durpin Dara viewpoint we experience a beautiful view of the small town and the surrounding hills. We visit the Zong Dong Palri Fo Brong monastery and an orchid nursery. After that we visit the Gangjong Paper Industry, a handmade paper factory. Handmade paper making is an ancient craft in the Himalayan hills, used mainly in the local areas for religious printing of Buddhist scriptures. This paper is eco-friendly and is made from daffney flowers, which are found in large numbers in the Eastern Himalayan region. We also visit St. Theresa's Church to take a look at the chapel built in 1929, which resembles a Buddhist monastery and is decorated with Tibetan motifs. From here we take a walk through the local market Kath Bazaar, where we get to know the colorful life of the residents.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner included

After breakfast, transfer to Bagdora airport (65 km, approx. 3 hours) and return flight to Kolkata. From here we transfer to our accommodation (50 km, approx. 2 hours). The rest of the day is at our leisure.

Meals: Breakfast included

We end our trip through magical West Bengal with a day at the Rajbari Bawali. The 350-year-old listed building has been converted into a luxurious boutique hotel. Today we can relax and use the hotel's opulent amenities, or take part in a variety of optional activities that can be booked directly at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast included

After a farewell lunch together, transfer to the airport and return flight in the evening, for onward destination.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch included.