A short stopover tour that gives you a brief yet fulfilling introduction to Darjeeling and Sikkim. Aligning this sojourn with the festival can add a new dimension to your experience. During the festival, this region bursts into the ambience of fun, gaiety, and it lends glimpses into age-old tradition and cultural values. Generally, the two prominent festivals – Dussera and Diwali fall during October and November, respectively, which is also incidentally the best autumn period to travel.
This itinerary departs from the standard tour. Unlike the rest, the odyssey starts from Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim. The topography and late inclusion as one of the Indian states in 1975 have influenced and assisted in retaining its traditional and cultural values. The city of Gangtok encompasses many attractions like the handicraft and handloom directorate, the Institute of Tibetology, and is filled with many beautiful monasteries. After visiting these attractions and sights, the journey stops at the Queen of Hills – Darjeeling. You can still see vestiges of the Raj Era in every bend that you pass through in the form of quaint churches, Tea drinking culture, and a joy ride on the Toy Train. Not to miss, weather permitting, is the early morning excursion to Tiger Hill to view a beautiful sunrise at the farthest horizon of snow-clad peaks of the eastern Himalayas.
Darjeeling Stopover Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive – Gangtok(120 km, 4 ½ hour,s 1780m).
Upon arrival at Bagdogra airport, meet our representative and drive to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim (4+hrs drive). In the evening, take a short walking tour through its MG Marg Avenue and browse the colorful Lal Bazaar food/vegetable market. Overnight in Gangtok.
Day 2: Gangtok local visit – Darjeeling (120 km, 4 ½ hrs).
Visit Enchey monastery, flower exhibition near the Whitehall, take a walk along the promenade to view the temples and the Palace used by the Chogyals of Sikkim, and also visit the Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom, where you can see traditional handicrafts in the making.
After lunch, drive to Darjeeling (4hrs). On the way, visit the Institute of Tibetology, a treasure house of rare Lepcha, Tibetan, and Sanskrit manuscripts, statues, and old thangkas, and the nearby Dodrul Chorten monastery. In the evening, stroll around Chowrastha Mall. Overnight in Darjeeling.
Day 3: Darjeeling local visit.
After breakfast, visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, the Tibetan Self-help center, visit a tea estate, and take a joy-ride on a toy train till Ghoom, which makes an en-route stop at Batasia loop. In the evening, stroll around the Mall and visit local markets.
Optional(based on interest)
Early morning, before dawn, drive to Tiger Hill to see the splendid view of sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjunga and other peaks of the eastern Himalayas. On our way back, we can visit Yiga Cheoling monastery at Ghoom and the beautiful Dali monastery. Overnight in Darjeeling.
Day 4: Darjeeling – Departure (B)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport/railway station for the onward destination.
