Gangtok – Darjeeling Stopover

A short stopover tour that gives you brief yet fulfilling introduction of Darjeeling and Sikkim. Aligning this sojourn with festival can add a new dimension to your experience. During festival this region burst into ambience of fun, gaiety and it lends glimpses into age old tradition and cultural values. Generally the two prominent festival – Dussera and Diwali fall during October and November respectively, which is also incidentally best autumn period to travel.

This itinerary is departure from standard tour. Unlike the rest, the odyssey start from Gangtok, capital city of Sikkim. The topography and late inclusion as one of Indian state in 1975 have influenced and assisted in retaining its traditional and cultural values. The city of Gangtok encompasses many attractions like handicraft and handloom directorate, institute of Tibetology and filled with many beautiful monasteries. After visiting these attractions and sights, the journey stops  into queen of hills – Darjeeling. You can still see vestige of Raj Era in every bend that you pass through in form of quaint churches, Tea drinking culture and joy ride in Toy Train. Not to miss, weather permitting, is the early morning excursion to Tiger Hill to view beautiful sunrise at farthest horizon of snow clad peaks of eastern Himalayas.

Outline Itinerary 

Day 1: Arrive – Gangtok(120 km 4 ½ hours 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 Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Tibetan Self-help center, visit a tea estate, and take a joy-ride on a toy train till Ghoom, which makes 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 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 onward destination.