North-East India Tour:
from Sikkim to Calcutta
More particularly intended for mountain lovers, this trip takes place in an ancient kingdom: Sikkim, a small state in northeastern India, attached to the subcontinent in 1975 and still not very touristy. The second smallest state and the least populated, it is home to Kangchenjunga, the highest point in the country culminating at 8,598 m above sea level.
Then will come the discovery of West Bengal. You will learn in Darjeeling how black tea is harvested and made before being exported all over the world and will be amazed by the dynamism of Kolkata (ex-Calcutta), a modern city resolutely turned towards the future.
The tour of North-East India
14 days / 13 nights
Stopovers: Delhi - Kurseong - Darjeeling - Pelling - Gangtok - Kalimpong - Bagdogra - Kolkata
Day 1 • New Delhi
In the evening, we welcome you at New Delhi international airport before your transfer to the hotel.
Day 2 • New Delhi
Before going to the east of the country, you cannot fail to visit the capital of the Indian Union, New Delhi. Excellent introduction to the subcontinent, you will go to Chandni Chowk in the heart of the old town and discover the modern streets of the megalopolis which became the capital at Independence in 1947.
Day 3 • Delhi - Bagdogra - Kurseong
In the morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Bagdogra. Entry point to Darjeeling and the state of Sikkim, this is where your tour of northeastern India will begin. Sikkim, attached to India in 1975, is home to Kangchenjunga, the highest point in India and the third highest peak in the world after Everest and K2. Upon arrival in Bagdogra, welcome and transfer by road to Kurseong. Check-in at the hotel and visit of the monastery of Kunsamnamdoling.
Day 4 • Kurseong - Darjeeling
Morning visit of a tea plantation where you will learn the manufacturing process of Darjeeling tea. Later, transfer to the station where you will board the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the "toy train" and inaugurated in 1881. The journey of approximately 30 kms, out of the 88 that the distance counts, will offer you breathtaking views with the Khangchenjunga range and its five peaks in the background. On arrival, check-in at the hotel and rest of the day free to stroll through the streets of the Chow Rasta and the bazaar which recalls the wealth of the colonial city.
Day 5 • Darjeeling
Day dedicated to the visit of the city, famous for its black tea exported all over the world. At dawn, and if the visibility allows it, you will watch the sunrise from Tiger Hill where the panorama of the Kangchenjunga massif is exceptional. You will continue to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute founded in 1954 following the conquest of Everest and which illustrates the first Himalayan expeditions, and will end the morning with the artisans of the Tibetan refugee camp settled there since 1959. The afternoon will be dedicated to the discovery of two monasteries: Ghoom, founded in 1875 and Drug Sangay Choling inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1993 and recognized for its vibrant frescoes.
Day 6 • Darjeeling - Pelling
In the morning, departure by road to the state of Sikkim and the town of Pelling located at 2150 m. altitude and from which the views over the Himalayas are amazing.
Day 7 • Pelling
Day dedicated to the visit of the city and its surroundings. The main spots will be the Buddhist monastery of Pemayangtse (the oldest in Sikkim), the ruins of the city of Rabdentse (second capital of the ancient kingdom of Sikkim from the 17th to the 19th centuries), the Rimbi and Kanchendzonga waterfalls, the sacred lake of Khechodpalri.
Day 8 • Pelling - Gangtok
In the morning, drive to Gangtok. On the way, stop at Ravangla, with the magnificent Himalayan landscapes all along the way.
Day 9 • Gangtok
Full day sightseeing of the capital of Sikkim and its surroundings. You will see the monastery of Rumtek (one of the holiest in Buddhism), Chortan Stupa surrounded by more than 110 prayer wheels, the Institute of Tibetology which contains one of the most important collections of manuscripts and sacred objects on Buddhism and the Enchey Gompa Monastery, one of the most attractive monasteries with its wall paintings and statues of deities.
Day 10 • Gangtok - Kalimpong
In the morning, drive to Kalimpong, an old stop on the road to Bhutan to which the city belonged until its annexation by the British in 1865. The city is famous for its flower market and particularly for the wide variety of its orchids.
Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel and thereafter visit of the Zong Dog Palir Phodrang monastery, built in 1957, which you will reach on foot from the main market. The 4 km walk will take you to a magnificent panorama from the monastery.
Day 11 • Kalimpong
In the morning, stroll through the local market where, on Saturdays and Wednesdays, the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages come to stock up. In the afternoon, you will reach on foot the Tharpa Choling Gompa, a monastery founded in 1892 and located at Deolo Hill. After the walk, visit a nursery where orchids are grown.
Day 12 • Kalimpong - Bagdogra - Kolkata
In the morning, return by road to Bagdogra and its airport from where you will take a flight to Kolkata in the afternoon. Upon arrival, welcome and transfer to the hotel.
Day 13 • Kolkata
Full day sightseeing of the city, former capital of the British Raj until 1912. Kolkata still retains the image of misery popularised by Mother Theresa and the globally aclaimed novel "The City of Joy". It is in fact a dynamic and modern megalopolis, whose economic and cultural weight continues to grow. The many renowned writers who were born or stayed there have made Kolkata the "intellectual" city of the country. You will notably discover Saint Paul's Cathedral the first episcopal church in the Orient built in the Gothic style and consecrated in 1874; the Victoria Memorial built in white marble and erected by British Governor Lord Curzon between 1906 and 1921; the marble palace, built in 1835 with more than 50 varieties of the material from which it bears its name. At the end of the day, you will stroll through the fruit and flower market and, weather permitting, visit the botanical gardens created in 1786.
Day 14 • Kolkata-Delhi
Free morning then transfer to the domestic terminal for your flight to Delhi. Arrival and transfer to the international terminal for your return flight.
This itinerary that we suggest to you, can serve as a starting point to work together on your tour in North-East India. You can also contact us to find out the cost at your travelling dates and buy it as is.
IDEAS FOR A CUSTOMISED STAY IN NORTH-EAST INDIA
- Add an extra day or two to go to Varanasi and/or Agra for the Taj Mahal.
- Arrival and/or departure from India can also be via Mumbai.
- Best time to go: all year round except during the winter months of December and January.
OUR OFFER
Please contact us for a tailor-made quote, excluding international flights.
Other ideas for tours in North-East India
9 D / 8 N