Enchanting Sikkim & Darjeeling Tour
Trip at a Glance
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Country: Nepal
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Trip grade: Easy
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Destination: Nepal/India
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Activities: Cultural Sightseeing
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Accommodation: Hotels
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Meals: Breakfast included
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Transportation: Private vehicle/Plane
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Maximum altitude: Tiger hill Darjeeling (2,590 m)
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Trip Start / End: Kathmandu - Kathmandu
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Best Season: Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Akin to its very nomenclature, "Enchanting Sikkim & Darjeeling Tours" is a truly enchanting and compact trip that familiarizes you to the two stunning hill stations in the Indian state of West Bengal. While Sikkim is beautifully tucked under the canopy of the mighty Kanchenjunga (8586 m), Darjeeling is another equally enticing town known for its lush tea garden, Tiger Hill and a plethora of British styled schools. Throughout this tour, you will not only witness some of the famed historical and cultural sites here but also get seriously intimate with the verdant terrace farms, hot springs, narrow curvy roads and yes the concoction of nature and culture.
The trip begins with an hour's flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, a small town in proximity to Nepal's eastern border with India. You will find our representative waiting for you at the airport. You better get hand and glove with him because he is the one who is going to be your guiding star throughout this tour. From Bhadrapur we take a private car and drive all the way to Kakarvitta, another town right at Nepal's eastern border with India. After some custom and immigration formalities here, we then drive ahead entering the Indian premises (state) of West Bengal. Our destination for the day is Gangtok, the beautiful capital of Sikkim. At Gangtok we explore the several renowned sites like - Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms or Government Institute of Cottage Industries, Enchey Monastery, The Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology, Rumtek Monastery, Tashi View Point etc. There are even more in store once we drive to Darjeeling, also known as "the queen of hills". Tiger Hill, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center, Tea Garden and Tea Factory, Darjeeling Peace Pagoda etc. are some of the sites we will be exploring in Darjeeling. On a happy note, we drive back to Bhadrapur and then board on a flight to Kathmandu.
Enchanting Sikkim & Darjeeling Tours Highlights
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites tour in Kathmandu.
- Scenic drive along the winding roads to Sikkim & Darjeeling.
- Visit Gangtok- the capital of Sikkim & the most beautiful hill station town.
- Discover the cultural heritage of Sikkim by visiting the Enchey Monastery and the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.
- Enjoy a cup of freshly brewed Darjeeling tea at Happy Valley Tea Estate.
- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Toy Train Ride, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Ghum Monastery visit, one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.
- Witness spectacular view of Mt. Kanchenjung, the world's third highest mountain.
Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1400m)
Day 02: Kathmandu city sightseeing (1400m)
Day 03: Flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur (91m/1 hr) and drive from Bhadrapur to Gangtok (1650m/4-5 hrs)
Day 04: Sightseeing in Gangtok
Day 05: Drive from Sikkim to Darjeeling (2050m/4-5 hrs)
Day 06: Sightseeing in Darjeeling
Day 07: Drive from Darjeeling to Bhadrapur (91m/4-5 hrs) and flight from Bhadrapur to Kathmandu
Day 08: Final Departure
Upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be received by a representative from Marron Treks and then transferred to your designated hotel. Once at the hotel, you are greeted with welcome drinks. We will then have a quick pre-trip meeting, where you are briefed on the trip itineraries and some formalities that ought to be pursued. Depending on the time remaining, you can either rest or stroll around the vicinity of your hotel to get the feel of this busy, colorful and energetic capital of Nepal.
Let’s savor the succulent breakfast and get ready for a guided tour to the historic, religious and cultural sites of Kathmandu. Hop in to our transport vehicle with an experienced city guide and drive through the hullabaloo of Kathmandu. Our guide will be taking you to visit the renowned sites listed in the UNESCO world’s heritage list- the Pasupatinath Temple (The Most Revered Hindu Shrine), Swayambunath (The Monkey Temple), Boudhanath (The Maha Stupa) and Kathmandu (Basantapur) Durbar Square . After this interesting and informative tour, drive back to the hotel.
After breakfast you will be driven to the domestic wing of Tribhuwan airport. You board a flight to Bhadrapur, which is a small city located near Nepal's eastern border with India. Within an hour you will find yourself at a very unsophisticated looking airport of Bhadrapur. A representative from Marron Treks will receive you who will accompany you throughout the tour in India. We drive on a private car to Kakarvitta, which is the last town before Nepal's eastern border with India. We have to wait here for sometime until a custom and immigration formalities are sorted out. Crossing Kakarvitta, we immediately enter the Indian state of West Bengal. Our drive continues to Siliguri, a busy Indian town, where we possibly halt for lunch. The post lunch drive commences towards Gangtok, a beautiful hill station cum the capital of Sikkim state. The road to Gangtok comprises of treacherous hair-pin curves. As you glance out of the car's window you can see the snaky tracks below which you just traversed. In about 4-5 hours you will reach Gangtok. One can clearly feel the chill of the elevation. We have an extra day here tomorrow, so we can get ourselves well rested and take a sound sleep.
Early morning visit to Tashi View Point located about 8 kms from Gangtok. Astounding views of Khangchendzonga and the Siniolchu Range. The distant north Sikkim monasteries are also visible from this point along the North Sikkim highway. Drive back to hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast visit the following renowned sites-
A. Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms or Government Institute of Cottage Industries
Established by the government of Sikkim to promote the manufacturing and sales of authentic and traditional arts and handicraft, handlooms, exquisite carpets, blankets and shawls in "Lepcha" weaves, furniture (Choksies), thankas (special paintings), bamboo products reflecting the authentic design style from Sikkim. Visiting hours - Monday to Saturday from 9.30 am. to 12.30 pm/ 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm (closed on Sundays, second Saturdays and government holidays).
B. Enchey Monastery
Located 3 kms away from the city centre, this small hermitage is believed to be built by Lama Druptob Karpo (renowned for his purported power of flying) after he flew at this spot from Maenam Hill in South Sikkim, during the reign of Sidkeong Tulku, 1909-1910, nearly 200 years ago. The present monastery was built in the form of Chinese Pagoda. It follows Nyingmapa order. The annual ceremony (puja) is observed with religious masked dances on the 18h and 19th day of December (11th month of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar).
C. The Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology
The Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology is a world-renowned research centre for Tibetan Buddhism and is well stocked with rare books and manuscripts on Buddhism. The institute also preserves antique collection like - coins, statues, rosaries, brass bells, dorjis and thankas. Besides, one can also witness an astounding collection of nearly 30,000 volumes of literatures on the subjects like astrology, philosophy, magic and religion. The institute conducts research in the fields of language and culture of Tibet. The foundation was laid in 1957 by the "Dalai Lama" and was inaugurated by the then prime minister of India, "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru", in October 1958. It also has a number of religious arts and crafts work available for sale. It's vast wealth of Lepcha, Tibetan and Sanskrit manuscripts attract scholars from all corners of the world. The institute is open from 10.00 am. to 4.00 pm.( every Monday to Saturday) and is closed on Sunday/ second Saturday/ government holidays.
D. Rumtek Monastery
It is located about 24 kms away from Gangtok. The monastery is boisterously poised on a fascinating landscape. The first monastery was built in 1717 A.D at Rumtek by the then king, Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, but was unfortunately devastated by the earthquake during that period. Late 16th Gyalwa Karmapa constructed the second monastery in 1960. It is the headquarters of the Kagyu-pa (Red Hat) sect of the Tibetan lamaistic Buddhism. It is an excellent replica of the original Kagyu headquarters at Tsurpu in Tibet. It houses some of the world's most unique art objects, ancient manuscripts and icons. Above the Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre, is a hermitage where the monks go into complete seclusion for meditation for a period of three years. The "Chaam" (religious masked dance) is performed on the 10 th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan Calendar, in presence of the eight manifestations of "Guru Rimpoche". Prayer time: 4 am. and 6 pm.
Unless its already too dark, we can spare sometime of the evening at Tashi View Point.
After breakfast we bid farewell to Gangtok and get our wheels going along the familiar twist and turns until we arrive at another stunning hilly paradise, Darjeeling. Owing to the uncommon natural beauty one can witness here, Darjeeling is often referred as "the queen of hills" by its visitors. The long drive has perhaps made us a little fatigued, so its better if we check in to our hotel and rest. We have a busy day tomorrow, packed with plenty of entertaining activities.
On the chilly morning at Darjeeling, we wake up only to be greeted with a steamy cup of coffee/tea. We then freshen ourselves. The sightseeing now begins with a drive along the narrow and curvy roads of this splendid hill-town. The activity for the day includes the visits to the following renowned sites:
A.Tiger Hill
Splendid view of sun rise over Mt. Kanchendzonga. On the return, visit Yiga-Choling Monastery (Ghoom). Drive back to the hotel for breakfast.
B. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
This renowned zoological park is an abode to some of the most exclusive wildlives like - Siberian tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Red Panda, Snow Leopard and many other animals and bird species. There is also a Snow Leopard breeding center nearby.
C. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Besides being a training center for mountaineers, this institute also houses the Everest Museum, Natural History Museum and exhibits a splendid display of Himalayan wildlives.
D. Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center
This happens to be the major center for the production of Tibetan carpets, woodworks and various leather goods.
?E. Tea Garden and Tea Factory
When we talk about Darjeeling, the first thing that pops up on our head is its aromatic tea. The locally produced CTC tea and the tea-leaves are famous throughout Asia. Today we visit this lush tea garden and the tea factory nearby to get a sense of how this popular product is actually processed.
F. Darjeeling Peace Pagoda
It is one of the Peace Pagodas designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds to help unite them in their search for world peace. Like most of the other Peace Pagodas, it was built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885–1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-My?h?ji Buddhist Order.
It's time now we say good bye to this lovely hill station. After an early breakfast we drive back to Bhadrapur airport. It's actually a long drive along the narrow and curvy roads for about 4-5 hours. We then board on a flight back to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you will be received by a representative from Marron Treks and transferred to your hotel. The remaining time is on your own. You would probably want to do some souvenir shopping at Thamel. In the evening, Marron Treks will host a farewell dinner party featuring a range of mouth watering Nepali cuisines, followed by a live cultural program.
Unless you would want to extend your trip and try out some of our other adventurous packages like Bungy Jumping, Mountain Biking, Jungle Safari, White Water Rafting, Golfing & Paragliding etc. this will be your last day in Nepal. A representative from Marron Treks will escort you to the airport for the final departure to your homeland. Have a safe flight back home. Please let us know about your desire for trip extension so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
What is included?
- Airport pick-up and drop services.
- All applicable domestic airfare as specified in the itinerary.
- Hotel accommodation costs in Kathmandu, Sikkim and Darjeeling on "BB" basis with respect to the itinerary.
- All ground transportation costs as prescribed in the itinerary.
- Remuneration to an experienced English speaking city guide for sightseeing in Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling.
- All applicable tourist entrance and monumental fees during the sightseeing in Nepal and Sikkim & Darjeeling.
- Complimentary farewell dinner with live Nepalese cultural show.
What is not included?
- Personal Insurance for travel to Nepal.
- International airfare.
- Nepal & India entry visa fees.
- Bar bills & beverages.
- Emergency rescue evacuation.
- Tipping.
- Other expenses of personal nature.
Route Map
