Tea Leaves and Toy Trains
Itinerary
- Itinerary:Kolkata - Darjeeling - Rinchenpong - Pelling -Yuksom - Gangtok - Kalimpong - Bagdogra - Kolkata
- Duration:15 days / 14 nights (flexible)
- Price:from £ 2,089.- per person (excluding flights)
Days 1-3 – Arrival in Kolkata
Today you’ll be collected from the airport in Kolkata and transferred to a charming hotel packed with character in the city centre. Your room is comfortable and tastefully decorated, and you’ll very quickly feel at home. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Kolkata at your own leisure, enjoying the warm temperatures and delicious food of West Bengal. Why not visit the Kali Temple or grab some world famous food?
The following morning you’ll be picked up by your guide in an air-conditioned car. You’ll head out on a tour of the city, visiting all the main sites, including BBD Bagh and St. John’s Church. Next, you’ll head to the Hoogly river and see the famous bridge before ending the tour at the colourful flower market. Here, you’ll see locals trading and get a real insight into daily life here. At the end of the afternoon you’ll be dropped back at your hotel where you’ll spend another night.
Days 3-6 – Tea time in Darjeeling
Next, your driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to the airport where you’ll catch the short flight to Bagdogra. Flying time today will be just over an hour. Take the legendary toy train in Darjeeling, nestled in the shadow of Kanchenjunga, one of the highest mountains in the Himalayas. A mostly Tibetan tangle of steep, ramshackle streets and market stalls, it has an atmosphere all of its own. You’ll amble through the emerald tea fields, watch a scenic sunrise from the tip of Tiger Hill and visit beautiful, remote Buddhist monasteries.
Days 6-11 – Take the Tibetan temple trail
Cross alpine forests, follow twisting streams and stay with local families as you travel through hidden Sikkim. Pass flowery meadows in full bloom, visit sacred lakes surrounded by flickering prayer flags and gaze up at snowy Himalayan peaks. It’s a surefire way to feel lost in a true Shangri-La. Sikkim is a tiny pocket of staggering natural beauty, tucked away in the fertile foothills of the Himalayas. With rich green valleys, bright rhododendron fields, working farms and friendly locals, it’s a wonderful place to explore. You’ll spend four nights travelling through the region, soaking up the scenery and stopping at spiritual sights. It’s a trip to really remember.
Days 11-14 – Snow-capped mountains and monasteries
Get a glimpse into the gentle Tibetan culture of hilltop Sikkim. Visit rainbow-coloured monasteries, spin prayer wheels and hear monks chanting across the mountains. Cross green meadows, watch prayer flags flutter, wander through pine forests and feel the calming peace of the Himalayan foothills. Sikkim is a restful green region divided from Bhutan and Nepal by a ridge of snowy peaks. Rarely visited by tourists, it’s rich in culture and natural beauty. During this trip, you’ll spend four days exploring the monasteries and market towns of Sikkim, stopping to meet the locals and listen to softly singing monks.
This morning, you’ll be collected from your hotel and transferred roughly 3 hours back to Bagdogra airport. From there, you’ll catch a flight back to Kolkata. Today’s flight usually takes about 1 hour.
