6 Nights / 7 Days2N Darjeeling · 2N Kalimpong · 2N GangtokBest: October to December, and March to MayBagdogra (IXB) or New Jalpaiguri (NJP)
About this trip
The classic six-night circuit with Kalimpong put back in. Most operators drop it to save a day, and the trip is poorer for it: Kalimpong is the quietest of the three towns, the warmest, and the one with the flower nurseries and the old trade-route history.
It also breaks the long Darjeeling to Gangtok drive into two comfortable halves, which anyone travelling with children or parents will feel on the second afternoon.
Everything here is drive-up sightseeing. Nobody has to walk far, nothing goes above 3,780 m except the optional Tsomgo day, and there is a free evening in each town.
Trip highlights
Tiger Hill sunrise and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Happy Valley Tea Estate and the Mountaineering Institute
Deolo Hill, Durpin Monastery and the Kalimpong nurseries
Tsomgo Lake at 3,780 m, on permit
Rumtek Monastery and MG Marg
The Teesta valley road, twice, from both directions
Day by day
This is the plan as we would run it. Days can be swapped, dropped or added — say what you want changed and we will rebuild it before you pay anything.
1
Day 1
Arrive and climb to Darjeeling
Met at Bagdogra or NJP and up through the tea belt and Kurseong, three hours or so, with the toy train line crossing the road repeatedly. Evening on Chowrasta and the Mall.
Tea belt driveChowrasta in the evening
Stay: DarjeelingMeals: Dinner
2
Day 2
Tiger Hill, Batasia Loop and the town
Out at 3:45 am for sunrise on Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill, back via Batasia Loop and Ghum Monastery. After breakfast: the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the zoo, the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre, the Peace Pagoda and Happy Valley Tea Estate.
Tiger Hill sunriseHMI and the zooHappy Valley Tea Estate
Stay: DarjeelingMeals: Breakfast, dinner
3
Day 3
Toy train, then down to Kalimpong
The DHR joyride to Ghum and back in the morning, then the drop to the Teesta at Teesta Bazar and the climb to Kalimpong. Warmer than Darjeeling by several degrees, and quieter by more than that.
DHR joyrideTeesta BazarArrive Kalimpong
Stay: KalimpongMeals: Breakfast, dinner
4
Day 4
Kalimpong: Deolo, Durpin and the nurseries
Deolo Hill for the panorama over both river valleys, Durpin Monastery on the opposite ridge, Dr Graham’s Homes, the Mangal Dham temple, and the cactus and orchid nurseries that Kalimpong has exported from for a century. Afternoon free, and the town is pleasant to walk.
Deolo HillDurpin MonasteryFlower nurseries
Stay: KalimpongMeals: Breakfast, dinner
5
Day 5
Kalimpong to Gangtok
Back down to the Teesta and up the far bank into Sikkim, permit check at Rangpo, about three and a half hours. Afternoon in Gangtok and the evening on MG Marg.
Teesta river roadCross into SikkimMG Marg
Stay: GangtokMeals: Breakfast, dinner
6
Day 6
Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir
The climb to 3,780 m and the glacial lake, with Baba Mandir beyond. Back for a last evening in Gangtok.
Tsomgo LakeBaba Mandir
Stay: GangtokMeals: Breakfast, dinner
Nathu La can be added on a separate permit at extra cost, subject to the day and the weather. Foreign nationals cannot visit Nathu La.
7
Day 7
Down to Bagdogra or NJP
Down the Teesta to the plains, about five hours. Flights after 1 pm.
Transfer to IXB or NJP
Stay: Departure dayMeals: Breakfast
Where you stay
Hotels are named on your written itinerary before you pay. The properties below are the ones we normally use in this band; if one is full on your dates we substitute a hotel of the same standard and tell you which, rather than leaving you to find out at check-in.
Darjeeling2 nightsStandard to deluxe, central or valley-facingTypically: Summit Grace · Sinclairs Darjeeling · or similar
Kalimpong2 nightsStandard to deluxe, hill-facingTypically: Summit Barsana Resort · Silver Oaks · or similar
Gangtok2 nightsStandard to deluxe, near MG MargTypically: Summit Newa Regency · Denzong Regency · or similar
Getting around
One private hill vehicle throughout, plus the permitted Sikkim-registered vehicle for the Tsomgo leg.
Up to 4 travellers normally ride in a Wagon R, Swift Dzire or similar; 5 to 7 in an Innova, Xylo or Scorpio; 8 and above in a Tempo Traveller or a second vehicle. On the North Sikkim and Silk Route legs the vehicle is always a Bolero, Sumo or Scorpio, because that is what those roads take.
What is and is not included
Included in the price
Accommodation on twin sharing in the hotel category booked, with all applicable taxes
Daily breakfast and dinner at the hotel, unless stated otherwise for a particular night
All transfers and sightseeing by private non-air-conditioned hill vehicle, exclusively for your group
Driver allowance, fuel, tolls, parking and inter-state road taxes
All permits and inner-line documentation required by the itinerary
Pick-up and drop at Bagdogra airport (IXB) or New Jalpaiguri station (NJP)
A named trip coordinator reachable by phone for the length of the trip
Sikkim inner-line permit and the Tsomgo protected-area permit
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway joyride ticket, subject to availability
Not included
Air and rail fare to and from the start point
Lunch, and any meal not listed as included
Entry tickets and camera fees at monuments, parks and viewpoints, unless a line above includes them
Any ride, activity or excursion marked optional in the day-by-day plan
Room service, laundry, telephone calls, tips and anything of a personal nature
Travel insurance and medical costs
Cost of any extension, detour or extra night caused by weather, landslide, roadblock, strike or another event outside our control
Anything not expressly listed under what is included
Nathu La permit and vehicle charge, if added
Ropeway and entry tickets
Booking, payment and cancellation
How booking works
A written itinerary with named hotels and one all-in price is issued before any payment is taken.
Booking is confirmed against the advance; hotel and transport vouchers are issued once it is received.
The balance is payable before the trip begins, unless a different schedule is agreed in writing.
Peak-season travel (mid-October to early January, and mid-April to early June) is held on shorter cut-offs and may need full payment earlier.
Rates are held against the dates quoted. A change of dates is re-quoted at the rates for the new dates.
Government levies, permit fees and entry charges are charged at the rate in force on the day of travel.
If you have to cancel
Cancellations must reach us in writing. The date we receive that message is the date we use.
What we can return depends on what the hotels, transport and permit offices have already charged us. Those deductions are passed on at cost, without a markup from us.
Permits, entry tickets and train or air tickets already issued are governed by the issuing authority and are usually non-refundable.
Peak-season bookings carry tighter terms because hotels hold us to tighter terms. These are stated on your confirmation.
No refund is due for unused nights, unused services or an early departure once a trip has begun.
A road or pass closed by weather is not a cancellation. We rework the day; costs already committed to third parties cannot be returned.
Your written confirmation carries the exact advance, the balance date and the cancellation schedule for your trip. Those numbers, not this page, are the ones that apply. Full terms are on the booking conditions page.
Questions about this trip
Is Kalimpong worth the two nights?
For most people yes, and for families with small children definitely, because it halves the two worst driving days. If you are short of time, one night in Kalimpong still works and we will re-quote it.
Fill this in and we will come back with a proper day-by-day itinerary for your dates, with named hotels and one all-in price. No payment is taken at this stage and nothing is confirmed until you say so.
We reply within the working day.
The itinerary comes in writing, with the hotels named.
Change anything you like before you decide.
Your details stay with us. We do not sell or share them.
Nine days and the whole state, from Gurudongmar to Pemayangtse
8 Nights / 9 DaysSikkim & Darjeeling
From₹32,900per person, twin sharing
View trip
Tell us roughly what you want. We will send back a real itinerary.
Dates, how many of you, and anywhere you have your heart set on — that is enough for us to start. You will get a day-by-day plan with named hotels and one all-in price, in writing, before you pay anything.
