Destinations Covered: Kolkata - Bagdogra - Darjeeling - Kalimpong - Gangtok - Bagdogra - Kolkata
Eastern part of India has been blessed by immense natural beauty with lush views and a wonderful weather. The Charming North East is a well-planned tour of 9 days offering an unforgettable vacation across some of the most beautiful hill stations in east India. This journey takes you to places like Kolkata, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok. While Kolkata is known to be the cultural hub of the country, the other three destinations have tranquil surroundings. One cannot also ignore the prevalence of Buddhism in this area. Some of the highlights include the well-stocked Indian Museum in Kolkata, sunrise from Tiger Hill in Darjeeling, Kalimpong’s oldest monastery Thongsa Gompa and the Orchid sanctuary in Gangtok.
Arrive at the Kolkata airport, where you meet our tour representative. Get transferred to the hotel and complete the check-in formalities. The day is at leisure and you are free to explore the place on your own. Famed for being home of various scholars, Kolkata was the capital of British India, before the position was given to Delhi. The city is dotted with several wonderful structures and is known to be the artistic and cultural capital of the country. The local delicacies of Bengali cuisine must not be missed.
Overnight stay in Kolkata.
In the morning, get ready for city tour of Kolkata, visiting its prime attractions. First, you visit the magnificent Victoria Memorial- referred to as the 'Taj of the British', it was inaugurated in 1921 by Prince of Wales. Next in line are the Birla Planetarium- one of the earliest planetariums in India with structure like Sanchi Buddhist Stupa, and the St. Paul's Cathedral- constructed in 1847 with Gothic style of architecture. The last visit of the day is to the Indian Museum. This is largest as well as oldest museum in India, with wonderful collections of fossils, mummies, armour, antiques, ornaments, Mughal paintings etc.
Overnight stay in Kolkata.
On day 3, after a leisurely breakfast, get transferred to the Kolkata Airport to board a flight to Bagdogra. Here, meet our tour representative to get an assisted transfer to Darjeeling, by road. On arrival, check- in at your hotel. Placed at an altitude of 6710 feet above the sea level, Darjeeling hill town has several allures like monasteries, the toy train, view points, waterfalls, gardens, aromatic tea plantations, Tiger hill and so on.
Overnight stay in Darjeeling.
Get up early in the morning and head to the Tiger Hill for viewing sunrise over Kanchenjunga (28,156 feet), the third highest peak in the world. While returning, stop at the Ghoom Monastery for viewing one of the largest statues of Maiterya Buddha. It is the oldest Tibetan Monastery in Darjeeling. Back to the hotel. Later in the morning, continue with sightseeing including the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park- The only place in India to see Siberian Tiger. Known all across the world, it has conservation breeding programmes for Red Panda, Snow Leopards, Tibetan Wolf and other endangered animals of Eastern Himalaya. The other visits of the day are to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the Gumbu Rock Site and the Tibetan Refugee self-help center. In the evening, take a walk in the tea gardens.
Overnight stay in Darjeeling.
In the morning, start the road journey to Kalimpong, your next destination. On arrival, check into the hotel. Kalimpong is a beautiful secluded hill station in Himalayan foothills, at altitude of 1250 m, forming a triangle with Darjeeling and Gangtok. The hill town boasts of lovely views due to Orchids and other colourful flowers. The serene atmosphere is going to have its charm you.
Stay overnight in Kalimpong.
On day 6, go for sightseeing tour of Kalimpong including the Zong Do Palri Fo Brang Monastery- popularly known as Durpin Monastery, it has been blessed by the Dalai Lama in 1976. It also houses a number of important religious scriptures. Next in line is the Thongsa Gompa, the oldest monastery in Kalimpong. This renowned Bhutanese monastery was established in 1692. The last visit of the day is to the flower nurseries where cut flowers are dispatched all over the world.
Overnight stay.
On this day, start driving to Gangtok, the last Shangri-La, which is the gateway to Sikkim. On reach this beautiful hill station, complete the check-in formalities at the hotel. The capital city of the Sikkim state, Gangtok is positioned on an uphill and has mesmerizing scenery, sacred Buddhist sites and opportunities adventure activities. It offers peaceful, fun-filled and relaxing holidays.
Overnight in Gangtok.
Morning excursion to the Rumtek Monastery has been planned today. This monastery is the main seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage and is also known as Dharmachakra center. Later, continue your sightseeing in Gangtok including the Research Institute of Tibetology. This center is known all across for being an excellent site of Tibetan studies and research. It houses a wonderful collection of rare Buddhist books. It also has an Orchid sanctuary that has around 454 Orchid species.
Overnight stay in Gangtok.
On the last day of the tour, get transferred to the Bagdogra Airport to board the flight for Kolkata. From here, you can board a flight for your onward journey.
