It was a time for family outing combined with celebration of the 10th anniversary of marriage. Destination was West Bengal and Sikkim.
Famous for 3 "T"s – Tea, Timber, and Tourism, Darjeeling stands out in its beauty and rich scenic ambience.
After every trip review, I am generally asked two foremost questions: one is the itinerary and the other is the budget. This time, I am presenting these two answers first.
Itinerary Summary:
Day-1 (18.11.2018): Departure from Home to Bagdogra and drive to Gangtok.
Day-2 (19.11.2018): Tsomgo Lake, Elephant Lake, Baba Mandir.
Day-3 (20.11.2018): Local Gangtok and Drive to Darjeeling.
Day-4 (21.11.2018): Sunrise at Tiger Hill, Local Attractions at Darjeeling, Toy Train Ride.
Day-5 (22.11.2018): Darjeeling to Kalimpong – Kalimpong Local attractions – Drive back to Darjeeling.
Day-6 (23.11.2018): Drive to Bagdogra Airport – Departure to Baroda.
Budget Breakup:
- Flight from Baroda to Bagdogra (2 Adults + 1 Child): ₹18,000
- Cab Package from Bagdogra for all Itinerary and drop back: ₹18,500
- Hotel at Gangtok – Royal Residency (18.11.2018 to 20.11.2018) (Family Deluxe Room with Breakfast): ₹2,800 (Great deal on Goibibo)
- Hotel at Darjeeling – Central Nirvana (20.11.2018 to 23.11.2018) (Club Room without meal plan): ₹8,800
- Flight from Bagdogra to Baroda (2 Adults + 1 Child): ₹18,000
- Local Food and tickets: ₹2,500 approx.
Tips:
Book hotels near the Mall Road at both places. This gives you a chance to wander around the mall area in the evening and do shopping on your own. Book hotels yourself on Goibibo or MakeMyTrip using coupons and wallet money to save on booking costs.
Day-1: (18.11.2018) Reaching the Destination
We took an IndiGo flight from Baroda to Bagdogra via Delhi Airport, booked a month prior.
It was an early morning flight at 7:10 AM from Vadodara, and we reached Bagdogra by afternoon at 2:30 PM. After collecting our baggage, we met our first-day driver who took us to our first stay destination, Gangtok.
Gangtok is approximately a 5-hour road journey from Bagdogra Airport via Siliguri. We selected this sequence (first up north to Gangtok and then back via Darjeeling/Kalimpong) because while coming for a holiday, the road journey itself becomes your destination, and we do not get tired or bored of long sitting hours in the car.
Another reason to keep Darjeeling afterwards is that from Darjeeling to Bagdogra is a 2.5-hour road journey on return, so you do not have to rush on your last day if you stay at Gangtok on your departure day.
By 7:30 PM, we reached our hotel at Gangtok and relaxed with the view of mountains from our room window.
Day-2: (19.11.2018) Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir
In the spine-chilling cold breeze of morning, we woke up to a fantastic view of the valley from our hotel room window.
After breakfast, our driver picked us up from the hotel and we started towards Tsomgo Lake at 8:45 AM.
Keep in mind to call your driver on time in the morning when you have Tsomgo Lake/Nathula in your itinerary, as uphill vehicles are allowed only until 10:00 AM and permits are issued on ID proofs for this visit. Tourist vehicles are required to return from Tsomgo/Nathula by 3:00 PM.
We were lucky that this year snowfall started early in November and we could enjoy snow on the route and at Tsomgo Lake. As I always say, the journey towards the destination is sometimes more interesting than the destination itself. The snow-capped road and mountains on the route made the journey remarkable.
Elephant Lake on the route to Baba Mandir after Tsomgo Lake is yet another beautiful stoppage, but it is seldom ignored by tourists due to time restrictions imposed by drivers/tour operators. But I recommend it more than Baba Mandir. We stayed for a good time here and enjoyed the feeling of heaven. After returning from heaven, the driver dropped us back at our hotel by 4:30 PM.
After some relaxation, we embarked on a shopping spree at Mall Road.
While booking the hotel at Gangtok, I selected this hotel (Royal Residency) because it was near Mall Road. Mall Road is a must-visit place in Gangtok in the evening time. You will feel not less than visiting any East Asian country; the beautiful people on the street and cool breeze combine for an experience like never before.
Day-3: (20.11.2018) Local Gangtok and Transfer to Darjeeling
There are very few attractions local to Gangtok. Tourists mainly stay at Gangtok for Tsomgo, Nathula, and for onward journeys to Lachung (Yumthang Valley/Zero Point).
Hence we kept half a day for the Gangtok local tour and then drove to Darjeeling in the second half. Generally, tour operators keep a whole day for transfer from Gangtok to Darjeeling or vice-versa, which is not fully justifiable. Drivers on this day will try to drop you at Darjeeling as soon as possible to pick up return passengers in their vehicle for extra money.
Do Drul Monastery, Banjhakri Water Falls, Ganesh Tok, and Hanuman Tok are some of the attractions which can be visited in a half-day trip at Gangtok.
Day-4: (21.11.2018) Exploring Darjeeling
Generally on this day, travel agents give the itinerary of waking up early in the morning around 3:00 AM and proceeding to Tiger Hill for sunrise views of Kanchenjunga (the third-highest mountain in the world).
I had booked a hotel after researching on Google and MakeMyTrip that featured a beautiful view of Kanchenjunga right from the hotel room itself. We declined our driver's offer for an early morning pickup. Instead, we got ready by 5:30 AM and came down to the small garden just below our hotel room.
We enjoyed a nice view of the sunrise and Kanchenjunga at 6:00 AM. Rather than spending more time at the hotel, we walked down the streets of Darjeeling in the morning on our own and reached the Darjeeling Railway Station—the origin and end of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (Toy Train)—which was barely a kilometer from our room.
I had booked the morning 8:00 AM toy train from Darjeeling station to the next station (Ghoom).
Sitting at Darjeeling station with a cup of tea, watching the toy train get ready for departure, is a unique experience that cannot be fully captured in words.
We embarked on the toy train journey from Darjeeling station at 8:20 AM and reached Ghoom by 9:00 AM.
This 40-minute toy train ride, passing through city traffic and intersecting city roads multiple times, provides an unforgettable experience. The traffic management in Darjeeling is truly commendable; the toy train tracks are embedded directly into day-to-day commute routes.
We called our driver to Ghoom station itself in the morning and started our day tour from there.
Ghoom Monastery and Batasia Loop are nearby to Ghoom station and are well worth visiting. The Rock Garden is nowadays often excluded by travel agents in normal itineraries as it is down the hills and the road towards it has steep climbs and slopes with some damage. Both the vehicle and driver must be skilled to navigate this road, but the journey itself is adventurous. The Rock Garden is very beautiful with waterfalls and is a must-visit.
After the Rock Garden, you can spend time at the Padmaja Naidu Zoo and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (situated in the same complex with a single entry ticket).
In the evening, after arriving back at the room and getting refreshed, we strolled down the Darjeeling Mall area on foot. Sunset is around 5:15 PM, so plan your day accordingly.
Local food, veg and non-veg momos are readily available in all restaurants in the mall area. We also purchased local specialties like Dalle (local pickles) and Darjeeling tea, enjoying the local cuisine around.
Day-5: (22.11.2018) Darjeeling to Kalimpong
Kalimpong was a new addition to our itinerary from the last 2008 visit, but this proved to be a surprisingly amazing decision. The road journey to Kalimpong is full of scenic spots and greenery, including views of Kanchenjunga along the way.
Covered in white snow, the view of Kanchenjunga is an unforgettable experience.
The entire beauty of the sights cannot be captured anywhere other than in your eyes and heart. Lamahatta, Triveni, viewpoints, and the Teesta River running alongside your roadside give a marvelous feeling.
Science Centre, Deolo Hill Garden, and Pine View Nursery (also called Cactus Park) are major attractions in Kalimpong. The whole day is spent in the arms of nature and adventure.
Day-6: (23.11.2018) Darjeeling to Bagdogra Airport
We had a flight at 12:10 PM on this day. The road journey from Darjeeling to Bagdogra Airport takes around 3 hours. Keeping a safe margin, we started at 7:30 AM from Darjeeling.
Before that, in the morning at 6:00 AM after getting ready, we visited Mahakal Mandir just above the mall area. This is a small temple, very calm and beautiful in the morning. You should stay near the mall area and enjoy the mall and surrounding ambience on foot every evening as we did. Strolling through the cool, breezy evening makes more out of your holiday and adds to relaxation, rather than just running and covering points listed in an itinerary.
The early morning drive from Darjeeling to Bagdogra was thoroughly enjoyable. Mr. Pankaj, behind the steering wheel, was quite humble and friendly, which made our trip to Darjeeling more comfortable and pleasant. He took an alternate route, bypassing the normal Siliguri road. This alternate route was full of scenic spots, tea gardens, and valleys.
Truly a refreshing holiday and a wonderful way to celebrate 10 years of our marriage anniversary.
Thank you for reading.
From,
Samarpan