Best of Eastern Himalaya

Start the day at 4 AM with an early morning trip to Tiger Hill (7800 Ft) to catch the sunrise view from behind the majestic Kanchenjunga range. On the way back, visit the Ghoom Monastery & Batasia Loop, back to the hotel for breakfast. 

(09:00 AM TO 03:00 PM) After breakfast, proceed for a half-day Darjeeling local sightseeing of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Ropeway, Zoo, Tenzing Rock, Tibetan Refugees Self Help Centre, Tea Garden (outer view) & Japanese Temple. Back to the hotel by evening; take a walk to “Chowrasta” the center point of the Mall area. You can do some window shopping.

After breakfast, check-out and enjoy a round of The Heritage Toy Train Joy ride by Steam Locomotive in Darjeeling. 

Then proceed to Pelling (6800 Ft), via Ravangla (6800 Ft), a small township & transit point to various destinations in South & West Sikkim, situated at the base of Meenam Hill (10300 Ft). Arrive at Pelling by afternoon & check-in at the hotel. This is one of the closest points to the Kanchenjunga range & one can see it up close touching the sky from Pelling.

Leave early for the Khecheopalri Lake, also called the “Wish Fulfilling Lake”. It lies in a depression surrounded by prayer flags & forested hills. Then, go to the Rimbi Falls & Khangchendzonga waterfalls. 

After lunch, proceed to The Pemayangtse Monastery (7021 Ft), 2.5 km from Pelling. Built during the late 17th century, it is one of the oldest & most important monasteries of the Nyingmapa order of Buddhism in Sikkim. Even today, it is only the monks of this monastery who enjoy the title of ‘Tasang’ or pure monks. The monastery follows the Mindroling tradition and has 108 monks. The main attraction of the monastery is the wooden replica of Zangdog Palri, the celestial abode of Guru Padmasambhava, built by Serdup L Dorje Rinpoche in 1971. Now proceed to Rabdentse Ruins - the second capital of the erstwhile King of Sikkim till 1814 A.D. This is also very close to the Pemyangtse Monastery, a 30 mins walk from the main road. The scenic view from the top of the ruins scanning across the deep valley, to the mystic heights of the Kanchenjunga range is something to be cherished & etched in memory. Helipad Ground, back to the hotel by evening.

This morning after breakfast, check-out and drive to Gangtok (5500 Ft), the Land of the pristine and unspoiled natural beauty of Sikkim, with alpine landscapes and thick luxuriant forests, rivers in torrent and peaceful lakes, a journey 130 Kms & takes 5 hrs to reach Gangtok, arrive at the hotel & check-in. Relax & refresh yourself & then walk to the mall which is just 5 minutes away.

After breakfast, visit the Tashi View Point (6000 Ft) view of Mt. Khangchendzonga. Situated 8 km from the town, this point offers a breathtaking view of the majestic peak & surrounding hills. Also can be seen are the monasteries at Phodong & Labrang. On the return visit Hanuman Tok (7200 Ft), a temple devoted to Hanuman. From the temple, you can also get a bird’s eye view of the Sleep waterworks which supplies drinking water to the Gangtok town. Near this temple which is maintained by the Army, is Lukshyama- the royal cremation grounds of the erstwhile royal family of Sikkim. Then go to Ganesh Tok (6500 Ft), a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha which is so small in size that it can hardly accommodate one person & one has to crawl to get inside, The Handicraft & Handloom Showroom, which promotes traditional arts & crafts, a veritable storehouse of exquisite carpets, blankets, shawls in “Lepcha” weaves; The Flower Show, which contains over 200 species of orchids set amidst a beautiful landscape; Do-Drul Chorten (Stupa) which is one of the most important stupas of Sikkim, built by the head of the Nyingma order- Trullshi Rimpoche in 1945. It contains rare details of Dorji Phupa, Holy Books, Mantras and is encircled by 108 prayer wheels; The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology built-in 1958 in traditional style, a renowned worldwide center for the study of the Mahayana Buddhist philosophy & religion, a treasure house of rare “Thankas”, statues, over 200 Buddhist icons and prized objects of art & finally Ban Jhakhri Waterfalls, back to the hotel by late afternoon. Evening free for leisure or go shopping for Sikkimese traditional handicrafts.

After breakfast, proceed to Tsomgo Lake (12,313 ft). (Subject to availability of permit)

This lake is located very close to Nathula Pass which is the entry point to China termed as the “Silk Route & remains frozen for most parts of the year. Legend has it that the Lamas use to forecast the future by studying the color of the lake's waters. Enjoy the surroundings, majestic snowy peaks that feed the lake and the clean fresh air, back to Gangtok by 3 pm for a late lunch. Evening free for leisure or go shopping for Sikkimese traditional handicrafts. 

After an early breakfast, check-out and depart to Kalimpong (4000 Ft). Also, called the garden of flowers, this town has almost everything - scenic beauty, flowers, greenery, waters, mists, clouds, etc. Arrive at Kalimpong & check-in at the hotel. 

After wash and change, proceed for a half-day sightseeing of Durpin Hill (which has the famous Zang Dhok Palri Phodang Monastery which belongs to the same Buddhist sect as the present Dalai Lama), Pine View Point, Dr. Graham's Homes complex with its historic church & well-maintained grounds founded in 1900 by Rev. Dr. J A Graham, a Scottish missionary, Delo Hill (5556 ft) appears to be the roof- of- the- world, is the highest point in Kalimpong. Delo also has the town’s picturesque water reservoir. Then on to Mangal Dham Temple constructed in memory of the late Guru Shree (108) Mangal Dasji and dedicated to Lord Krishna.

After breakfast, check-out from the hotel & proceed to Bagdogra Airport for onward destination.