Overview

Gleaming like a lost jewel in the folds of the Eastern Himalayas between West Bengal and Nepal is one of India’s hottest holiday destinations today. Imbued with history and mysticism, obscured by thick forests and guarded by a cavalcade of holy peaks, the remote state of Sikkim with its capital Gangtok, is luring visitors by leaps and bounds in recent times. Sikkim’s great trekking trails, leading to hidden lakes and ancient monasteries, are the ideal route to the discovery of its vast wealth of natural beauty. With our 7 Nights 8 Days Sikkim Darjeeling Package, you can explore the scenic beauty of Darjeeling, Gangtok, and Pelling.

Trip Highlights

Visit Ghoom Monastery in Darjeeling,

Enjoy a cable car ride in Gangtok.

Excursion to Tsomgo lake, Nathu La pass, & Baba Harbhajan Singh Temple.

Visit Rimbi waterfalls & Khecheopalri Lake in Pelling.

Enjoy the view of Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill.

Darjeeling Gangtok Pelling Tour 8 Days Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at NJP/IXB Airport & Transfer to Gangtok

On reaching New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP) / Bagdogra Airport (IXB) get an assisted transfer to your pre-booked hotel in Gangtok. Perched at a height of 5500 ft, Gangtok – ‘top of the hill’ – lures visitors with its fabulous views of magnificent Mt. Khangchendzonga. Its strategic location, strong Buddhist presence, and heady cultural offerings are tempting insights into this stimulating land. The rest of the day is free for leisure. Overnight stay in the hotel.

Day 2: Gangtok Sightseeing tour

After breakfast, proceed for a beautiful drive out of Gangtok leads to the magical Tsomgo Lake. It can be either a boring or a great drive, depending on the weather. Surrounded by frozen hillsides, over a kilometer long and around 50 ft deep, its waters are unimaginably serene. There’s only one road forward and it takes you all the way to Nathu-la-Pass, from where you get to see China.  The next visit is to Baba Mandir. This shrine is built in memory of a brave Indian soldier, Harbhajan Singh who died during the war near the Nathu La Pass.

By evening return to Gangtok, and you are free to shop. Stay overnight in the hotel.

Day 3: Gangtok Sightseeing Tour

After breakfast, proceed for a full-day Gangtok city tour. Gangtok's most accessible peaks have been converted into viewing points. Ganesh Tok, Hanuman Tok, and Tashi Viewpoint are the most popular and the most crowded. Next, the picturesque 24 km drive from Gangtok to the impressive Rumtek Monastery takes you through some of the prettiest areas around the town. It is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site, but visitors can imbibe the tranquil air and beautiful location while soaking in the significant cultural elements, which make it a must-visit.

Just 4 km away from Gangtok, you will come upon the sparkling waters of Ban Jakhri Falls. The shamanistic theme of the park is well represented by ethnic sculptures and figurines of the Jhakri culture spread over 2 acres. The next visit to the Do Drul Chorten mainly consists of a gigantic chorten with 108 prayer wheels all around. The famed Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology, next to Do Drul Chorten, is one of the premier institutes in India for Tibetan studies. After the full day's excitement, return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 4: Drive from Gangtok to Pelling

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and transfer from Gangtok to Pelling. On arrival, check-in at the hotel. The misty, fairytale-like village of Pelling, the great tourist attraction, has sensational views of Mt. Khangchendzonga. The rest of the evening is free for leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 5: Pelling Sightseeing Tour

After breakfast, leave for a full day of Pelling sightseeing. The 17th-century Pemayangtse Monastery is perched at a height of 2085 m surrounded by snow snow-capped mountains. Soak in the haunting beauty of Khangchendzonga and its retinue of peaks, it is Sikkim’s second oldest monastery. Nearby, Rabdentse, with its ruined palace, was once Sikkim’s capital. Sanga-Choling is situated on the other side of Pelling and takes a good 45 minutes of uphill climbing.  Next visit to Yuksom, a one-street village, which takes about an hour-and-a-half drive from Pelling to get there.

On the way, one can take in the vertiginous Rimbi Waterfall, practically leaping onto the road in front of you in ecstasy. Next make your visit to Khecheopalri, an hour’s drive from Yuksom. Khecheopalri literally means ‘wishing lake’. The water is crystal clear and it is believed that the birds around do not allow even a leaf to fall on the wishing lake. Next one can stop at Tashiding Monastery, its name means ‘elevated glorious white rock’. The chief attraction of Tashiding is its holy chorten , the most common religious symbol in Sikkim, called Thong-Wa-Rang-Dol, the very sight of which is supposed to wash away all sins. After the sightseeing tour, return to the hotel for a delicious dinner and an overnight stay at Pelling.

Day 6: Pelling to Darjeeling

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Darjeeling. On arrival, check-in at the hotel. Darjeeling is a town made for long walks, situated over a ridge and spilling down the hillside in a complicated series of interconnecting roads. It has a lot of colonial architecture – English cottages with antiquated windows and smoking chimneys, graveyards, cheered by mountain pansies, magnificent schools, buildings, and churches. The rest of the day is free for leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 7: Darjeeling sightseeing tour

Early morning, leave to view the sunrise at Tiger Hill.  Concentrate on the splendor when the peak shakes off the night to dress in the gold and orange hues of a fresh dawn. Near Tiger Hill is the Ghoom Monastery, it came up in the 1850s and was built by a Mongolian monk, Lama Sherpa Gyaltsho. Then visit the Bhutia Basti, this is the oldest monastery in Darjeeling, originally built on Observatory Hill in 1765. Then, have your breakfast and leave for the city tour.

Now enjoy the Darjeeling Toy train journey, to the famous Batasia loop, where the train does a complete figure of eight along the track. Then visit the Happy Valley Tea Estate, 3 km from the town. Here you can take leisurely walks along the gardens, watch the tea pickers at work and visit the factories to see how the fresh leaves are converted into tea. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is known internationally for its breeding programs of the snow leopard and the red panda. You will also see Siberian tigers and Tibetan wolves here. Lloyd’s Botanical Gardens is an open garden that has a fantastic collection of more than 50 species of orchids. You can also visit major attractions like Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre, Peace Pagoda, and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 8: Darjeeling

Today marks the end of the 8 Days Sikkim Darjeeling Package. After breakfast, check out from the hotel and transfer to Airport to connect the flight to the onward destination.