9 Nights/10 Days to cover Darjeeling, Gangtok, Kalimpong

lakshthorat · Apr 17th, 2009, 14:40

Dear Sir,

Exhaustive forum, excellent info IM. hats off to you guys

I would be visiting sikim in may 2009. i have 9 nights and 10 days. Is it too long or can we just cover in a weeks time. i dont want to get too exausted. we are a family of three. It has to be peaceful, serene. no tight schedules. kindly advise on how i should plan my long tour

kinldy advise on some offbeaten tracks, i have read the threads on sikkim but confused. kindly help.

thanks & regards,

lakshmi thorat

vko · Apr 17th, 2009, 23:34

This thread may help u plan an itinerary: itinerary advice for sikkim/darjeeling tour

Not much idea about Sikkim, but 2nights/3days are enough in Darjeeling for sightseeing etc (if you don't want to rush things).

How do you plan to travel - Rail or Air? There are no direct trains from Mumbai. Nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri. You will need to change in Howrah Jn. (Kolkata). Nearest airport is Bagdogra, 45 min flight from Kolkata. Please refer the Indian Railway site for timings etc.

From New Jalpaiguri you can get shared jeeps, buses or hired taxis to reach Darjeeling. I would recommend the toy train for the scenic beauty all the way. It leaves at 9:00 AM and takes about 7.5 hrs to reach Darjeeling (slow but worth it). By road it takes less.

Go there before rains start because landslides are common on Darjeeling-Sikkim route holding up traffic for days at end.

lakshthorat · Apr 18th, 2009, 14:36

thanks for your prompt reply sir,
i have already booked my tickets directly from mumbai to new jalpaiguri. i couldn get the toy train so i hv booked the himalayn princess its a break journey from njp to kurseong and kurseong to darjeeling thx .

Bhaswaran · Apr 27th, 2009, 15:21

You can always check the Joy ride toy train service between Darjeeling and Ghoom and back. It is always available. Enquire about it in Darjeeling Railway Station. First train leaves Darjeeling at 10 a.m. and comes back at 12 noon. Second train departs then at 1 pm but this service depends on the number of seats booked.

Nattusbs · Apr 27th, 2009, 15:39

Lakshthorat

Glad to see that you have booked your trip from Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri.

I see that you may be a new member (<10 posts) and would like to request the following:

1. It is common for people to ask for itinerary advice and IMmers are always willing to offer suggestions.

2. It is only fair, that you share the travel arrangements (rail train info since you will need connections or air) you mentioned so that all members benefit - sort of an exchange of information.

For example, you could change at Kolkata or you could take a train Mumbai-Secunderabad and then Secunderabad-Gauwhati that I assume will stop at New Jalpaiguri if I am not mistaken. There may be a Delhi-Gawhauti Rajdhani that you could connect to at some place in UP say Moghul Sarai from Mumbai - I am not sure though.

I am sure you will agree with this

Cheers

Nattusbs

lakshthorat · Apr 27th, 2009, 16:41

you are right sir, actually i hail from mumbai. infact it was quite late of me to decide for a vacation to sikkim compared to ppl who decide 6 months before for train n hotel bookings so i settled for this train which is direct, but waitlisted. but i feel that its the right train for me bcoz i dont hv to chnge.

MUMBAI (BOARDING LOKMANYATILAK) TO NEW JALPAIGURI
TRAIN NO:- 5645
TRAIN NAME:- GUWAHATI EXPRESS
DATE:- 20/05/2009
CLASS:- 2A
WL NO. COACH – WL 26, 27, 28
SEAT/BERTH – WL 10, 11, 12

NEW JALPAIGURI TO MUMBAI (BOARDING LOKMANYATILAK)
TRAIN NO:- 5646
TRAIN NAME:- GUWAHATI LOKMANYATILAK EXPRESS
DATE:- 01/06/2009
CLASS:- 2A
WL NO. COACH – WL 27, 28, 29
SEAT/BERTH – WL 14, 15, 16

Bhaswaran · Apr 28th, 2009, 15:17

You can go to Darjeeling on the first day from NJP. Second day, cover the 8-point tour. Third day, do the Tiger hill and Ganga Maya park. On fourth day, go to Gangtok. Fifth day go to North SIkkim on a 3D/2N package. On eigth day, visit Nathu-la & Tsongmo lake, and next day, if possible, Gangtok local tour, and come down to NJP.

Apr 17th, 2009, 14:40	#1
lakshthorat Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: mumbai Posts: 14	9 Nights/10 Days to cover Darjeeling, Gangtok, Kalimpong Dear Sir, Exhaustive forum, excellent info IM. hats off to you guys I would be visiting sikim in may 2009. i have 9 nights and 10 days. Is it too long or can we just cover in a weeks time. i dont want to get too exausted. we are a family of three. It has to be peaceful, serene. no tight schedules. kindly advise on how i should plan my long tour kinldy advise on some offbeaten tracks, i have read the threads on sikkim but confused. kindly help. thanks & regards, lakshmi thorat

Apr 27th, 2009, 15:21	#4
Bhaswaran Landscape Photographer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kolkata. INDIA bhaswaran@redifmail.com Posts: 1,353	You can always check the Joy ride toy train service between Darjeeling and Ghoom and back. It is always available. Enquire about it in Darjeeling Railway Station. First train leaves Darjeeling at 10 a.m. and comes back at 12 noon. Second train departs then at 1 pm but this service depends on the number of seats booked. __________________ ....life is a journey.....and the journey is more important than the destination........ Photos in Indiamike :http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...0/ppuser/15496 Photos in Flickr :http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhaswaran/ Darjeeling trip Video : "Darjeeling - The Queen of Hills" DVD

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Apr 17th, 2009, 23:34	#2
vko Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hyderabad-Secunderabad Posts: 474	This thread may help u plan an itinerary: itinerary advice for sikkim/darjeeling tour Not much idea about Sikkim, but 2nights/3days are enough in Darjeeling for sightseeing etc (if you don't want to rush things). How do you plan to travel - Rail or Air? There are no direct trains from Mumbai. Nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri. You will need to change in Howrah Jn. (Kolkata). Nearest airport is Bagdogra, 45 min flight from Kolkata. Please refer the Indian Railway site for timings etc. From New Jalpaiguri you can get shared jeeps, buses or hired taxis to reach Darjeeling. I would recommend the toy train for the scenic beauty all the way. It leaves at 9:00 AM and takes about 7.5 hrs to reach Darjeeling (slow but worth it). By road it takes less. Go there before rains start because landslides are common on Darjeeling-Sikkim route holding up traffic for days at end.

Apr 18th, 2009, 14:36	#3
lakshthorat Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: mumbai Posts: 14	thanks for your prompt reply sir, i have already booked my tickets directly from mumbai to new jalpaiguri. i couldn get the toy train so i hv booked the himalayn princess its a break journey from njp to kurseong and kurseong to darjeeling thx .

Apr 27th, 2009, 15:39	#5
Nattusbs Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: IIT-Kharagpur Posts: 656	Lakshthorat Glad to see that you have booked your trip from Mumbai to New Jalpaiguri. I see that you may be a new member (<10 posts) and would like to request the following: 1. It is common for people to ask for itinerary advice and IMmers are always willing to offer suggestions. 2. It is only fair, that you share the travel arrangements (rail train info since you will need connections or air) you mentioned so that all members benefit - sort of an exchange of information. For example, you could change at Kolkata or you could take a train Mumbai-Secunderabad and then Secunderabad-Gauwhati that I assume will stop at New Jalpaiguri if I am not mistaken. There may be a Delhi-Gawhauti Rajdhani that you could connect to at some place in UP say Moghul Sarai from Mumbai - I am not sure though. I am sure you will agree with this Cheers Nattusbs

Apr 27th, 2009, 16:41	#6
lakshthorat Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: mumbai Posts: 14	you are right sir, actually i hail from mumbai. infact it was quite late of me to decide for a vacation to sikkim compared to ppl who decide 6 months before for train n hotel bookings so i settled for this train which is direct, but waitlisted. but i feel that its the right train for me bcoz i dont hv to chnge. MUMBAI (BOARDING LOKMANYATILAK) TO NEW JALPAIGURI TRAIN NO:- 5645 TRAIN NAME:- GUWAHATI EXPRESS DATE:- 20/05/2009 CLASS:- 2A WL NO. COACH – WL 26, 27, 28 SEAT/BERTH – WL 10, 11, 12 NEW JALPAIGURI TO MUMBAI (BOARDING LOKMANYATILAK) TRAIN NO:- 5646 TRAIN NAME:- GUWAHATI LOKMANYATILAK EXPRESS DATE:- 01/06/2009 CLASS:- 2A WL NO. COACH – WL 27, 28, 29 SEAT/BERTH – WL 14, 15, 16

Apr 28th, 2009, 15:17	#7
Bhaswaran Landscape Photographer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kolkata. INDIA bhaswaran@redifmail.com Posts: 1,353	You can go to Darjeeling on the first day from NJP. Second day, cover the 8-point tour. Third day, do the Tiger hill and Ganga Maya park. On fourth day, go to Gangtok. Fifth day go to North SIkkim on a 3D/2N package. On eigth day, visit Nathu-la & Tsongmo lake, and next day, if possible, Gangtok local tour, and come down to NJP.