A different planning to Dareeling/Sikkim...too different?

mvartika

Hi all,
Yet another new member who went around quite a few related threads but did not find a tailor-made plan!!!
My husband and I are planning to start the trip with my mother and my 3-yr old son on the end of May. I managed to make a primitive plan for the first few days as follows:
30th May: Reach Bagdogra-take a cab to Mirik.
31st May: sightseeing at Mirik and take the train from Kurseong to darjeeling.
1st June: Sight seeing at Darjeeling (not finalized which places)
2nd June: Sight seeing at Darjeeling (continued)
2nd night/3rd June: Kelimpong/Pelling: (suggestions needed for place to visit)
4th June: Pelling continued
(a) From 5th June, uptil 8th June (or even further, if required), I lose myself....please help!
(b) Also, if possible, please suggest good hotels (around Rs 1000 per night) for these places (as we are traveling with mother, and child, food and hygenie is of primary importance), and also if these hotels allow an extra bed in the room.
(c) Where and how do we arrange for transportation for these places???? I have a friend who may be able to lend me her car with driver who may pick us up from Darjeeling for the rst of the trip (but that also is a big "May be"), but before that, we are on our own.
Please help...................
PS: I would love to keep the train ride to Darjeeling (ofcourse, provided seats are available), as my son would be thrilled with the ride + from Kurseong, the train journey remains only for 3 hrs as compared to 6-7 hrs from Siliguri or NJP.

vko

Sorry, not much idea about Sikkim. Sightseeing is no problem in Darjeeling. Just hire a taxi from the main taxi stand and they will take you to all the places. 1 1/2 day is enough for all places of interest (including early morning trip to Tiger Hill on 2nd June if you want) in Darjeeling. You can get vehicles for hire to Sikkim as well.

dazu

hi,

day 1/2: bagdogra to mirik
you'll love the picturesque surroundings. stay here for a day or two. It’s a good way to start for the hills from here.

Day 2/3: mirik - kurseong - darjeeling via toy train.

day 3/4/5 darjeeling
must see: sunrise at tiger hill if the weather permits and have a picnic on the slopes of tiger hill or the senchel lake. you'll love it!

the Zoo is a great place to see the endangered snow leopards and the red panda. it's well kept too. visit here early morning. the crowds tend to come later in the day.

there a lots of sightseeing places around, but don't go a serial sightseeing tour. best of all, go for a walk around the mall. cars are overated

day 5/6/7 darjeeling to kalimpong:
ride along the teesta into quaint kalimpong. it's quiet here and the weather is nice.
visit the monasteries, go for a walk. if you love flowers, it's paradise there. kalimpong supplies flowers to many cities in india and elsewhere.

Day 7/8/9? kalimpong to pelling
if the weather is good, it's a fantastic little place. the pemayangtse monastry is beautiful: don't forget to climb to the first and second floors.

day 9/10/11: pelling to gantok
stay here and go to nathu la pass. it's spectacular in may. even if you don't reach the top, there are beautiful mineral lakes en route. you will need to secure a permit from gangtok. it usually days a half a day. so, day one can be reserved for the rumtek monastery.

day 11: gangtok to bagdogra:


you really, really need the car from your friend. so work on it quick
it get expensive to travel comfortably in the hills, as it means booking the whole cab. it's always good to arrange stays well beforehand too. there are a lot of options available - go to india travel sites online. for directions, check www.mapmyindia.com

hope you make it, cheers!

mvartika

Thanks Dazu, I was also thinking on somewhat the same lines, except my friend tells me that if you see Kelimpong, you need not go to Pelling, and of the two, Kelimpong is better to opt for.
My progress so far is as follows:
30th May: Reach Bagdogra-take a cab to Mirik.
31st May: sightseeing at Mirik and take the train from Kurseong to darjeeling .
1st June: Sight seeing at Darjeeling (not finalized which places)
2nd June: Sight seeing at Darjeeling (continued)
3rd June and 4th June: Kelimpong/Pelling
After that, I am planning to go to Gangtok (5th-7th June), then Singhik (8th June) and from there I would like to got to Lachen or Lachung (9th June) and then head back to Bagdogra for Delhi on 10th.

Now here, I am first of all not sure whether to opt for Lachen and Lachung or not with mother and son with us. Also, if don't opt for that and head towards south Sikkim, is there anything interesting there???
Also, please suggest some good agent whom we can contact from Delhi itself for hotels.

manoj13

Hi MVartika,

Even i am planning for the trip to darjelling and gangtok with my family

Have you finalized your journey and accomodation ?

please do give me some tips.