Darjeeling for 6 Days - Help Me Fill The Time

spellc7 · Sep 9th, 2008, 16:53

So it looks like the girlfriend and I have finally decided on an itinerary for our last week in India (I've been here for about 10 weeks for work) and it goes like this:

12-9-2008 - Meet up in Bagdogra airport (she's flying from Delhi, I'm flying from Bangalore->Kolkata) - get a rickshaw->share jeep up to Darjeeling
18-9-2008 - Overnight train to Varanasi (see the city for a day)
19-9-2008 - Overnight train to Delhi, then catch our flights back to the US (

)

We're going to Varanasi because it looks interesting and it's a good way to break up an excruciatingly long train ride.

That leaves us with ~6 days in Darjeeling. We're open to doing just about anything, so lay it on me. What's the best thing you've done there? Is it worth it to head over to Sikkim for a little while? Should we do the Toy Train for a joyride or do one of the longer rides? Any and all info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help!

P.S. How's the Bagdogra airport? I know it's another military one (I flew out of Agra several weeks ago, similar thing I think), but I've heard bad things about delays and cancellations. Should I listen to the horror stories and plan accordingly? The monsoon season should be winding down, right? I hope?

aborigin · Sep 9th, 2008, 17:28

Returned from Sikkim and Darjeeling a couple of weeks ago. Darjeeling is in the middle of a political agitation and each day I woke up listening to the loudspeakers where local politicians were shouting for a separate state for gurkhas (nepalis settled in India). Even during peaceful time it is not so sweet to stay at Darjeeling..it has become so polluted and crowded and I don't feel it is worth staying for more than a day. I love two places in Darjeeling though. One is the Tibetan Self Help Centre where you can see these elderly Tibetan ladies weaving carpets and handbags. That is really a lovely sight (sunday closed) The other is a visit to the tea factory (its name is garden valley or happy valley I am not sure)where you can see how Darjeeling tea is made. (you might have to pay 100rs as tip to the person who explain things in the factory but it is worth it)There are some view points in Darjeeling, but compared to some of the view points in Sikkim it is not so great.

So if I were you after spending a day in Darjeeling I will take a jeep to Pelling in Sikkim. Stay there for a couple of days and make some short treks to the monastries there. Then another Jeep(shared only, it is really cheap) to Yuksom where the ancient capital of Sikkim is located. Lot of short trekking routes and I really loved the views.

## Travelling by Jeep all the way from Kolkata to Darjeeling is very tiresome. Darjeeling express ply between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri every night. From NJP station take a rikshaw (7 kms...pay 50 or 60 rs) to Siliguri Tensing Norgay Bus Stand. The Sikkim Government bus terminal and Tourist office is located near the bus-stand from where you can get the innerline permit during office hours.(please carry two passport size photographs with you) Just opposite the tourism office you can get shared jeeps to Darjeeling and the journey might take three hours. During peak season you can get direct jeeps from Siliguri to Pelling too.

Good luck for your journey..

spellc7 · Sep 9th, 2008, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by aborigin

Returned from Sikkim and Darjeeling a couple of weeks ago. Darjeeling is in the middle of a political agitation and each day I woke up listening to the loudspeaker where they were shouting for a separate state for gurkhas(nepalis settle in India) called Gurkhaland. Even during peaceful time it is not so sweet to stay at Darjeeling..it has become so polluted and crowded and it is not worth staying there for more than a day. The place I loved to visit in Darjeeling is the Tibetan Self Help Centre where you can see these elderly tibetan ladies weaving carpets and handbags. That is really a lovely sight (sunday closed) The other is a visit to the tea factory (its name is garden valley or happy valley I am not sure)There you can see how darjeeling tea is made. (you might have to pay 100rs as tip to the person who explain things in the factory but it is worth it)There are some view points in Darjeeling, but compared to some view points in Sikkim it is not so great.

So if I were you, I will take a jeep from Darjeeling to Pelling. Stay there for a couple of days and make some short treks to the monastries there. Then I will take another Jeep to Yuksom where the ancient capital of Sikkim is located. Lot of short trekking routes and I really loved the views.
In your itinerary did you include one night journey by train from Kolkata (Sealdah) to New Jalpaiguri(Siliguri) ? To travel by jeep from Kolkata to Darjeeling is really tiresome. Darjeeling express ply between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri every night. Take a rikshaw from the raiway station (pay 50 or 60 rs) to Siliguri Tensing Norgay Bus Stand. The Sikkim Tourist office is located near the bus-stand from where you can get the innerline permit during office hours.(please carry two passport size photographs with you) Just opposite the tourism office you can get shared jeeps to Darjeeling and the journey might take three hours. During season you can direct jeeps from Siliguri to Pelling too.

Good luck for your journey..

The unrest is that bad, huh? Damn, that's really pretty sad. Wasn't expecting that.

We're flying into Bagdogra and taking a jeep from Siliguri. My flight connects from Bangalore to Bagdogra in Kolkata. No super-long jeep ride.

We have some super-heavy bags we're lugging around and I think would rather be parked in one place at a time - are these places you can make day trips out of using Darjeeling as a base? Or should we be planning on packing it up and rolling around?

aborigin · Sep 9th, 2008, 18:15

Take a room in Darjeeling for a night (12 o clock noon check out time)(ask for discounts ie bargain on price), deposit your bags and venture out. The tibetan self help centre and the tea factory, are an hour's walking distance. Rest of the day you can browse through the curio shops (there are plenty) and the vegetable market(it is a nice experience) There are some nice restaurants where you can have some pleasant bites too.

NB: Bagdogra airport is just 14 kms from Siliguri. Darjeeling is 90 kms away from Bagdogra airport.

Also please do not forget to get the Inner Line Permits. You need them to enter Sikkim. Keep passport size photos in hand

Thanks

abhijit.s · Sep 9th, 2008, 19:17

Bagdogra airport is small but neat and tidy and got a very good restaurant having a super view of fighters taking off and landing.
Agitation is not there and try to stay in Sterling at Ghum.Two days to Peling or Kurseong or Kalimpong should be ok.

Sep 9th, 2008, 16:53	#1
spellc7 Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Boston, US Posts: 8	Darjeeling for 6 Days - Help Me Fill The Time So it looks like the girlfriend and I have finally decided on an itinerary for our last week in India (I've been here for about 10 weeks for work) and it goes like this: 12-9-2008 - Meet up in Bagdogra airport (she's flying from Delhi, I'm flying from Bangalore->Kolkata) - get a rickshaw->share jeep up to Darjeeling 18-9-2008 - Overnight train to Varanasi (see the city for a day) 19-9-2008 - Overnight train to Delhi, then catch our flights back to the US () We're going to Varanasi because it looks interesting and it's a good way to break up an excruciatingly long train ride. That leaves us with ~6 days in Darjeeling. We're open to doing just about anything, so lay it on me. What's the best thing you've done there? Is it worth it to head over to Sikkim for a little while? Should we do the Toy Train for a joyride or do one of the longer rides? Any and all info/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help! P.S. How's the Bagdogra airport? I know it's another military one (I flew out of Agra several weeks ago, similar thing I think), but I've heard bad things about delays and cancellations. Should I listen to the horror stories and plan accordingly? The monsoon season should be winding down, right? I hope?

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Sep 9th, 2008, 17:28	#2
aborigin Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kerala, India Posts: 35	Returned from Sikkim and Darjeeling a couple of weeks ago. Darjeeling is in the middle of a political agitation and each day I woke up listening to the loudspeakers where local politicians were shouting for a separate state for gurkhas (nepalis settled in India). Even during peaceful time it is not so sweet to stay at Darjeeling..it has become so polluted and crowded and I don't feel it is worth staying for more than a day. I love two places in Darjeeling though. One is the Tibetan Self Help Centre where you can see these elderly Tibetan ladies weaving carpets and handbags. That is really a lovely sight (sunday closed) The other is a visit to the tea factory (its name is garden valley or happy valley I am not sure)where you can see how Darjeeling tea is made. (you might have to pay 100rs as tip to the person who explain things in the factory but it is worth it)There are some view points in Darjeeling, but compared to some of the view points in Sikkim it is not so great. So if I were you after spending a day in Darjeeling I will take a jeep to Pelling in Sikkim. Stay there for a couple of days and make some short treks to the monastries there. Then another Jeep(shared only, it is really cheap) to Yuksom where the ancient capital of Sikkim is located. Lot of short trekking routes and I really loved the views. ## Travelling by Jeep all the way from Kolkata to Darjeeling is very tiresome. Darjeeling express ply between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri every night. From NJP station take a rikshaw (7 kms...pay 50 or 60 rs) to Siliguri Tensing Norgay Bus Stand. The Sikkim Government bus terminal and Tourist office is located near the bus-stand from where you can get the innerline permit during office hours.(please carry two passport size photographs with you) Just opposite the tourism office you can get shared jeeps to Darjeeling and the journey might take three hours. During peak season you can get direct jeeps from Siliguri to Pelling too. Good luck for your journey..

Sep 9th, 2008, 18:15	#4
aborigin Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kerala, India Posts: 35	Take a room in Darjeeling for a night (12 o clock noon check out time)(ask for discounts ie bargain on price), deposit your bags and venture out. The tibetan self help centre and the tea factory, are an hour's walking distance. Rest of the day you can browse through the curio shops (there are plenty) and the vegetable market(it is a nice experience) There are some nice restaurants where you can have some pleasant bites too. NB: Bagdogra airport is just 14 kms from Siliguri. Darjeeling is 90 kms away from Bagdogra airport. Also please do not forget to get the Inner Line Permits. You need them to enter Sikkim. Keep passport size photos in hand Thanks

Sep 9th, 2008, 19:17	#5
abhijit.s Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: kolkata india Posts: 102	Bagdogra airport is small but neat and tidy and got a very good restaurant having a super view of fighters taking off and landing. Agitation is not there and try to stay in Sterling at Ghum.Two days to Peling or Kurseong or Kalimpong should be ok.