Making the *very most* of 5 days - KTM > DEL

enderzero

Hey everyone. Great site - a real treasure of a resource.

Here is my situation - I would appreciate some advice from anyone with an opinion:

I am trekking in Nepal for 3 weeks in October and will be back to Kathmandu by the last weekend of the month. I plan to leave KTM on Monday and have until my flight Saturday at 2:40pm to get to Delhi.

So I am trying to figure out the very best way to taste India in that time. I realize it is a ridiculously short amount of time and I know that this is NOT my big India trip. This is just a taste.

I am a seasoned traveler with a lot of experience on the move - one day here, catch some Zzzs, another day here, etc. I am not afraid of only having 16 hours to see a city. In fact if I can see two cities for 8 hrs each instead I am going to try for that.

The flight from KTM > DEL is around US$280 so my goal is to spend less than that on flights in the same time. That is a bit open, but it is my goal. I'll be cheap on the ground for sure.

So here is my very tentative first pass at an itinerary. Any thoughts? Places I shouldn't miss? Places I shouldn't worry about? Anything is helpful.

Monday:
Fly KTM -> Bhadrapur (1 hr, $130) (Anyone know if there is anything worth seeing in Bhadrapur btw?)
Drive Bhadrapur to border (Kakarivitta) (35KM)
Drive border to New Jalpaiguri/Siligari (35KM)(What is to see here?)
Sleep New Jalpaiguri/Siligari

Tuesday:
Toy Train from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling (6hr leaves 9am)
Sleep Darjeeling

Wednesday:
Train back down to New Jalpaiguri
Overnight train from NJ to Calcutta

Thursday:
Arrive Calcutta in AM
Explore Calcutta (thoughts?)
Sleep Calcutta

Fri:
Fly Calcutta to Delhi ($150)
Explore Delhi (mmm?)
Sleep Delhi

Sat: Fly out of DEL

Anything stand out? Anything seem like it would be more fun?

Thanks everyone!

abhijit.s

Great itinerary and optimum utilisation of your time.Only few amendment is required :
1.Check up at Kathmandu about the Bhadrapur border and its regulations.
2.There is nothing much to see at Bhadrapur.
3.Drive down straight from the border to Darjeeling or Kalimpong as no use staying in Siliguri since there is nothing to see and very crowded, besides you are planning to go by Toy train which takes more than 5 hours,one ride on the heritage would be great in stead of waisting time on both ways.
4.This would give you an extra night in the hills,either in Darjeeling or Kalimpong.Kalimpong is like Darjeeling and for some,it ranks higher.
5.Considering you reach early at Calcutta,your itinerary may include the boat ride on the ganges,Indian museum.Tagores House and very good bengali meal eaither at Oh,Calcutta or Kewpies.
have a nice time.

enderzero

Thanks for that abhijit.s -

Never considered there was another way to get to Darjeeling, but I guess that makes sense.

So if I cross the border at Kakarivitta, then what is the easiest way to get from there to Darjeeling/Kalimpong? Hire a car directly?

thx

abhijit.s

No,you got me wrong,you will go via Siliguri only but dont stay there.You can straight way take a car to Darjeeling from Kakkarvita or come to Bagdogra by bus or car and then hire a car for Darjeeling,which would be cheaper.It would take about 3 hrs to reach Darjeeling and assuming it is your first visit,take the normal route and not the short cut via Pankhabari.

ananda2193

I would go and spend those days in Varanasi personally and get a taste of quintessential India. Your above plans are just too hectic for my tastes. Chill out in Varanasi for some days and get a feel of India.

Darmabum

I'm with Ananda here . . . Varanasi is indeed, quintessential India (and my single favorite place in India) . . . though an option would be to get on a big red Volvo bus . . . was parked out in front of the embassy when I found it . . . a diminutive Nepali man will be sitting near the bus . . . you'll know him . . . always wearing purple overalls . . . had a BIG German shephard named Genghiz . . . he'd torn out the back half of the bus, put a bed where all the seats used to be . . . killer stereo system . . . Lots and lots of Marley . . . lotta "Boom Shiva'n" in back . . . one guy named ?, I thought at first that's all he could say . . . four days later I heard him say something else . . . but, short of the red bus, Varanasi.

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enderzero

Hi everyone - I've said it before but I am really impressed by this site. I just wish I could do some more traveling in India to make more use of it. But I do have 5 days!

So I am going to do the very most to see the very most. I know this isn't everyone's kind of trip - but I've done it before in other parts of the world and I'll be able to get a taste. Don't worry I promise I'll come back to India again for a lot longer next time (I'm coming off 3 weeks in Nepal).

Quick Itinerary:

Day 1 - Fly KTM to Bhadrapur, walk across border, taxi to Siligari, bus to Darjeeling

Day 2 - Explore Darjeeling, bus to Kalimpong

Day 3 - Explore Kalimpong, bus to New Jalpaiguri, Overnight train to Kolkata (2344 Darj Mail booked)

Day 4 - Explore Kolkata, sleep Kolkata

Day 5 - Fly CCU to DEL (booked), Explore Delhi, sleep Delhi

Day 6 - Fly home (boo hoo)

Crazy I know. So here are some specific questions. I really appreciate anyone who wants to take a stab at any of them. Thanks so much.

1. After crossing the border where should I ask to be taken in Siligari?

2. How would you recommend getting from Siligari to Darjeeling? Is it worth the extra money (how much?) to hire a jeep? I imagine it is a very pretty ride but I wouldn't want to spend more than 1000RS.

3. The toy train only leaves early in the morning. Am I really missing out on a great experience by skipping the toy train?

4. Advice on lodging in Darjeeling in the 300-800RS range? I'm fine with a dorm bed but would like to find a pretty cool spot.

5. Same question regarding lodging in Kalimpong.

6. Any reason to instead do the loop Siligari > Kalimpong > Darjeeling > NJP?

7. Anyone done the early morning Tiger Hill trip to see Kanchenjunga? Worth it? Tips?

8. I arrive in Kolkata at 6am - now what? Should I book a hotel in advance? Any advice in the 500-1200RS range? Broadway seems good but no idea what part of town I should center on. I have a 10:30A flight the next day so shouldn't be a ridiculous trek to the airport.

9. Thinking of splurging a bit on a hotel in Delhi. Maybe 1500-2000RS. Ideas?

10. Any specific restaurants in any of these spots I neeeed to check out? I am really looking fwd to the food.

Big thanks to everyone - pls feel free to chose which Qs to answer (but you have to answer at least one! ).

Aishah

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