is Rs 5,400 reasonable for this?

tacita

i've now nailed down every last detail of a two-week itinerary for sikkim/darjeeling/kolkata:

US to delhi to bagdogra
helicopter (weather permitting) to gangtok (3 nights, tibet hotel)
rumtek monastery for pre-losar chaams
tsomgo lake (and other sites near gangtok)

gangtok to yuksom (one night, tashi gang hotel), by private-hire car, stopping at my whim along the way in ravangla et al.

yuksom to pelling (2 nights, norbu gang resort) by private hire car, again, making stops along the way.

pelling to darjeeling (3 nights, hawk's nest resort)

darjeeling to jaldapara wildlife sanctuary (1 night, hollong forest lodge, in the park)

jaldapara to NJP for overnight train to kolkata (2 nights, fairlawn hotel)

from kolkata, take 60-mile trip to visit a 17-year-old boy i spinsor through an international organization.

kolkata to delhi to US

coming to my point now! (did you think i'd never get here?) my thread title question relates to a rate i was quoted for the two full days of private transport from gangtok to pelling and then pelling to yuksom, which will include some short hikes along the way and what you all already know are the visit-worthy sights in western sikkim.

i realize this is a lot for sikkim, but at about $120 US, this seems awfully reasonable to me to have unencumbered travel on my own schedule, by my own route, and being able to stop where i want, whether spontaneously or otherwise. for other half- or full-day transport (e.g., from pelling to darjeeling, i was quote a price of Rs. 2,000.) sure, i can get a shared jeep for much less, but then i can't stop willy-nilly here and there. the gantok travel company (potala treks and tours) was recommended by the tibet hotel in gangtok and reviewed favorably by LP. they were immediately and fully responsive. (so often, when i email india, i get only partial replies and then no reply when i ask for follow-up!)

another aspect of the exchange was that they offered to make reservations for me that i was unable to make for myself because i either couldn't contact places by email at all or never got replies. sometimes, i had three different email addresses for a company (e.g., the helicopter company) and got replies from NONE of them! and FORGET trying to make headway with the govt office that handles the sanctuary lodging! oy!

of course, making a good profit from transportation, the company probably doesn't mind throwing in a few phone calls, may even get a further commission, but i don't much care. to me, this isn't a lot of money, but i also don't with to be taken advantage of. just on principle, i did ask if the prices were negotiable, stating that they were not UNreasonable, but a little higher than i had expected. i should have a reply tomorrow. it was also refreshing to receive a long, responsive and detailed message that reflected a broad range of knowledge - and english skills! some other messages i've received leave language-based ambiguities. which is ok, really.

thanks for reading this through. if you can give me any insight into the reasonableness of the charges i've been quoted in the context of my itinerary and needs, i'd be grateful.

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jyotirmoy

You haven't mentioned when you are doing this trip. If it is in winter/spring there won't be any big rush. Instead of booking a trip right now I would suggest that you first reach Gangtok on your own. There are plenty of tour operators in Gangtok. Talk to them face to face. Insist on seeing the car & meeting the driver.
You need not spend 3 days in Gangtok. I didn't find north Sikkim in your itinerary. In my opinion that is the best part of Sikkim. You may consider the following:-
Bagdogra-Gangtok-Yamthung-Gangtok-Raibangla-Pelling-Darjeeling.

robotvoice

i agree with jyotirmoy's advice, actually. Especially about seeing the car and driver first. but then, i am that kind of traveler, i only prebook when i absolutely have to (like trains) but in general i like to see what i am getting into and allow myself time to change my mind.

tacita

thanks! i arrive february 15 in gangtok. when i made my plans, i was under the impression i couldn't go farhter north without a special permit and with a group aize minimm of 2. but i'm travelling alone. also, i'm really not equipped (for this trip) to be spend more than a few hours at a time on the trail.

actually, since i posted that last message, i accepted the tour operator's offer and asked to negotiate. i subsequently got some PMs indicating it wasn't unreasonable for what i was getting, two full days with unfettered ability to stop where i want, when i want, whether to hike up to a look-out or explore a small village, in addition to some extra "value added" in the way of making calls for me, etc.

all that being said, i see the merit of meeting the drivers and seeing the cars. no money has changed hands - no deposit. i suppose i could qualify the arrangement by reserving my right to refuse if the car is dilapidated and the driver drunk!
as for my time in gangtok, it really one day in gangtok, one (or part) in rumtek for the chaams ritual dances, an one visitn g tsomgo lake (assuming i can join up with another party, as i need 2 people for the permit.

i welcome any further thoughts you might have, and appreciate those you've shared. you can PM me if you like, and i can give you some particulars not included in my earlier post. (i've agonized over and tweaked this itinerary for weeks now!)

jyotirmoy

It is very important that the driver speak English so that you can communicate with him. With out which the travel will be very difficult.
Alcoholism is a problem in Sikkim.
Its good that you haven't sent any money at this stage. After reaching Gangtok don't show up at this guy's place first. Talk with other operators & see what they are offering and then bargain & compare. If you can find 2 more travellers willing to do the same itinerary share a cab for economy as well as company. Once you hire a car dont allow the driver to pick up stray passengers on the way even if there is ample space.

Bhaswaran

Janice,

North Sikkim in February will be the best part of your voyage if you can reach there. I can guarantee that. It will provide you the best landscapes among this whole trip. There will be snow.

Otherwise, Jotirmoy was right. Reach Gangtok and then book cars. As it is very very much off season, do a hard bargain with the drivers. It will be better if you can talk with them directly in the taxi stand rather then going to a travel agents office.

There are Helicopter trips (three of them) in Sikkim apart from the Bagdogra-Gangtok service. You can get a contact with them once you reach Gangtok.

regards,

Bhaswaran

jyotirmoy

Last time I was in Sikkim I saw ads for helicopter tours to north Sikkim to see the Rhododendron blossoms in spring.

Bhaswaran

Thats correct, there are three trips:

1. North Sikkim (Yumthang valley)
2. Kanchenjunga tour
3. Gangtok and around

jyotirmoy

I don't know how the heli tour to Yumthang would be but I thoroghly enjoyed the drive from Gangtok. Awsome scenery with numerous water falls. Our jeep drove thru some of them. The only problem I faced was accomodation at Lachung. So I advise reserving a room at a place called Snow leopard or Snow dragon in advance. We were told by the tour operator that we will be put up at a "decent" hotel but on reaching Lachung me & my daughter found ourselves in a stable like place. But the family running this dungeon was very friendly. I had earlier posted a detailed account of our travel in Sikkim.

tacita

weather permitting, i hope to take the helicopter from bagdogra to gangtok and save some time there. but i was looking forward to the drive from there to yuksom and then pelling, as i've a long list of things i want to see along the way and near those two towns, including ravangla, maenam (sp?) hill, etc. i received a detailed and professional reply from the tour company that inspired confidence, but your posts raise other issues about which i need to be clear, including not picking up other passengers. i'm paying for the driver's lodging and meals and am under the impression from the email i received from potala that he's "mine" exclusively for those two days. if that is subject to on-the-road change, that would be a deal-breaker for me.

i've also asked them to clarify that he speaks good english. i'm awaiting her next reply, as she was also arranging my hollong forest lodge stay, which i haven't been able to do by email through any of the 5 avenues i've pursued. (i have a significant hearing impairment - i can't make these calls, part of the reason i'm even enlisting a tour company, and part of the reason i don't want to leave anything to chance if i can avoid it.) in my unique circumstances, i need a bit more of a safety net and prior arrangements, i'm afraid, even if it costs me a little extra money. this assumes, of course, that i get what i'm paying for in the first place. i can't fly by the seat of my pants as well as a younger, fully-hearing person can.

make sense?

jyotirmoy

The view from ravangla is just awsome. Try to catch a sun rise here, unforgetable experience. The only tea garden of Sikkim is at a place called Temi, worth a visit to see how tea is processed. There is an old world bungalow near by to spend an absolutely peaceful night.

tacita

thanks for those tips. i purchased an enormous map of sikkim so i can truly see what's where, things that aren't discernable on the guidebook maps.

kolobar

Maybe north Sikkim is a great experience for indian tourist but not so for foreigners. Due to ridicoulous limitations for foreigners you are not allowed even to roam around by yourself very much (even as far from the border as Thangu). We were "welcomed" by a group of indian police, security, secret service...officials who demanded films from our cameras. Well my camera was digital...they had no idea what to do about that. After this incident our driver was so scared he would not let as move from the car in Yumathang. Anyway it is just a mountain valley - there are similar valleys in plenty in Uttaranachal, Nepal, USA and even here in the Alps where you can walk, trek, climb, take photos... without being a threat to national security and not being robbed by local tourist agents for a big sum of money to take you there. A nice place to go in northern Sikkim would be Gurudongmar lake - but foreigners are not permited to travel there. So you are not missing much skipping north Sikkim. Not that it is not a great place but with permits, limitations and prices - it is not worth it.
I dont understand the idea of flying from Bagdogra to Gangtok to save time. It is a short drive (about 4 hours) on reasonable good roads. Even shared taxis are not that uncomfortable (you can buy 3 seats to sit alone in the front for about 10 usd).

mridula

For your main question, the cost of the transport looks reasonable to me. Private taxi is always cost you more. Otherwise from Siliguri to Pelling costs Rs 300 to me last week and from Pelling to Yuksom costs Rs 150 on a shared jeep.

We once took a taxi just to complete a journey (Kangra to Bhuntar, Himanchal Pradesh) in the hills and they charge us 3000 rupees for it. Just to give you an idea and a point of comparison.

__________________
mridula

http://www.gonomad.com/traveltalesfromindia/

Lugubert

Absolutely. For any trekking package, see to that you have very solid guarantees including money back on return, that they will provide the food you ask for and they promise. Personally, I couldn't survive on just porridge and lentils.
It doesn't hurt, though. Try some Buddhist sites in the area, including the research institute.