7-Day Darjeeling and Gangtok Tour with Yumthang Valley and Changu Lake

• As you arrive at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (Siliguri) or Bagdogra Airport (Siliguri), the representative will be waiting to transfer you to Darjeeling via Mirik. It takes about one and a half hours by car to reach Mirik and another two and a half hours to Darjeeling. With a break in between, the journey takes about 4.5 hours from Bagdogra Airport or NJP Station by this route.

• Travelling to Darjeeling via Mirik Road is an excellent option for travellers. The drive takes you through tea gardens, fog-engulfed mountains, Mirik Lake and tall pine trees. Although the traditional route is shorter, if you have a full day in hand, going to Darjeeling via Mirik is well worth exploring.

• Check in to your hotel in Darjeeling and halt for the night.

• Although Darjeeling town is small, the district of Darjeeling spans more than 1,200 square miles. It includes majestic mountains and valleys, beautiful tea gardens, lakes, waterfalls, forests, villages and more. Enjoy lovely scenic drives to some amazing places where you can spend the day.

• Early in the morning (3 points: 4 am to 7 am), go on a sightseeing tour to Tiger Hill and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Kanchenjunga Peak, subject to clear weather.

• On your way back to the hotel, visit Batasia Loop and Ghoom Monastery.

• After breakfast, continue your Darjeeling city full-day sightseeing tour (7 points: 9:30 am to 2:30 pm) with visits to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (closed on Thursday), Happy Valley Tea Estate, Tenzing Rock or Gombu Rock Climb, Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre (closed on Sunday), the beautiful Japanese Temple, Peace Pagoda and the City Ropeway.

• Halt for the night in Darjeeling. You will also have free time for other activities such as visiting the local town, shopping at the Mall, and taking an evening walk at Chowrasta Chuk Bazaar in Darjeeling.

• After breakfast, drive to Namchi for a full day.

• Visit Temi Tea, Samdruptse and Siddhesvar Dham, a miniature replica of the Indian Char Dhams located across the country: Jagannath Dham in the East, Dwarika Dham in the West, Badrinath Dham in the North and Rameshwaram in the South. It also features a 108 ft. statue of Lord Shiva enclosed by the 12 Lingas, a temple of Shirdi Sai Baba and an effigy of Lord Kirateshwara. The place gives a feeling of complete mental peace and satisfaction.

• After sightseeing in Namchi, transfer to Gangtok.

Overnight stay at Gangtok.

• Meet and greet the local representative after you arrive in Gangtok.

• Take some refreshment and drive to Lachung by surface in a comfortable vehicle.

• En route, visit Seven Sisters Waterfall, Singhik Viewpoint and Naga Waterfall.

• Reach Lachung by evening.

• Check in at the hotel and enjoy an overnight stay in Lachung.

• After breakfast, get ready for your much-awaited journey to Yumthang Valley, known as the Valley of Flowers. This beautiful journey takes you into a different world, with ice spilling onto the roads.

• On the way back, visit the Rhododendron flower sanctuary and hot springs.

• Return to the hotel and then leave for Gangtok.

• If you wish, you can also visit Yumesamdong, called Zero Point, at a height of 15,300 ft. Located 25 km from Yumthang Valley, Zero Point is an India-Tibet Autonomous Border area and an angelic valley renowned for its scenic beauty in Sikkim. Please pay the driver an extra INR 2500-3000 for this visit.

• After breakfast, start an excursion to Changu Lake (12,400 ft.) and Baba Mandir (13,200 ft.), located 55 km from Gangtok city. This serene lake lies on the Gangtok Nathu La Highway at 12,000 ft. The lake is oval-shaped, 15 metres deep and is considered sacred by the local people. It is also home to Brahminy ducks. Its cool, placid water harmonizes beautifully with the scenic surroundings. The lake remains frozen during the winter months until mid-May.

• After 4:30 pm, return to Gangtok.

• In the evening, you are free to roam around MG Road (Mall) and enjoy local shopping in Gangtok.

• After breakfast, transfer to Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri Railway Station. The journey takes a minimum of 4 hours by road.

• If you have an evening train, you can enjoy rafting on the way at the Teesta River.

• End the tour here and board your onward journey with sweet memories of the Northeast.