Darjeeling, a small town situated in the foothills of the Himalayas in the West Bengal region was once a summer resort for the British Elite. Famous for the Black Tea and Toy Train that first started in 1881. Its backdrop is Mt. Kanchenjunga, among the world’s highest peaks. One of the sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

An engineer by profession and an enthusiastic traveler by passion, meet Ashwini Yadav, who lives in the mystical lands of Darjeeling. He is from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and wandered into the enigmatic soils of Darjeeling. Let’s ride with him as he covers a short yet detailed trip to Darjeeling Traveler Spots.

Day 01

The best time to visit is 15 October- 15 November as the weather is pleasant and suitable for the traveler’s exploration. You will reach Darjeeling in the afternoon or evening as it takes a 3-4hrs ride to reach from the respective airport or train stations.

You can visit the Chowrasta and Mall road where the explorers from the day are gathered to enjoy the luscious street food of Darjeeling.

Day 02

For the next day, get your shoes on and get a backpack ready. You are going for the local Sightseeing on the prime destinations of tiger hill, rock garden, ropeway, zoo, and tea garden.

You can hire a local Taxi for that purpose. Beware of unnecessary spots that will waste your time. For Tiger Hill, you must inform them in advance of the visit to the Driver for the timely arrangements. The Ropeway takes you over the Tea Garden for a scenic view and costs about INR 260/- for a 1-1.5 hrs ride.

The elaborate list of Views Points Offered by the Drivers:

One day trip – what normal taxi driver  usually offers

• Tiger  Hill  
• Batasia loop  
• Rock  garden waterfalls  
• Darjeeling viewpoint:  Teagarden  
• Japanese  temple  
• Peace pagoda
• Average Cost: INR 1600  

One day trip – What taxi drivers usually recommend to travelers 

• Tiger  Hill 
• Batasia  loop  
• Rock  Garden  waterfalls  
• Darjeeling  viewpoint  Teagarden  
• Japanese  temple  
• Peace pagoda  
• Lama  hatta  eco-park  
• Teagarden  
• Jorbangla  viewpoint  
• Pinetree  forest  
• INR  2700

Day 03

For the next day, wake up early in the morning to set on a trip to Mirik. This 40kms destination far from Darjeeling is set to mesmerize you with the serene views and nooks. You will also find a sweet and photographic place en route to Mirik, i.e Jor Pokhari. 

On arrival in Mirik, find the space in your schedule to visit the best Tea Garden of Darjeeling, Gopal Dhara tea garden. After a walk in the gardens, you can reach Simana viewpoint and also visit Pashupati Market which is located in Nepal. Enjoy the marketplace and explore the various souvenirs to take back home.

After the long day, reach the Teesta camping location via lamahatta. Here, the campers get lake viewpoints and spend a tranquil night.

Day 04

The next day you can depart to Gangtok. But be sure you start early to reach Gangtok by 10 a.m for a complete tour of the place. Even though the Gangtok is a small yet peaceful nook, the small tourist spots will be covered by the evening. In the evening, you can gather on MG Road.

For the next day, intimidate the Taxi Driver or the Hotel Management for the passes to travel the Sikkim region. The passes are to be made one day before the actual travel to the place.

Day 05

On this day, you can visit the Nathiila Pass and Nathula Pass is only open for Indian visitors 5 days a week including Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and closed on Monday & Tuesday for two days. However, you will only be allowed after you get a permit to visit it through a registered Travel Agency. You can also visit baba mandir & Changu lake & return to the hotel by evening.

Day 06

Now we move to the North Sikkim region where we spent the rest of the holidays. You have to make Passes for this too. In the morning, you can depart for Lachen and stay there. Since the journey is long, we will move forward to Gurudongmar lake the next day. You can even find the Kala Pathar on the way which is a great photographic destination.

Day 07

Visit one of the highest lakes in the world and India, at an elevation of 5,430 m according to the Government of Sikkim. Gurudongmar Lake is located in the Great Himalayas in the Indian state of Sikkim and is considered sacred by Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. You can come back to stay at Lachung which is different from where you stayed yesterday.

*It is advisable for the children and people with physical pain not to climb the lake as it could be injurious.

Day 08

For the last day of the trip, we would like to cover some prime destinations to tick every box. Visit zero point, yumthang valley & katao. Zero Point is the final civilian destination before China’s border offers scenic mountain views from 15,300 feet.

Not to mention, the Yumthang Valley or Sikkim Valley of Flowers sanctuary is a nature sanctuary with rivers, hot springs, yaks, and grazing pastures on rolling meadows surrounded by the Himalayan mountains. 

Whereas Mt. Katao is located in the northern part of Sikkim, almost 144 kilometers from the capital, Gangtok, and 28 km from Lachung. This destination is also a perfect place for adventure lovers as sports like skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, and stone grinding can be enjoyed here during the winter season.

Day 09

Travel back to the capital Gangtok and stay for the day or you can end your trip and depart for NJP/ Bagdogra as per your train/ flight timing.

Tips 

Traveling to Sikkim is unpredictable and uncertain. The Tourist Department of Indian issues the passes for the day and those can be made unavailable due to weather conditions like heavy snow.

Ashwini had tried Nathula Pass 7 times and got the chance to visit the place only 2 times. Therefore, keep your hopes high and reach higher destinations.

For more photos and videos, check out his page @musafir__hoon_.

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