Holidays with Downtown

Day 1: Kolkata

Upon arrival at Kolkata airport, you will be met by your India host and chauffeured to hotel. Rest of the day free to rest and relax.

Day 2: Kolkata

Explore Kolkata starting with a heritage walk around the historic Dalhousie Square. Alongside Armenian and Portuguese churches and Jewish Synagogues we embark upon a journey that started the British Raj in India dating back to the time of the Black Hole, from where it transformed itself into a City of Palaces. The famous Writers’ Building – the former Headquarters of the infamous East India Company, the magnificent Governor’s House and the almost forgotten Charnock Mausoleum. Here lay the administrative, judicial and political heart of an Empire that stretched form Aden to Burma. The almost forgotten Park Street Cemetery dates back a few centuries with poignant images of its early society and the majestic Victoria Memorial was embarked upon and completed just as the same conquerors abandoned their majestic capital to build another in Delhi. “Lunch at Bomti’s” –offers a rare glimpse of the old Kolkata way of life, now sadly endangered. Mr Surojit ‘Bomti” Iyenger, an art collector and socialite, is delighted to welcome visitors into his charming heritage flat on historic Chowringhee Road. Authentic and home-cooked Bengali cuisine and stimulating insights into Bengali Art through their private art collection and modern Kolkata make up Bomti’s salon. [B/L]

Day 3: Kolkata

We start the day on the banks of the grand River Hooghly, where the trade battles of Europe were fought through the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries. There is no better time to walk through this vibrant and bustling city than in the early morning experiencing the city come alive. Where better to witness this than in the colorful riverside flower market where all the city’s religious flowers originate. Next, we travel to North Kolkata – “The Black Town”, where a parallel culture heavily influenced by the Europeans, flourished among the pioneering families of Bengal. The Jain Temple Complex of 4 ornate temples is unique with its shimmering mirrors, ceramic tiles and chandeliers brought over to India by rich merchants from lands as far away as Persia, Japan and Europe. The Marble Palace is perhaps the most bizarre of the Bengali mansions of this area. From the extravagance of the Marble Palace we proceed to the calm, intellectual heart of the Bengali Quarter, the bastion of Bengali culture, and home of the multi-talented poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright, the famous Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. [B]

Day 4: Kolkata, Bagdogra, Darjeeling

Morning transfer to Kolkata airport for flight to Bagdogra. Upon arrival drive 45 miles to Darjeeling (approx. 3 ½ hours depending on traffic) for check-in at the hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure to enjoy the hotel’s amenities. [B/L/D]

Day 5: Darjeeling

Steeped in British colonial history, the hill station of Darjeeling stands at a height of 6,000 feet, with the magnificent Mount Kanchenjunga as a backdrop. Take a ride on the famous Darjeeling Hill Railway (now a World Heritage Site) from Darjeeling Town, through the picturesque Batasia Loop and then to the neighboring town of Ghoom. Wander through the Mall, shop for local crafts and antiques along the way, drop in to the famous Das Studios for a peek at their collection of old black and white photographs of the area, and stop for a cup of tea or coffee at Keventers or Glenary's, two famous old cafeterias on the Mall. Visit the grand old Planters' Club, once the Palace of a local Maharaja, and enjoy the views of the surrounding hillside from Chowrasta, where the bandstand still conjures up old colonial memories of days gone by. Afternoon visit to Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Zoological Park where one can see Himalayan animals like Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Yak, Himalayan Black Bear and several varieties of birds. [B/L/D]

Day 6: Darjeeling

This day is free to explore Tea Plantation and visit a tea factory. [B/L/D]

Day 7: Darjeeling, Gangtok

Today morning you will be driven to the hill town of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, a ride that will take about 4 hours. On arrival check-in at your hotel and enjoy a lunch. The afternoon is at leisure to explore Gangtok , a colorful city inhabited by different ethnicities such as Nepali, Lepchas and Bhutia. [B/L/D].

Day 8: Gangtok

After breakfast you will embark on a visit to the Rumtek Monastery, which is a world Dharma chakra center and the seat of His Holiness, the Gyalwa Karmapa, who is the head of the Kagyu-pa lineage of the Tibetan Buddhism. Many sacred objects are housed within the complex, including a magnificent is the Golden Stupa. Opposite that building is the shedra (college) Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies. Later drive to visit the Deorali Monastery and Chorten. Today there are around 380 monks and around 130 nuns studying in this monastery. A short five minutes’ walk downhill takes us to the gates of the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology and the Orchid sanctuary adjacent to it. The Institute of Tibetology is the largest library dedicated to Tibet and Tibetan cultures and traditions outside of Tibet. It has a museum dedicated to Tibetan iconography and Tibetan religious arts. After visit, drive back to the Hotel. [B/L/D]

Day 9: Gangtok (Tsomgo Lake)

After breakfast, you will be driven to the Tsomgo Lake (spelled Chang-goo) located at an elevation of 12,300 ft. above sea level. In the Bhutia dialect, Tsomgo literally means “source of the river”. The lake is surrounded by steep mountains which are covered with snow during the winter and, sometimes, freezes up to the month of May. During summer the snow cover melts and forms the source for the lake. On your way back (if the weather permits) drive to Tashi View Point located along the North Sikkim sub-highway at Phensong-La. The view point gives a good view of the Sikkim Himalaya’s and layers of lush green hills that surround Gangtok. This a good place to enjoy your packed lunch before returning to your hotel. [B/L/D]

Note: The excursion to Tsomgo Lake entirely depends on the weather and road conditions on that day.

Day 10: Gangtok, Pelling

After breakfast, we start 3-hour drive to Ravangla to visit the Tathangata Stal or Buddha Park, constructed 15 years ago and featuring a 130-foot-high statue of the Buddha as its centerpiece. The site was chosen within the larger religious complex of the Rabong Gompa Monastery, itself a centuries-old place of pilgrimage. The interiors contain murals of life of Shakyamuni Buddha also known as the present Buddha. After lunch on your own, we’ll drive another 2 hours to reach Pelling located in the western district of Sikkim state. Besides the centuries old Sanga Choling Monastery above the town on a hill top, it’s also home to the Pemayangtse Monastery, originally built in the 17^th century, as a small Lhakhang and subsequently enlarged. On arrive at Pelling check-in at your hotel for dinner and overnight. [B/L/D]

Day 11: Pelling

After breakfast, we visit the Pemayangtse Monastery, located at an elevation of 6,840 ft., is built with a scenic backdrop of snow-capped mountains on two sides. Built as a three-storied structure, the monastery depicts paintings on its walls and a statue of saints and Rinpoche’s, deified in various floors. Later, drive to Khecheopalri Lake, originally known as Kha-Chot-Palri, a sacred lake for both Buddhists and Hindus. The lake is an integral part of the much-revered valley of "Demazong" meaning valley of rice. The Khecheopalri Lake is also part of the Buddhist pilgrimage circuit which also includes Yuksom (the first capital of the Royal Kingdom of Sikkim. Return to Pelling for dinner and overnight. [B/LD]

Day 12: Pelling, Kalimpong

This morning, we drive to Kalimpong, at an altitude of 4,100 ft., an ideal location for a pleasant, relaxed getaway. Its clement weather has made Kalimpong a paradise for flower nurseries. Kalimpong was annexed by the British only in, after which it flourished as a center of wool trade with Tibet until the 1950’s. The town is one of the key settlements along the ancient Silk route that connects Chumbi-Valley (in present day Tibetan autonomous region. Later in the afternoon proceed on a sightseeing tour of Kalimpong which includes visits to flower nurseries, famous for exporting exotic flowers like Amaryllis lilies, Anthuriums, Roses gerberas, Dahlias, Gladiolias as well as Orchids and Cactus. Then, continue to Zang Dog Palri Fo-Brang Monastery, a fairly new institution located in Durpin Dara, from here one can get an exclusive panoramic view of the town and surroundings. The prayer room inside the monastery is adorned with wall paintings and there is a rare three-dimensional mandala upstairs. Thongsa Gumpa, another monastery of Bhutanese origin built around 1692, is the oldest in Kalimpong.. Check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight. [B/LD]

Day 13: Kalimpong, Bagdogra, Kolkata, USA

After breakfast, be ready for a full morning drive to Bagdogra airport to board your connecting flight to Kalkota whre you’ connect with your flight back home. [B]

[B] = Breakfast | [B/L/D] = Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner