East India Tour

Day 01. Flight to India (Delhi)
Around midnight arrival in Delhi. The cosmopolitan city and capital Delhi is the main gateway for travelers to India. Upon arrival, you will be met by an Indo Vacations representative and transferred to the hotel.

Day 02. Delhi
In the morning we will have sightseeing in Old Delhi. Sightseeing of Old Delhi includes "Rajghat" where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated and Jama Masjid, the great mosque of Old Delhi. Today we also visit the famous "Humayun's Tomb" which is the first substantial example of Mughal architecture in India and "Qutub Minar" which is 71 meter high and was constructed in 1199. Before we proceed to the hotel we will drive through New Delhi where we will visit the India Gate, Government Buildings and embassies.

Day 03. Delhi - Bagdogra (by air) - Darjeeling (about 100 km)
In the morning flight from Delhi to Bagdogra. From Bagdogra we proceed north of the state through the coniferous forests and terraced tea gardens and arrive in Darjeeling (Darjeeling). Darjeeling (place of the thunderbolt) has spectacular scenery. Darjeeling was built by the British in mid 1800 primarily an R & R center for their troops. But over a period of time it has been recognized itself as one of the most important hill stations in India. Due to its altitude of 2134 m and soothing temperature in summers Darjeeling has become a famous hill station in India. By clear weather we can enjoy the unforgettable views of Himalayas.

Day 04. Darjeeling
Early in the morning we drive to Tiger Hill to enjoy the sunrise at the Tiger Hill. Tiger Hill (2590 m) is the highest point in this area. There is a breathtaking view of the sunrise on Kanchenjunga. Mount Everest (8842) is also visible on a clear day. The moments of sunrise from Tiger Hill are described by most of the visitors as unforgettable. In the afternoon we explore Darjeeling and its surroundings. We visit the village Lablong where we get the detailed information about the natural surrounding and habitants of this area. We will visit the institute of mountaineering which is the First home of the famous climber Tenzing Norgay. It also has a small museum which houses all the equipment used on the first successful expedition on Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary.

Day 05. Darjeeling - Pemayangtse (about km)
Today in the morning after having our breakfast we drive further to Sikkim. Sikkim is the second smallest state in India. Sikkim, in the East Himalayas is sandwiched between Nepal to its west and Bhutan to its east. In the North lies China. Sikkim has so rich of flora, fauna and a diverse ethnic and cultural population as no other state in India. We drive through the forests and tea gardens and also follow the mighty Rangit River, which is one of the main tributaries of the Teesta River and proceed to Pemayangtse (The perfect Sublime Lotus). Pemayangtse lies in the western part of Sikkim overlooking the mighty Kanchenjunga range. We visit the headquarters of the Nyingama sect in Pemayangtse. We spend night in Pemayangtse.

Day 06. Pemayangtse
Today we shall have an excursion to the monastery belonging to the Nyingmapa order, which is known as Tashiding. The monastery of Tashiding lies nestled on the top of a hill that looms up between the Rathong River and the Rangit River and is surrounded by a profusion of Prayer flags that flutter in the air. There are also many chortans dedicated to some Chogyals and some religious personalities of Sikkim. Carved skillfully on stone plates surrounding the monastery are holly Buddhist mantras like "Om Mane Padme Hum" by the master craftsman Yanchong Lodil. We spend night in Pemayangtse.

Day 07. Pemayangtse - Gangtok (about 200 kms)
Today in the morning after having our breakfast we drive through wonderful landscaping to Gangtok, the capital city of the former Royal state of Sikkim. The drive is over a winding road and also passes through the Cardamom plantations and Orange orchards. Gangtok is the capital of the tiny Shangri-la and is dotted with some very interesting monasteries, The Kings Palace (which is out of bounds for the outside world) and numerous other interesting places. Evening is at leisure to get the first glimpse of this beautiful place. 

Day 08. Gangtok
In the morning we visit the unique Research Institute of Tibetology on a hilltop which was established in 1958 to promote research on Tibet and Mahayana Buddhism. Here we will see the biggest collection of Tibetan scripts and an excellent collection of rare bronze and cult objects. We also visit orchid sanctuary which is lying south of the institute. This sanctuary contains over 450 indigenous species. Sikkim is considered paradise for orchid lovers. After the visit of sanctuary we walk through the bazaar of Bangkok through the area of old palace and visit the Gylwa monastery. The Gyalwa Karmapa built this monastery in 1960 in strict accordance with the traditional designs of the monastery in Tibet. The main attraction of our excursion remains today the monastery of Rumtek. Rumtek monastery was built as a true copy of a Tibetan monastery in recent years. Rumtek Monastery is the seat of the Kagyu - Pa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This sect was founded in the 11th century by Lama Marpa, the disciple of Indian Guru Naropa and later split into several subjects.

Day 09. Gangtok - Kalimpong (about 70 kms)
Today in the morning after having our breakfast we drive from Gangtok to Kalimpong. The road winds its way through the hillside following the Teesta all along the way passing through some of the most beautiful countryside in this region. Kalimpong is a bustling and rapidly growing town, though relatively small and is set amongst the rolling foothills and deep valleys of the Himalayas. The lifestyle of the local people reflect the social and religious influences of its neighbouring nations, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. We visit the Tharpa Choeling monastery at Tripai which houses a library of tibetan manuscripts and Tankhas. It belongs to the yellow Hat sect. We drive up to Darpin Dara, the highest point in Kalimpong with superb views over the plains.