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16
days - Discover Oriental East India
Day1 -
Arrive Kolkata international airport and welcomed by
Travel Pals executive to transfer to hotel for immediate
check-in with ready rooms.
Day2 - Kolkata – Bagdogra
(by air) - Gangtok (125 kms / 4 hrs)
After breakfast, transfer to the domestic airport to
catch a flight to Bagdogra. On arrival drive through
the lovely hills with variety of flaura and fauna to
be seen on the way to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.
It is often referred to as the ‘Lofty Hill’. Arrive
Gangtok by late afternoon to check into hotel. Evening
free. Overnight at hotel.
Day3 - Gangtok
After breakfast, take a morning city tour of Gangtok.
Visit the Rumtek Monastery, Nehru Botanical Garden,
World Dharma Chakra Centre, Do Drul Chorten and the
Flower Show complex. Overnight at hotel.
Day4 - Gangtok – Lachung
(124 kms / 5 hrs)
After breakfast, proceed to a one of the most breathtaking
places in Northern Sikkim, a small Bhutia village- Lachung.
Sprawled on the bank of Lachung Chu, Lachung is also
known to retain its unique culture and tradition. Overnight
at hotel in Lachung.
Day5 - Lachung - Yumthang
- Lachung
Breakfast at hotel, followed by a full day excursion
to Yumthang - at an elevation of 11,800 feet and 24
kms away from Lachung is a paradise for nature lovers
with a fascinating blend of flora and fauna and breathtaking
scenic grandeur. The valley is also home of the Shingbha
Rhododendron Sanctuary. Yumthang: ‘Tsa-Chu’ is immensely
popular for its curative properties and healing power.
Return to Lachung. Overnight at hotel.
Day6 - Lachung – Pemayangtse
(250 kms / 9 hrs)
After breakfast, we start on the long but through some
of the most breathtaking scenery that Sikkim has to
offer. We drive to Pemayangtse (The Lotus) a mountain
hamlet. The place houses the prestigious Pemayangtse
Monastery and is closest to the motorable viewpoint
for Mt Kanchenjunga. Arrive Pemayangtse late evening
and check into hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day7 - Pemayangtse
Breakfast followed by a leisure walking tour covering
the three famous landmarks – Rabdantse, Sangacholing
and Pemayangtse. First you head for the Rabdantse Palace
– once the second capital of Sikkim is now a historical
monument. Further down you reach the Sangacholing Monastery-
the second oldest in Sikkim. You then visit the Pemayangtse
Monastery belonging to the Nyingma-pa order of Tibetan
Buddhism. It was built as a small temple in the late
17th century wooden sculpture portraying the Mahaguru’s
Heavenly Palace Sangthokpalri. Overnight at hotel.
Day8 - Pemayangtse –
Darjeeling (118 kms / 4 hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Then drive to Darjeeling. On arrival
check into hotel, followed by a half-day guided tour
of The Himalayan Zoological Park, Tibetan Refugee Self
Help Centre and the Happy Valley Tea Estate. Overnight
at hotel.
Day9 - Darjeeling – Pandua
Early morning around 03:30 am leave hotel for the famous
Tiger Hills to view the sunrise over the Kanchenjunga
Peak and other Eastern Himalayan Peaks (subject to clear
weather). Return to the hotel for breakfast. Later,
take the famous Toy-Train ride, declared a World Heritage
Site by UNESCO, till Batasia Loop and then walk up to
Ghoom Monastery. The monastery enshrines a 10-foot image
of the Maitreya Buddha (the Coming Buddha). Return to
the hotel. Afternoon drive to Pandua. On arrival check
into hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day10 - Pandua – Murshidabad
(145 kms / 3 hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Murshidabad. The events
at this place changed the history of India. At Plassey
near Murshidabad the historic battle between Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula
and Lord Clive had taken place. The relics strewn today
speak of those times. But the history of this region
date back perhaps further. The famous Chinese traveller
Hiuen Tsiang, who made the long journey to India in
629-645 AD, in his world famous travelogue describes
Karanasubarna near Murshidabad as the first capital
of the ancient Bengal. On arrival check into hotel.
Afternoon visit the Hazarduari, Great Imambara, the
Jain Parswanath Temple and the Moti Jhil, a fine place
to view the setting sun. Overnight at hotel.
Day11 - Murshidabad –
Vishnupur (115 kms / 2.5 hrs)
Breakfast. Proceed to Vishnupur (Bishnupur), famous
for its beautiful terracotta temples and artefacts.
On arrival check into hotel. Afternoon visit Rasmancha,
the oldest brick temple, the Pancha Ratna Temple, Jorebangla
temple and Madanmohan Temple. Evening free for shopping
at the bazaars filled with local and traditional artefacts.
Overnight at hotel.
Day12 - Vishnupur – Kolkata
(150 kms / 3.5 hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Then proceed to Kolkata, previously
know as Calcutta. On arrival, check into hotel. Take
a half day guided tour driving around this once British
colonial capital built in the 18th century. Kolkata
originated largely due to the expansionist ambitions
of the European powers, especially the British Raj.
Little wonder, Kolkata has some of the finest Raj edifices
built in a variety of styles. Visit the Victoria Memorial
and Fort William. Overnight at hotel.
Day13 - Kolkata – Raichuk
(50 kms / 1.5 hr)
Breakfast followed by a half-day guided tour of Kolkata
visiting the Indian Museum, Kali Mandir and Belur Math.
Afternoon transfer to Raichuk the riverside retreat
developed by the Raddisson Group into a small township
with exclusive bungalows. On arrival, check into resort.
Overnight at resort.
Day14 - Raichuk – Sunderbans
(85 kms / 2 hrs)
After early breakfast, depart for Basanti (2.5 hrs drive)
to board a boat to Sajnekhali. On arrival at Sunderbans,
transfer to the forest resort. Sunderbans is home to
the Royal Bengal tiger; the national park is a part
of the world's largest delta formed by the rivers Ganga
(Ganges) and Brahmaputra and is also known for its unique
mangrove forest ecosystem. Overnight at the resort.
Day15 - Sunderbans
After breakfast, take a cruise along the backwaters
of the delta to reach the National Park. Spend the day
at the moving through estuarine delta, the largest in
the world. The wildlife includes the world famous Royal
Bengal Tiger, a major attraction in the tiger reserve.
Some of the other attractions include chital, crocodile,
monkeys, estuarine and marine turtle, dolphins and various
kinds of birds. You can also visit the ruins of a 400-year-old
temple at Netidhopani. Return to resort. Overnight at
resort.
Day16 - Sunderbans –
Kolkata (135 kms / 2.5 hrs)
After breakfast, drive to Kolkata. On arrival at check
into hotel for wash-n-change and transfer to international
airport to catch connecting flight.
Day16 - Suggested stopover
package: Kolkata – Bhubaneshwar – Puri – Konark – Bhubaneshwar
This tour can be taken as an extension to the Discover
East India tour. This package takes the traveller to
Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark, the three temple towns
of Orissa make up the glorious golden temple triangle
of Eastern India. Many of the Hindus and the Buddhist
flock to the city, a religious centre that has over
500 temples. Here we visit the important temples in
Bhubaneshwar, moving to Konark’s 13th century Sun Temple
(Black Pagoda) and then to Puri’s, one of the four holiest
places (Dhams) of India. Here we visit the Jaganath
Temple ending on the beaches of the city. There are
direct flights and rail connections from Kolkata to
Bhubaneshwar.
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