Tea party in Darjeeling valley
A hill station in the northernmost part of West Bengal, Darjeeling is renowned for its sprawling tea plantations from where all kinds of tea are exported to the farthest reaches of the globe. It is one place you can visit almost throughout the year to be met by pleasant weather. July and August could be avoided for it there is extreme rainfall during these months.
Of sunrises and joy rides
While in Darjeeling town, you should wake up at 4 am and trek up to the Tiger Hill to experience a truly mesmerizing sunrise. Darjeeling’s highest point, the hill also gives you a bird’s eye view of the mighty snow-clad Kanchenjunga Mountains. Later you could hop on to the Toy Train from Darjeeling to Ghoom, the second highest railway station in the country. Here you must pay a visit to the revered Ghoom Buddhist Monastery, that houses a towering 15-feet statue of Maitreya Buddha or ‘The Buddha to Come’, along with some rare handwritten Buddhist scrolls.
Sikkim, the land of the Mystical
With its lush green valleys, clear glacial lakes, treacherous snow-covered mountains and high passes, Sikkim is heaven incarnate for both the traveller and the nature lover. It is also a Buddhist center of learning and spirituality. The state’s capital city, Gangtok would be the second destination on your Darjeeling Gangtok tour. The best sights can be seen in Sikkim during April-May and September-November.
Nathu La – Highest Pass on the Indo China Border
Wake up at the crack of dawn and soak in the warm rays of the sun rising from the mountains’ midst. The adventure seekers can thereafter hire a local taxi, obtain a permit from Gangtok police authorities and drive to Nathu La, the highest pass on the Indo-China Border. It is a 4 hour drive along narrow winding roads with extensive landscapes of mud and snow in the backdrop. Two hours into the journey, you can stop over at Tsomgo (or Changu) Lake for a cup of tea and a Yak ride. On a cold wintry day, the lake can often be found half-frozen, a wonderful sight in itself.
Spiritual and Cultural Heritage of Sikkim
While you will encounter a host of Buddhist monasteries throughout your Darjeeling Gangtok tour, the Rumtek Monastery would unarguably be the largest and most famed of all. 24 kilometers east of Gangtok, it houses several sacred Buddhist relics, the most magnificent being the Golden Stupa. Two important festivals are held here every year during the summer and winter, involving traditional Tibetan Lama dance performances which are a treat to behold.
To visit this serene Himalayan region nestled in the Northeastern region of India, a tailor-made Darjeeling Gangtok tour is all you need. Check our program http://www.shantitravel.com/en/indian-himalayas/sikkim-trekking/sikkim-and-the-hill-stations-of-west-bengal/ touching tea plantations, mountains & monasteries.