West Bengal & Sikkim

DAY 1: KOLKATA

Welcome to Incredible India. On arrival at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Kolkata, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Night stay at hotel

DAY 2: KOLKATA

In the morning we will start our tour with visiting the Flower Market (old shoes are a must) and then Kumartuli - the Potters’ Market, where giant life-like religious idols are created for the city’s numerous festivals out of river clay, bamboo, and straw.

The Jain Temple Complex of 4 ornate temples, it is unique with its shimmering mirrors, ceramic tiles and chandeliers and so is the Victoria Memorial.

Night stay at hotel

DAY 3: KOLKATA – GOTHKHALI (3 HRS DRIVE) – SUNDARBANS NP (2.5 HRS BOAT)  

After breakfast we continue to Sundarbans National Park, crossing enroute the city’s most dominant landmark, the Howrah Bridge on the Hoogli River, said to be the busiest bridge in the world - an important symbol of Kolkata.

The drive to Gothkhali takes 3 hours approx. and we pass through the lush-green rural Bengal landscape, dotted with picturesque villages and quaint markets.

On arrival at Gothkhali we embark on our river boat. Once on board, over tea/coffee/welcome drink we are given a briefing and interpretation by our local guide-cum-naturalist followed by a 2.5-hour spectacular cruise along the rivers Bidya, Durgaduani and Gumdi. At Gosaba we have a chance to visit one of the earliest human settlements of Sundarbans.

Finally, we arrive at Bali Island and check-in into hotel. A hot lunch is served in the camp restaurant, and in the late afternoon we depart on a birding and game cruise to spotting seven types of kingfishers, egret, Brahmani eagles, pond heron, black cormorants, magpie robin, green bee eaters and above all getting introduced to the lovely mangroves, with surreal creatures like fiddler crabs, mud skipper fish etc. After our cruise we return to hotel early evening.

Night stay at hotel

DAY 4: SUNDARBANS NATIONAL PARK

Sundarbans the riverine nirvana: At the tip of the Ganges is a mystic mangroves forest on the myriad of island. Impenetrable mangrove forests, winding rivers, lush Sundari trees, water changing its colour at very creek from muddy rivers to emerald, blue sea and narrow creeks to several miles wide rivers.

The Sunderbans, a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO world heritage site, is the largest forest delta in the world with almost 9630 square kilometers in India and Bangladesh with almost 8 rivers - the notable ones are the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, coming together before entering the Bay of Bengal. This is a wonderland indeed and to be explored through waterways only. 

Today we depart on a full day cruise through the Sundarbans National Park. We leave just after breakfast and head towards the canopied walk at Dobanki. We also keep a sharp watch for basking estuarine crocodiles and the elusive Irrawaddy Dolphins.

We take lunch is on board and return to the camp in the evening after watching the spectacular sunset. 

Night stay at hotel

DAY 5: SUNDARBANS NP – GOTHKHALI (2.5 HRS BOAT) – KOLKATA (3 HRS DRIVE)

After breakfast we check out and depart, embarking the boat back to Gadkhali (2.5hrs.), then transfer to our vehicle and drive back to Kolkata (3 hrs approx.) 

On arrival in Kolkata, we check into our hotel near the airport

DAY 6: KOLKATA – BAGDOGRA (FLIGHT 1.15 HRS) – DARJEELING (DRIVE 4 HRS)

Today we fly along the Himalayas to Bagdogra. If the weather is nice, we will see the peaks of the Himalaya. From Bagdogra we drive to Darjeeling on a winding road past wooded hills, small villages, and tea plantations. At the time of the English colonial power in India, Darjeeling was one of the most popular "hill stations" to escape the heat of the lowlands. Even today you can still feel a lot of colonial flair in this place.

Night stay at hotel

DAY 7: DISCOVER DARJEELING – TOY TRAIN (2 HRS) & WALKING TOUR (2 HRS)  

After breakfast we take the toy-train from Darjeeling station to Ghoom where we visit the Monastery and then return by walking along the scenic route back to town.

In the afternoon we’ll visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and see the amazing exhibits belonging to Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing used during their conquest of Mt Everest back in 1953.

At the P.N. Zoological Park, we will view the red pandas and the exquisite snow leopards. 

Night stay at hotel

DAY 8: DARJEELING - TIGER HILL - DARJEELING - RINCHENPONG (DRIVE 5 HRS)

If the weather is good, we set off early in the morning to "Tiger Hill" (2590 m). We enjoy a spectacular sunrise and a fantastic view to the Kanchenjunga massif.

We return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we set off for a varied journey to the remote west of Sikkim. We cross the Rangit River on the valley floor and follow it until a pass road leads up to Rinchenpong. On a clear day we can see Kangchenjunga in the distance. Here we are guests for 2 nights at a typical Sikkimese

farmhouse lodge 

DAY 9: HIKING SURROUNDINGS RINCHENPONG (WALKING 4-5 HRS)

Today you will discover the rural surroundings of Rinchenpong by walk. You hike first through an oak forest to a nearby hill. There is a monastery and if the weather is nice, enjoy at 1900 m above sea level, a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and the Kangchenjunga massif.

Later you will discover the lonely hamlets with their traditional Lepcha houses and experience the rural, natural way of life of the small farmers. In the evening you have the opportunity to attend the evening ceremonies and evening prayers in the village monastery.

fNight stay at farmhouse lodge

DAY 10: RINCHENPONG – PELLING (WALKING 2 HRS, DRIVE 3 HRS)

The journey continues to Pelling through a landscape with terraced rice fields, rushing waterfalls and remote settlements. We are passing through the village of Dentam, which is not far from the border with Nepal. The journey continues to a village inhabited by the Gurung ethnic group. The region is known to be very fertile. 

On arrival check-in at hotel then and lunch at a local restaurant. Then visit the well-known 18th-century Pemayangtse Monastery with its uniquely carved wooden sculpture. The monastery was involved in royal government during Kingdom times and played an important role. Pemayangtse Monastery is also called "Perfect Sublime Lotus" From the monastery you walk to the ruins of the former royal fortress of Rabdentse.

Night stay at the hotel

DAY 11: TRAVEL TO YUKSUM THROUGH KHECHEOPALRI LAKE (WALKING 2-3 HRS, DRIVE 3-4 HRS)

If the weather is nice, it is worth getting up early today and driving to the Nyingma monastery Sanga Chöling before breakfast. From there you can enjoy an incredibly beautiful view of the Kangchenjunga and other snow-capped mountain peaks.You can walk from the monastery to the Chenrezig statue, which was completed in autumn 2018. The newly built complex further includes a skywalk and a gallery inside the statue. With a height of 41 meters it is the tallest of the three large statues in Sikkim. 

After breakfast, we continue to the former capital Yuksum. Enroute we will visit the sacred wish fulfilling Khecheopalri Lake. The lake's original name was Kha-Chot-Palri, which translates to “Heaven of Guru Padmasambhava". The small, legendary lake is sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus. We start at the lake and make a nice hike past small villages, terraced fields, and forests with cardamom plantations. The hike is mostly downhill and takes about 3 hours. From the terminus at Rathong River we continue to Yuksum.

Night stay at hotel