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Bagdogra/New Jalpaiguri -> Darjeeling -> Tinchuley -> Ghoom -> Tinchuley -> Kalimpong -> Neora National Park -> Bagdogra -> Shantiniketan -> Kolkata Activities
Darjeeling: The Himalayas, home-hospitality, tea plantations visit, garden village visit, farm tours, organic tea garden tours, local cultural experience, toy train ride, old darjeeling heritage, Buddhist culture, soft trek in National Park and tea garden estates
Shantiniketan Tour: Experience richness of art & culture, stay at Bengali family, homemade cuisines, village visits, visit to heritage sites, museum and art & craft center.
Sunderbans: Jungle Camping, Jungle Cruise, Birding Tour, Canopy Forest Walk, Mangrove forest Trail, Village Visit, Cultural Performance, Crab and Fish Catching from the country boats, homemade local cuisines,
About the itinerary
Your experience in this tour includes unique opportunities to visit the picturesque and remote Himalayan villages; experience the art & culture at its best in Shantiniketan and also spend few days at Sunderbans National Park.
In Himalayan villages, you will make visits to tea plantations, some of the outstanding ecological sites, and interact with the local community. Enjoy a taste of their lifestyle and be a part of it while staying with them, experience local crafts, cuisine and even be entertained in their local cultural tradition.
Sunderbans is the deltaic region where Hooghly and many other rivers meet Bay of Bengal. Sunderbans is spread over 150 islands, with close to 1/3rd being still uninhibited and considered as reserve forest for Royal Bengal Tiger and estuarine crocodile. Be part of an experiential holiday at Sunderbans while you indulge in activities like birding tour, village visit, cultural performance, canopy walk through dense forest and country boat ride.
Your visit to Shantineketan will enrich you with the art & culture of India. Shantinketan is exemplary of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town ( Visva-Bharati University ) that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Stay at Shantiniketan gives you insights into lifestyle of Bengali family, villages and the contribution of Shantiniketan to the richness of Indian art & culture. Also take out time to go for a village trail, a rickshaw ride, and visit to the historic museum and art & craft centre.
Itinerary:
Day 1 Bagdogra/New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling :
Arrive in Bagdogra and transfer to Darjeeling (94 Kms/3hrs) by car. Darjeeling, now a popular hill station was originally a British sanatorium later turned into a tea plantation town. The tea industry is one of the highest revenue making industry in Darjeeling. The heritage colonial bungalows set amidst acres of garden and forest land offers a marvelous stay. These bungalows were once used for British tea estate officers and therefore come with a heavy colonial feel made up of fireplaces, bay windows and huge rooms.
Overnight stay in a heritage tea bungalow.
Day 2 Darjeeling:
After breakfast proceed to tea garden visits and soft treks amidst plantations. Early morning walk in tea estates amidst leafy green slopes make a compelling and spectacle view in itself. Tungsum is considered to be one the best organic tea gardens of the Darjeeling hills. During your stay at Tea Estate you will visit the plantations and the factory to gain some understanding about the cultivation and processing of organic tea. Visit local communities and garden villages and also enjoy a soft trek in the evening.
Overnight in a heritage tea bungalow.
Day 3 Tinchuley Eco village:
From Tungsum you will take a short drive to Tinchuley and proceed to farm tour. Tinchuley which literally means three Chulas or ovens is a Model Village and a Community Tourism initiative of Help Tourism, local villagers and WWF-India (West Bengal State Office) in the Darjeeling Hills. You will be hosted by one of the oldest and largest joint families of Darjeeling hills (about 22 family members) here who has put together a guest house. Visit organic farms and orchards to understand the livelihood processes of the local villagers, metre-square gardening process and vermi composting. Walk in the tea garden and visit local market in Takdah.
Overnight in Gurung Guest House.
Day 4 Tinchuley Eco village:
Early morning proceed to sightseeing of the prominent tourist spots in the Darjeeling city. Some of the best known places are Tiger Hill, Ghoom Monastery, Batasia Loop Zoological Garden, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Ropeway, Tensing - Gumbo Rock, Tibetan Refugee Self Help Canter, Lebong Race Course, Peace Pagoda & Rock Garden - Gangamaya Park.
From Tinchuley drive to Ghoom. From Ghoom embark on a toy train ride to Darjeeling - to the home of the late Tenzing Norgay, co-mountaineer of Sir Edmund Hillary. Darjeeling has since 1954 housed the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute where he trained a generation of mountaineers. The earliest Everest expeditions started their journey from here. Return back to Gurung guest house
Overnight in Gurung Guest House. .
Day 5 Kolakham-Neora:
Early morning drive to Neora Valley eco resort.Early morning drive to Neora Valley eco resort. The resort is nearly 35 kms from Kalimpong town and adjacent to Neora Valley National Park that harbors wonderful array of wildlife such as Red Panda, Barking Deer, Himalayan Black Bear, Blue Sheep, Bengal Tiger and more than 200 species of birds including many rarities.Our trained local villagers run all services and activities in the resort The most captivating event is the sightseeing at Kalimpong heritage town, village experience and soft trek. The view of snow range from the resort is most expansive.
Overnight in Neora Valley Eco Resort.
Day 6 Kolakham - Neora Valley National Park - Kalimpong Hills:
Morning Trek through Neora Valley National Park.
Overnight stay at Neora Valley Eco Resort.
Day 7
Check out after breakfast and transfer to New Jalpaiguri (4 hours) by car to onward destination. Board overnight train from New Jalpaiguri to Shantiniketan.
Day 8 Shantiniketan:
In the morning you be welcome by our guide at the station. Transfer to the homestay where you will spend your Shantiniketan experience and will be hosted by a cultured Bengali family. The home tay situated in the peaceful and quaint environment of Purba Pally, is at a walking distance from the university complex. In the afternoon go for a cultural visit.
Overnight stay at Chutty Holiday Resort.
Day 9 Shantiniketan:
After breakfast you will set out for a cultural and village experience of Shantiniketan. You will visit the museum center and proceed to the picturesque Ballavpur Danga- a rural self-help group project. The visit includes a village trail, rickshaw ride, museum, art & craft centre and a traditional local lunch at Ballavpur Danga tribal village. In the afternoon you will visit a local craft market and textile emporium. Return to your home stay.
Dinner and overnight stay in Chutty Holiday Resort.
Day 10 Kolkata:
Morning time is free for shopping or you can visit Subarnarekha - a book cum music store, famous for its expansive collection of books and music. Early lunch and transfer to Bolepur station from where you will board train that takes you back to Kolkata (3 hrs).On arrival at Howrah station you will be transferred to hotel. In the evening explore Kolkata city life and taste famous Bengali sweets and local cuisines.
Overnight at Botique Guest Hotel..
Day 11 Calcutta/Sunderbans National Park :
transfer to Sunderbans (3 hrs) by car and then (2 hrs) by motor boat. Briefing and interpretation by our local guide cum naturalist followed by 2 hours spectacular cruise through river Hogol, Gomor, Durgaduani and Gumdi. Optional stopover at Gosaba, one of the earliest human settlements of Sunderbans to visit the house of Sir Danniel Hamilton (Scottish banker who initiated the first co-operative movement of India). Arrive at Bali Island and check into Sunderbans Jungle Camp.
Jungle camping at night.
Day 12 Sunderbans National Park:
Full day jungle cruise, birding tour to Netidhopani watchtower(Subject to weather permitting the same) including crab catching and fishing expeditions from the fragile country boats. Lunch will be served on board. Evening with the villagers is the part of cultural experience. The theatre tells interesting story about the Tiger Lord, Forest God and Goddess, fishermen and honey collectors with lot of songs and dances.
Jungle camping at night.
Day 13 Airport:
Guided Village Walk in which participants are encouraged to have a close interaction and interesting encounters with the local villagers and their lifestyle, Local craft and cuisines, Indigenous farming and household equipments used by the villagers. Guided adventures cruise by manually oared country boat followed by a short cruise to Do Banki watchtower to enjoy a small canopy walk. Post lunch proceed to Sonakhali and then to Calcutta by boat & car. Transfer to airport/railway station for onward journey.
How this trip will benefit local community and environment:
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