Whether you are looking for serene beauty, lush forests, gurgling rivers or mental peace, Darjeeling and Sikkim travel packages are sure to provide you all of those. For nature lovers, a holiday in these scenic destinations is nothing but a dream come tru

DARJEELING

Darjeeling, in India, is a home away from home.  It is 300 kilometers from Kathmandu, and it takes about thirteen hours by bus to reach Darjeeling by bus from Kathmandu. There is no direct flight to Darjeeling but you can take a flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur. And from Bhadrapur you can hire a private vehicle or take local buses to Pashupatinagar, which takes about four and half hours. From Pashupatinagar you can hire taxis with West Bengal plates to go to Darjeeling, which takes approximately forty-five minute to an hour.  If you are considering taking a private vehicle, you need to take a route permit. You must not also forget to take original citizenship cards.  

Darjeeling is a little town but quite a popular tourist destination in India.  The weather in Darjeeling is unpredictable. However, the best time to visit is from October till March. Whatever the weather, the famous Darjeeling tea is suitable for any climate. The locals usually start their day with tea, and also drink tea in the evenings. A stroll through the city is a must if you want to see the charm of Darjeeling. The marketplaces have plenty of food stalls that serve local mouth watering Darjeeling momos and their special tea. There are also more established international food chains, such as Subway, with their excellent sandwiches, and Dominos and KFC.

There are many songs that describe the natural beauty of Darjeeling. The famous Nepali artist, Bipul Chhetri, has an album named "Sketches of Darjeeling" dedicated to the place. "Deorali darah ko shital hawama sara jungle nai nachyo hai.." song in that album describes the fresh air in Darjeeling which energizes everything and everyone around.

Reliance Trend and Big Bazaar are the places to visit for gorgeous but affordable clothes.  Darjeeling is also famous trendy sweaters and shawls.

Places to visit in Darjeeling:                                                                                                               

Tiger Hill: What is more exciting than to start the day with your loved ones surrounded by beautiful views! Tiger Hill is a hill where people gather early in the morning, around 5 am, to see the mesmerizing sunrise. If you want to get the most amazing viewing spot, you need to reach there before 5am and reserve your standing spot. It also has a panoramic view of Mt. Everest and Mt. Kanchenjunga.

Peace Pagoda: The peace pagoda, as the name suggests, has a soothing environment with a beautiful view. You can easily visit the pagoda as it lies on the way to various other view points in Darjeeling.

Batasay Loop:  This place provides a lot of opportunities to take the pictures of beautiful sceneries, and soak in the beauty of the nature with delicious Darjeeling tea or coffee that are available in tea stalls.  You can rent cultural dress and take pictures in those dresses. There are many small markets where you can get clothes at a reasonable price. Despite the market being crowded, the people treat their customers quite nicely.

Rocky Garden: Rocky Garden is an hour’s drive away from the main hotel areas in Darjeeling. It consists of a magnificent waterfall. You can hear the gushing of water even from outside the main entrance. The garden is fascinating, filled with rocks and greenery. You can sit back and relax or take a nice walk along the garden.   To finish the trip on a good way, you can climb the Tenzing Rock, which is on the way to Rocky Garden.

SIKKIM

 Sikkim is 328 kilometers from Kathmandu. It is a beautiful place with lovely people and natural beauty.  Sikkim is also landlocked state of India which is located in the Himalayan mountains.  Kanchenjunga, the world highest peak, is located on Sikkkim’s border with Nepal.

The best time to visit Sikkim is from March tillJune and from September till December. The majorities of inhabitants speak in Nepali and celebrate Nepali festivals as well.

The main to visit places are the nearby main street. As the taxi fares are quite reasonable, people here often travel in taxis. The evenings are very peaceful and refreshing. One can just sit and enjoy the energetic vibes of Sikkim.

You can reach this alluring place by train from Darjeeling, which takes about three and a half hours, or if you have more time, you can hire a taxi which takes around five hours to Sikkim. There are no flight options in Sikkim and Darjeeling. One of the fun part of travelling in Sikkim is to read the productive road sign put up by Border Roads Organization (BRO) such as “BRO drive slow, your family is waiting for you at home;” Or “BRO Let the words and deeds match.”

Places to visit in Sikkm

Gangtok:  Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim and one of the most heartwarming place you will ever visit. The main street, M.G Road, is the favorite hangout place for the locals there. Apart from free Wi-Fi, the street has delightful food places like Uncle Khan’s Shawarma, Baskin Robbins and candy stores. Sikkim’s local alcohol and wine are quite famous and are available in a great price range. The Sikkim sweaters and kurthis are classy and the ladies will love them!

Tsomgo Lake: It is located about 38 km from Sikkim’s capital. It lies at an altitude of 12,400ft and is one of the highest lakes in India. The overwhelming beauty of this lake is hard to describe. The lake is elegant and appealing. Riding on yak wearing Sikkim’s the cultural dress is a must for many tourists.

Lhasa Falls:  The gushing of ice-cold water on the waterfall is breathtaking. On the way to Lhasa Falls, there is a short zip-line which you can ride to take your feet off the ground and fly with the waterfall on your sides and with trees surrounding you. This spine-tingling adventure is bound to be unforgettable.

Gurudongmar:  Gurudongmar is one of the highest fresh-water lakes in the world.  This gorgeous place is must visit in Sikkim which is also known as Tso Lhsmo Lake. This lake is considered as sacred, and is often visited by many devotees.  According to a legend, much of the lake remains frozen during the winters, but one of its portions never freezes. It is believed that this portion was blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, and is thus considered holy by the devotees.