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Overview
Darjeeling, a town in India’s West Bengal state, in the Himalayan foothills. Once a summer resort for the British Raj elite, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or “Toy Train,” completed in 1881. It’s famed for the distinctive black tea grown on plantations that dot its surrounding slopes. Its backdrop is Mt. Kanchenjunga, among the world’s highest peaks.
Tour Highlights
- Explore Darjeeling, a land of infinite variety and charm in the Himalayan foothills
- Visit ancient temples and holy monuments to gain spiritual insight into Darjeeling’s ingrained Buddhist philosophy
- Experience the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or “Toy Train,” completed in 1881
- Visit the distinctive black tea plantations that dot the surrounding slopes of Darjeeling
- Experience the panoramic views of Mt. Kanchenjunga, amongst the world’s highest peaks
Itinerary
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Day 1:
Delhi to Bagdogra (Fly) – Darjeeling
Welcome on arrival at Bagdogra and drive to Darjeeling (95Kms/ 2.5Hrs.). Dorje, the mystic thunderbolt of the Lama-Religion was the origin of the name Darjeeling, which was first discovered by a British Captain Loyd in the year 1829. Surrounded by tea gardens Darjeeling is a land of infinite variety and charm which will cater you a mix-experience of lively nature & charming Himalayan people. This little town faces some of the highest peaks of the Himalayas. Evening free for individual activity and leisure, overnight at Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner -
Day 2:
Darjeeling Sightseeing
Early morning a start for Tiger Hill to watch the spectacular sunrise and its amazing effects on the Mt. Kanchendzonga (Worlds 3rd highest peak), Visit Ghoom Monastery and Batashia Loop War Memorial while returning to the Hotel. After breakfast transfer to Darjeeling station to enjoy your Toy Train Joy Ride (subject to availability) – this unique Mountain Railway’ project was first started in 1878 by the initiative of Sir. Ashley Eden and is now a World Heritage. Padmaja N. Zoological Garden (Closed on Thursday) established on August 14, 1958. It specializes in breeding animals adapted to alpine conditions.
Later proceed to visit the Tukver Tea Estate – also popularly known as Puttabong Tea estate has quite a reputation for itself for producing one of the finest brands of Darjeeling Tea. It is the First Tea Estate in the history of Darjeeling Tea Plantation (Planted by the pioneering British Tea Planter Dr. Campbell in 1852). This garden is one of the biggest tea estates in Darjeeling comprising of 5 divisions located at a stretch of approximately 20 Km from Darjeeling city to Sikkim State border.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner -
Day 3:
Darjeeling To Pemayangtse & Local Sightseeing
After breakfast visit Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (Closed on Thursday) was founded in Darjeeling on 4th November by Pandit Nehru who said that “The institute trains young men not only to climb Himalayan peaks, but also create in them an urge to climb peaks of human Endeavour”. HMI has the oldest mountaineering Museum of the country established in 1957.
Later proceed Tibetan Refugee Self-help Center (Closed on Sunday) established on 1st October, 1959, following the dramatic escape of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, thousands of Tibetans leaving hearth and home, fled into the neighbouring countries to live as free human beings. The production of Tibetan handicraft is the centre’s main activity. Evening enjoy a short walk across the Mall and Local Market (Closed on Thursday).
Evening enjoy a short walk across the Mall and Local Market (Closed on Thursday). Overnight at hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner -
Day 4:
Darjeeling | Bagdogra |Delhi
After breakfast drive to Bagdogra airport to board the flight for Delhi.
What’s included
- Escorted Roundtrip Airport Transfers
- Internal Flights
- All transfers and sightseeing as per itinerary by Innova / Similar (04 Pax per vehicle) at Darjeeling
- Daily breakfast & dinner
- English speaking Escort / Guide from Bagdogra | Darjeeling | Bagdogra
- Toy train joy ride at Darjeeling (subject to availability at the time of booking)
- All entry fees, porter & parking.
- Daily refreshment and mineral water throughout the tour.
What’s excluded
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This is a tour extension. Add this on to a tour of your liking. Contact us on how you can extend your journey.Recent Reviews
Hi Nazir, We had a fabulous time in India and rate our overall trip as a 9/10. We loved the tour you put together for us and just when we thought it couldn't get any better, our next destination brought more delights and experiences. Here are our thoughts of what worked well (I may have the wrong spelling for some of the names so apologies on that - I may also be providing too many details!): Being greeted immediately by Issu as we exited the airport in Delhi was perfect - he spotted us right away, was very friendly and energetic, he engaged us, answered our questions, introduced us to our driver Kulvinder, checked us into our hotel, provided details on the next days and everything was seamless. We didn't worry about a thing. We liked having a day to rest and get used to the time change. Our tour in Delhi was lots of fun. Our guide was good (can't recall his name - Assish?) We loved old Delhi, walking through some parts of the market and just witnessing how everyone and everything flowed - trucks, cars, rickshaws, dogs, cows, people, bikes - we could learn so much in western culture about trusting and going with the flow! We loved Kulvinder. We felt very safe with his driving. Sharon gets motion sickness so sat in the front with Kulvinder - she had a few anxious moments whereas I was so fascinated with how he navigated traffic and kept us safe even when it seemed like vehicles were coming right at us. Kulvinder provided us with water all the time which we really appreciated. (We weren't prepared for some of the hotter days in the high 30s and low 40s) so air-conditioning and water were so appreciated! Kulvinder also had an easy disposition, answered our questions, pointed out things of interests (camels eating on the roadside!), was generous with our son giving little treats to him such as carved animals, encouraging him to get closer to a snake when Taylor was curious but scared, etc. We loved Ranthambore - the drive was good as it gave us a chance to see the countryside and learn more about the agricultural component of India. The Tiger Sanctuary Den was our favorite place to stay. It was more modest as compared to the hotels in the cities but the layout encouraged more interaction with other visitors and that is where we met the most Indian tourists. (Some who took down Explore India info as we loved our tour and didn't have to plan/worry about a thing whereas others were saying with their tour company they felt they were doing more of the work.) So we enjoyed meeting the people and our son met his new best friends (Vedant and Sedant) and played with them for the time we were there. Rajeev called the hotel to ensure everything was fine with us, spoke to me to ensure we had everything so we felt very well taken care of. PLUS we saw tigers (mother and 2 cubs) on our first ride out to the sanctuary. The drive to the sanctuary was also very interesting as we got to see more of the farms and how people live. Our driver was fearless and our guide was determined that we say tigers - it was fabulous! We also visited a textile place where our guide was very patient as we order tailor made shirts and jackets which were delivered to us in a matter of hours - we were impressed! In hindsight, we would have ordered more (if they have an online business, let us know! - I can't recall the name of the place but one of the men who worked there has a niece in Winnipeg!) So just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we loved our time in Varanasi. The cremation ghats were our favorite and just learning more about Hinduism. The boat rides on the Ganges were amazing. We enjoyed also learning more about the history of Buddha. At one of the temples, the Indian tourists seemed to find something interesting about us. They kept on wanting to take pictures of us with them! We felt like celebrities (or perhaps it was karma as we took so many photos of local Indians as well!). Our hotel room was so spacious and easily accommodated an extra bed for Taylor which was nice. The guide was good - very knowledgeable on the Hindu religion and practices of which we asked lots of questions. When we landed in Delhi, we were greeted by Issu and Kulvinder which was great. However, they thought we were leaving that very night whereas our itinerary was for the next day. Rajeev ensured we had the extra day and extended check out time with dinner included (and Issu ensured at check out that we didn't pay for those items). We also asked if we could have a driver to see more of the sights the next day and Rajeev accommodated our request which we really appreciated. (We wanted to see more of the neighborhoods of how people live - so our driver was great - he took us to a range of neighborhoods - wealthy, government workers, etc) We will share our itinerary with others who have expressed interest in traveling to India and will definitely recommend Explore India. Thanks so much Nazir.
Dina and Sharon
Winnipeg, Canada
We have to write and tell you how much we enjoyed our recent trip to India, Nepal and Bhutan. Everything, from the first contact with you in the Vancouver office, to the accommodation, food, modes of transportation, and staff who travelled with us was wonderful! The guides were first class, very professional and knowledgeable, and any special request was accommodated with a smile. Our drivers knew every street and highway like the ‘back of their hand” (which is incredible in India!!!). We always arrived on time and in good humour. Having porters at each airport to personally assist us with baggage and tickets relieved a lot of stress. The “surprises” along the journey were really a special treat. The upgrade to a hotel that was rated among the “best 5 in the world” (thought I’d died and gone to heaven there!), to the welcoming drinks with you on a terrace in Connaught Circle; the extra included meals that we hadn’t expected, and we all even had new towels supplied for the overnight train ride from Agra to Varenasi. The willingness of every guide in all 3 countries to accommodate special requests or make slight changes to daily itinerary made the journey all the more pleasant. (Sometimes at the end of a long the day the group voted to eat at the hotel rather than go out). Visiting these three countries should be on everyone’s “Bucket List”. Our memories of India are the people, people, people, vibrant colors, ancient architecture, food, modes of transportation (the rickshaw rides through the back streets of Dehli and Varanasi were incredible - I wish my eyes were a camera!), rides in tuk tuks, and the 2 hour camel ride through local villages. In Nepal the flight to Everest was a “high” light, and the elephant ride in the Chitwan National Forest to look for the one-horned rhino (saw 5 up close and personal!). The flight navigating the approach to the airport in Paro, Bhutan was exciting. While descending the plane weaves between the mountains….bank left, descend, bank right descend….finally arriving safely at the most beautifully decorated airport we have ever seen. The highlights here were the people. Kind, friendly, warm, always smiling. They say that Bhutan is the happiest place in the world, and I believe it. Prayer flags, prayer wheels, the locals dressed in national costume, the markets, ancient bridges, hiking up the mountain to the Tiger’s Nest monastery….well… we made it as far as the Tea house and could look across at it and that was still wonderful. We have been recommending this trip and your company to all our travel friends. While planning this trip with you Nazir you answered all our numerous phone and email questions (“on the train is there a bathroom close to our compartment?”) promptly. The extra help with Carol’s Indian visa was really appreciated. Our trip was all we had hoped it would be because of excellent itinerary, professional staff and courtesy that we received in Vancouver and abroad. We will be travelling with you again!
Carol & Terry Noonan
North Vancouver, Canada
Dear Nazir: Thanks for your email. Yes, it was a fantastic holiday made all the more memorable by having Sundeep as our tour guide. He was so knowledgeable and passionate about his country and we were lucky having him. There did not seem to be anything he did not know and he went out of his way to make sure we were all happy. He also seemed to go above and beyond in helping us with getting our money exchanged into the "new" money which was not easy. In the end that worked out (at least for me) although in the first few days I was worried that I was not going to have enough $ to last me the trip! I did not realize before I left Vancouver that I would not be able to use a bank! I was disappointed that we were not able to visit Kashmir but that was due to circumstances beyond your control. But Darjeeling was lovely and so different from the rest of the trip. The drivers and guide in Darjeeling were great - they looked after us so well as did Singh who took us from Delhi to Delhi. It all went very smoothly in, as you know, chaotic driving conditions compared to Vancouver! As I said earlier, overall it was an amazing trip. Thank you. Sincerely,
Carol Clark
Vancouver, Canada
Hello Nazir My apologies for the delayed response, but we got home from India and were right back at it with work and Christmas preparations and festivities. I now want to take a moment to thank you and all the people in your organization for making our trip AMAZING. You helped us experience the many sides of India (colours, tastes, sounds, people, cities, countrysides, etc), while also helping us understand its history, culture, politics, environment, evolution and challenges. While I am aware of, and appreciate, all the work put in by your 'behind the scenes' team, I have to say that the one person we spent every day with really helped contribute to making our experience positive and very meaningful. Yazur's knowledge, humor, professionalism and communication skills were much appreciated. He went above and beyond to provide exceptional service to us too - helping individuals (including me) find that special something we were looking for. Thank you Yazur!! I was awestruck by the Taj Mahal and pleasantly surprised by the impact the Amber Fort had on me. Seeing the tigers in both the morning and afternoon trip through Ranthambore's park was also a highlight - and much appreciated. The chaos of the traffic moving through the streets was unexpected and quite entertaining too. Both Harry and I would highly recommend your organization to others considering a trip to India. All the best to you and your team for a happy, healthy and successful 2016!! Cheers
Irene and Harry Schamhart
Victoria, Canada
Namaste Nazir, We are back home after our amazing trip to India. I thought the tour package that you put together was very well thought out and gave us a good look at what India is all about. I don't feel that I missed anything that I was hoping to see and experience in India, at least the north part. Your team in India could not have looked after us any better. Lynn and I spent two days on our own and felt that Rajeev was there making sure we were safe and organized whatever it was we wanted, from a numerologist to the market, organized dinners and vehicles to get us around. It can be quite intimidating when one first gets there so we really appreciated his advice on what to do and what not to do. Lo Chen, in Darjeeling, was a very gentle, kind and very knowledgeable man who made sure we learned about the area, had fun and were safe. Whatever anyone requested he made happen which is hard in a group our size. Arvind, well, he indeed was our leader and mentor. He is a very honorable, spiritual, knowledgeable man who is passionate about his country. We learned so much of the history and culture of India from this amazing man. Whatever anyone wanted it was always "no problem" and it would happen. We were very fortunate to be in India during Diwali and the celebration of the sun. From fireworks in front of a restaurant and dancing to Indian music after a beautiful buffet dinner to going out on a boat to watch the celebration of the sun on the Ganges, he worked very hard to please us all. We even got to meet his parents at their home on our request. I will never forget this very wise man. All in all, the trip was more than we could have expected. Sincerely,
Shirley Richmond
West Kelowna, Canada
Seeing as how we have just completed our third trip to India (April 2019) with you we are running out of wonderful things to say about you, Explore India and the fantastic trip we just had! India really is new sights, sounds, smells, chaos, people everywhere, cows in the streets etc but it is all fascinating! Your commitment to detail is greatly appreciated. We stayed at beautiful ( the Taj Lake Palace hotel) hotels, ate wonderful India food and were treated royally. Thank you! Ravi, our tour guide, was outstanding and there are not enough words to say re how our bus driver drove through the traffic and kept us safe. His assistant was very attentive supplying water and snacks and keeping an eye out for all of us. India would love to have more tourists so we will definitely recommend Explore India to anyone who might think about taking a trip. Thank you again Nazir for a wonderful trip. Can’t wait for the next one! Joan and Tom Tomlin Langley, B.C.
Joan and Tom Tomlin Langley, B.C.
My daughter and I enjoyed our trip. All went well and feel fortunate to have seen such amazing things. Our tour group was awesome and made friends for life. Thanks for all your help in booking our trip. I wish you had tours like this in other destinations! I have been recommending explore India to many, who have been seeing my photos on Facebook. I even have convinced my sister, Kymn to go (she told me she has you working on her trip, already). Thanks again,
Kalynne and Devon
Montreal, Canada
Namaste! We hope you are doing well and also enjoyed your group tour in India. Finally, we have adjusted to the time zone at home and have recovered from the jet lag.First of all, we would like to thank you for the amazing experience that we had during our trip to India. Every detail from the airport meet and greets, pickups, hotel check-ins, day trips, restaurants, sightseeing trips, etc. was looked after with tremendous precision from all of the staff members on the team. They looked after us day and night for the entire trip. Rajasthan and surrounding areas Rajeesh - checked up on our group constantly and spoke with us during our entire journey. He was extremely friendly, courteous and happy to discuss any detail that we needed. Arvind - our tour guide, was extremely organized, knowledgeable, passionate, engaging, friendly, and accommodating to everyone’s needs. He was a pleasure to travel with. Kulvinder - our driver was so gentle and always waited for our group with a smile and kept us safe through the chaotic, busy, hectic and crazy roads in India. He never once showed any frustration during the trip. Amit - greeted us each time we got off and on the bus with a friendly, beautiful big smile and made sure we had water, pop, etc. and that we cleaned our hands regularly with sanitizer and wipes. He also helped us on and off the van without hesitation. This four men as a team made our trip smooth, seamless and unforgettable. The hotels were superb; the itinerary was wonderful; an overall excellent experience. South India Rajesh - Our driver and tour guide through Kochi, Munnar, etc. was amazing. He attended to all of our needs including perfect photo stops along the way, tea breaks, meeting the locals, and adjusting our schedule on the fly. We had several other guides, but they were very short term, no more than an hour or two each, and were very site specific. Rajesh is an extremely bright young man with legendary driving skills. Those driving skills were constantly needed on the dangerous, narrow, windy, potholed roads to and from Munnar. We highly recommend that you specifically request him for other clients traveling to south India. He was introduced as our ‘driver’, but in reality was our guide. He should be encouraged to take the tour guide exams and be promoted to guide or other suitable positions. We will definitely, without hesitation, recommend you and your company to family and friends. Happy Holidays and take good care
Robin & Marilyn de Goutiere
Vancouver, Canada
My wife and I attended Explore India’s Journey of the Senses Tour from Feb. 11 to 25, 2014 organized by Nazir Karnai. This tour included Dehli (New and Old), Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Mumbai. I am writing this to express how this tour exceeded all of our expectations. A rating of 10 out of 10 does not adequately reflect the level of the experience and value of this Tour of India especially for those of us who were first time visitors. Every element of this tour was impeccably organized and carried out. That organization included limiting the number pf participants (30), selection of excellent historically significant places to visit and some very extraordinary places to eat with some very special unique venues. Those venues included a Maharaja Palace courtyard in Jodhpur, a grassy knoll overlooking the Taj Mahal, a desert campfire with Indian dancers and musicians, a gourmet dinner overlooking an Elephant polo pitch after playing a few games of Elephant polo. The hotel accommodations were all top notch with full breakfast facilities. I have said to many of my friend about this trip, I did not have a bad cup of coffee on the entire tour. The food on every day was excellent with most dinners and many lunches being at a gourmet level. The transportation within India was well organized especially the bus that was utilized – the bus was comfortable and had facilities on board. The various sites chosen to be visited were not only well selected but represented must see places at the locations we visited. They included both historic sites (e.g. Taj Mahal and Amber Fort) as well as interesting sites(e.g. various Ghandi related sites, boat ride in the lake at Udaipur where James Bond movie Octapussy was filmed). An extremely well organized and respectful (no camera) tour of India’s largest slum was included with a knowledgeable local person from the area leading the way in which the group was divided into small groups for viewing inside the slum. In addition to visiting extraordinary sites special arrangements were made by Nazir for us to visit the working kitchen of the second largest Sikh temple in India. Many other events were organized by Nazir for us such as a camel ride in the late afternoon of a day so we could see the sun set atop a camel followed by a campfire with dancer and musicians. Nazir not only did all of this cheerfully but with class Lastly, at all of these events we were accompanied by a staff headed by Nazir who looked after every detail and answered any question or need we had. .We were not only accompanied on tour events but also if we chose to take a brief outing during a break between events we were accompanied by Nazir’s assistant Rouf who made us feel safe and secure at all times especially where having someone who spoke the local language came in handy. Explore India’s Journey of the Senses Tour was a truly extraordinary tour. If anyone wants an amazing India experience this is the tour to take.
Peter and Anna
Vancouver, Canada
Hello Nazir, The Journey of the Senses was truly an amazing trip and there are many things to reflect on. It is difficult to process it all at once. The pictures and the memories certainly help. I am working at putting together a travel journal so I don't forget it all! There, of course, were many highlights, but three key highlights for us were the community kitchen at the Gurduwara Bangla Sahib [we would have loved more time there], the visits to the ghats in Varanasi and the tour of the slum in Mumbai. I'm so glad that we switched to the February tour from a private tour in December, and that we chose a tour that you were leading. You and your team thought of everything, and took care of every small detail, including a proper toilet in the middle of the desert!. Not having to deal with our luggage, checking in at the airports, or lining up for hotel keys was a real treat. The guides, especially Yajur, were great, and we felt very safe and protected with Ravi and Shenkar. The special events - welcome dinner, elephant and camel safaris, lunch at Taj Khema and the dinner with Joti in Udaipur were amazing, each surprise exceeding the other. And a special thank you for arranging my trip to the dentist in Jodhpur. These kinds of unexpected medical issues can be stressful, but you calmly took care of every detail. Again, Nazir, thank you for a great time-enjoyable, educational and delicious! We may be up for another adventure in 2017 - let us know!
Michelle and Eli
Vancouver, Canada
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