Tour overview

2N TABAKOSHI, 1N DARJEELING

Tabakoshi : The word Tabakoshi derives from two Nepali words Taba and Koshi. Nepali (तांबा) Taba meaning Copper which is a brown red metal and Nepali (कोसी ) Koshi meaning River. Therefore the place Tabakoshi got its name from the River that flows across the place due to its copper brown color.Tabakoshi is an offbeat hamlet consisting of eight Tea Gardens namely Gopaldhara , Siyok, Turzum, Sungma, Chamong, Magarjung, Thurbu and Nagri T.E. Tabakoshi is virgin offbeat destination in Rangbang Valley. The tourist destination is surrounded by green organic tea gardens and virgin forests. River Rangbang flowing across the valley enhances the beauty of the place. Tabakoshi is only 58 kilometers from both NJP railway station and Bagdogra airport and 35 km from Dareeling town. These factors have made Tabakoshi new favourite offbeat destination for bth locals and tourists.

Darjeeling “Queen of The Himalayas”: Jaw-dropping locales, mesmerising sunrises, the untouched beauty of the hills, the old-world charm of the past, and the welcoming smiles of the local people all add up to make Darjeeling one of the most beautiful hill stations in Eastern part of India. Spread over a steep mountain ridge, nestled amidst acres of lush green tea plantations, Darjeeling stands at the height of 2,050 meters above sea level, thus boasting of cool climes all year round. This scenic hill station is the perfect getaway for a romantic honeymoon and is just around 700 kilometres away from Kolkata.

There is a reason the city is known as the ‘Queen of the Himalayas’. The lush green slopes dotted with women plucking tea leaves is a sight as mesmerising as no other. There are over 86 tea estates in Darjeeling that are responsible for producing the worldwide famous ‘Darjeeling Tea’. Have a cup of locally brewed chai at the tea estate, or get down amidst the plantations to pluck a few tea leaves yourself, you are free to take your pick! Darjeeling is a delight for all kind of tourists. The toy train established back in 1881, still runs in this part and is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Beautiful colonial architecture including mansions and churches dot this little beautiful town. Filled with people from Tibet, Nepal, nearby Indian states and the Gorkhas, Darjeeling is brimming with cultural diversity. The third highest peak in the world and the highest in India, the Kanchenjunga peak is clearly visible from here and you can enjoy a panoramic view of the peak.Darjeeling is a wonderful place to walk around and explore the tea estates, villages, and markets.

Included

  • Tour Manager.
  • All Toll Taxes, Parking fees and Driver's Expenses.
  • All Transportation mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Hotel Booking, if required.

Not Included

  • Any Private Expenses.
  • All other services not mentioned in the inclusions.

DAY 01- TRANSFER FROM (IXB) BAGDOGRA AIRPORT TO TABAKOSHI (MIRIK )

On arrival at Siliguri,Bagdogra (IXB) Airport you will board the car to Tabakoshi, A small village amidst tea gardens in Mirik region. The area is centered round Sumendu Lake (Mirik Jheel) and is known for its landscaped gardens, tea gardens, orange orchards, cardamom groves and spectacular views of the Himalayan ranges. On the way to Mirik Sightseeing.

Places Include:
Simana View Point: In about 20 minutes from Sukhiapokhri, there is a wonderful view point called the Simana ViewPoint - a 60 feet by 40 feet plateau and a viewing point. Simana in Nepali means border. This is the Indo-Nepal border area, the road itself belongs to India and the viewing area falls in Nepal. But you can freely cross over to get the views. From Simana for a long way towards Mirik, the road acts as the divider between India and Nepal. You can view places like Maneybhanjan from here and the beautiful mountains on a clear day. You can also see the narrow winding road leading to Sandakphu on the other side of the valley. Towards your right you will be able to see the dazzling Kanchenjunga snow peaks.

Pashupati Market: Further down, you will reach Pashupati Market entrance at the India-Nepal border. The main market is about 1km walk from the border. You can either walk or take a Nepal taxi at the border to reach the main market (Rs. 200/- for round trip). There are few shops right across the border, which you can check out in case you do not want to go all the way to the main market. Once you complete formalities with the border security, you will get to the road in Nepal that leads to the main market. This road continues all the way to Kathmandu. Cameras are not allowed inside. Note that only Indians and Nepalese are allowed to cross over the border area here. Foreign nationals are not allowed to access this border. You are required to carry Photo ID in case you want to cross over the border and visit the shops. The market is full of imported electronic gadgets, jackets, perfumes & cosmetics, accessories and clothes.
Mirik: A small hill town is located further 12kms from Pashupati Market and at an average altitude of 5,000ft. After reaching Mirik, first visit the Mirik Monastery on top and then the Mirik Lake. These are the top attractions of the place. Sit along the bank of the lake and relax. You can also do boating in the lake (mostly paddle boats). Or walk over the arching footbridge and cross over to the other side (western bank) of the lake, turn left and take the walkway through the pine tree forest and enjoy nature. Pony rides are also available around the lake and quite popular with children.
Overnight stay in Tabakoshi homestay (Mirik).

DAY 02 – FULL DAY TOUR BY WALKING AT TABAKOSHI

Full day tour by walking at Tabakoshi, river valley, orange garden, Tea Garden, village walk, Tea factory visit by walk, tea estate visit, short trek a moderate walk.evening bonfire and gala dinner night halt

Overnight stay in Tabakoshi homestay (Mirik).

DAY 03 - TRANSFER TO DARJEELING & HALF DAY SIGHTSEEING

After breakfast, transferred to Darjeeling and on the way to sightseeing.

Places Include:

Ghoom Monastery: You will visit one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries of Darjeeling located at a scenic location in Ghoom area. It houses a12-foot tall statue of Mayetriya Buddha which represents the Buddha of the future.This is one of the biggest and oldest statues of Buddha in Darjeeling area. This statue was created with clay that was all brought from Tibet. In front of the Buddha's statue there are two huge oil lamps that keep burning all the time and all through the year.No entry fee but donation required for taking photos inside.

Batasia Loop and the War Memorial: Batasia Loop is an engineering marvel located in Ghoom area. This is where the toy train makes a double spiral loop to negotiate a drop of 1000 ft as it moves towards Darjeeling town. Amidst the beautiful garden where the railway track is laid in the form of a loop, there is also a War Memorial. You can walk along the track and complete the loop yourself. I do it every time I am there. Or take the many pathways in the garden and walk around, enjoying the many flowers and the surroundings. It was constructed in honour of the Gorkha soldiers who sacrificed their lives in service of the nation. There is a nominal entry fee. Don't miss the Samosas (fried vegetable pastries) that are sold near the entrance of Batasia Loop in the morning.

Japanese Temple & Peace Pagoda: Close to the Darjeeling town and in a scenic setting there is a temple built in a traditional Japanese style. About 100 yards away and in the same complex, there is a large Peace Pagoda that showcases four avatars of Buddha. The view of the mountain range and Darjeeling town from the top of the pagoda is spectacular. No entry fee. Caution: In order to save time, some drivers try to treat these two attractions as separate ones and count 2 instead of one. Don't be deceived or you will miss out on one of the following.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute - Darjeeling Zoo - Natural History Museum: These are three attractions co-located in the same large compound. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was built to honor Tenzing Norgay's triumph to Everest and is dedicated to provide mountaineering and rock climbing lessons to students from all over the world. There is a mountaineering museum as well. The highlights of this museum include the artifacts from various Himalayan expeditions, the Everest section showcasing Tenzing's personal belongings, an eagle found dead at 26,000 feet during the 1960 Everest expedition, a high power telescope that once belonged to Hitler and was used by the Institute etc. Darjeeling Zoo has many high altitude Himalayan animals including Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wolf, Himalayan Black Bear, Red Panda, yaks etc. And the Bengal Natural History Museum is great to know about flora and fauna of Bengal including high altitude animals of Himalayan region as well as of Darjeeling district. There is a combined entry ticket to visit all three attractions in one go.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Darjeeling.

DAY 04 - TRANSFER FROM DARJEELING TO BAGDOGRA AIRPORT AFTER VISITING TIGER HILL

Early Morning (at 04:00 am) Your Driver will be waiting for pickup in front of your Hotel. Then you will proceed for Tiger hill (8,400 ft.) to watch the spectacular sunrise over Mt. Khangchendzongha (28,208 ft. Worlds 3rd highest peak).

Places Include:

Tiger Hill: Who doesn't know about the magnificent view of sunrise from Tiger Hill. You will need to wake up by 3:30am and take a vehicle. But the rewards are awesome. You can see the changing colours of the colossal Kanchenjunga snow peaks as the light strikes,it's a place where you can soak yourself with Himalayan beauty. On a clear day you can also get a glimpse of Mount Everest, Mount Makalu and one of the most beautiful peaks of the world, Tibet's ChomolHari. Tiger Hill is 11kms away and at an altitude of more than 8,400ft. It takes about 40 minutes to reach the top where there is a view tower for watching the sunrise. There is an entry fee.

After sightseeing , depart for (IXB) Bagdogra Airport for the onward connection.