Monday 7th July – Kathmandu – Bagdogra – Gangtok

Morning

• Arrive at your convenience into Kathmandu, Nepal’s chaotic, spiritual, and addictive capital. Home to medieval temples, roaring motorbikes, and rooftop bars, the city is well connected to much of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
• Pre-tour meeting at the lobby of our hotel to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide, who’ll run through the itinerary, answer questions, and give you your first taste of what to expect from the trip.
• Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport and board the 10:00am flight to Bagdogra on the border of India and Sikkim.

Afternoon

• Land in Bagdogra at 4:00pm the gateway to Sikkim and the closed airport there is to this Himalayan state.
• Begin a scenic 4-hour drive up winding roads through tea estates, forested hills, and Sikkimese villages. Watch roadside monkeys, women drying chillies on rooftops, and prayer flags fluttering across valleys. This stunning drive is considered one of the most scenic routes in India.
• Stop for roadside snacks like pakoras, sweet milk tea, and fruit hacked apart with machetes.
• Check into our hotel in Gangtok, capital of Sikkim, and unwind with views across the hills.
• Dinner at Valley View Café with gundruk soup, sha phaley (Tibetan meat pastries), and a jug or two of tongba, the local millet beer served warm and drunk with a bamboo straw.
• Overnight in Gangtok

Tuesday 8th July – Gangtok

Morning

• Visit the majestic Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre, spiritual seat of the Karmapa Lama and home to some of the most vivid Buddhist murals in the region.
• Explore Lingdum Monastery, a peaceful gompa set against thickly forested hillsides and surprisingly free of tourists.
• Tour the Sikkim Handloom and Handicrafts Centre, where you can watch artisans weave traditional patterns and perhaps pick up a yak wool scarf or two.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local eatery famous for its vegetarian momos and spicy tomato chutney. The kind of place that’s been feeding locals for decades and doesn’t need a signboard.
• Wander down MG Marg, Gangtok’s pedestrianised heart. Sample sel roti, chew on chhurpi (hard fermented cheese), and browse everything from Buddhist prayer wheels to knockoff watches.
• Optional rest with a cup of Chai, or a short hike up to a viewpoint overlooking the valley. Good chance to catch the golden light hitting the hills and to get that perfect photo.
• Dinner of Himalayan trout, steaming thukpa soup, and handmade yak cheese dumplings served in a cosy local restaurant.
• Overnight in Gangtok

Wednesday 9th July – Changu Lake – Enchey Monastery

Morning

• Early morning drive up winding mountain roads to Changu (Tsomgo) Lake, a glacial lake at 3750 metres. The air is thin, the views are vast, and the yaks wear bells and colourful woollen tassels.
• Walk along lakeside trails, greet the local yak herders, and sip on salty butter tea to warm your hands.
• Entry arranged via special permits, which your YPT guide will handle behind the scenes.

Afternoon

• Return to Gangtok for a hearty lunch of buckwheat pancakes and spiced vegetable stew, a local staple perfect after high-altitude wandering.
• Visit Enchey Monastery, a 200-year-old site perched on a ridge, known for its tantric rituals and brilliant murals.
• Take in panoramic views over Gangtok and the distant Kanchenjunga range, weather permitting.
• Dinner featuring gyurma (blood sausage), seasonal vegetables, and a local brew or two.
• Overnight in Gangtok

Thursday 10th July – Gangtok – Pelling via Buddha Park – Legship Hot Springs

Morning

• Breakfast of fresh breads, local butter, and mountain jams in Gangtok before setting off for the days adventure.
• Begin a long but rewarding 6–7 hour drive through winding Himalayan roads and terraced farmland to Pelling.
• Stop at Buddha Park in Ravangla, where a towering 130 ft golden statue of the seated Buddha rises above manicured gardens and misty hillsides.

Afternoon

• Continue to the natural thermal springs at Legship, nestled by the Rangit River. Enjoy a soak like the locals do, with sulphur-scented steam rising between the boulders.
• Picnic lunch by the river with aloo dum, crispy pakoras, and fresh fruit bought en route.
• Arrive in Pelling and check into a simple but scenic guesthouse with views of snow-capped peaks.
• Dinner of momos, thukpa, and whatever fresh catch the locals have smoked or fried that evening. As well as a few drinks!
• Overnight in Pelling

Friday 11th July – Pelling 

Morning

• Visit Pemayangtse Monastery, one of the oldest and most significant in Sikkim, home to stunning murals and monks in maroon robes.
• Explore the haunting Rabdentse Ruins, once the seat of the Kingdom of Sikkim, now a peaceful archaeological site with commanding views of the surrounding hills.

Afternoon

• Lunch in a rustic tea house with gundruk soup and nutty buckwheat crepes.
• Visit the sacred and glassy Khecheopalri Lake, believed to fulfil wishes. Locals say not even a leaf stays on its surface, birds pluck them away.
• Begin the 4-hour drive to Siliguri, descending from the
  mountains into the plains.
• Arrive in Siliguri in time for a relaxed dinner with Bengali sweets, spicy street chaats, and maybe one last plate of momos before turning in. And as this is our last night, we will also try to find a watering hole for the evening.
• Overnight in Siliguri

Saturday 12th July – Siliguri

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Group A members: Tour concludes with assistance for onward flights or train travel.
• Group B members: Begin the next leg of the journey aboard the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, affectionately known as the Toy Train. Depart Siliguri Station at 10:00am.

Afternoon

• TRIP HIGHLIGHT – Ride the narrow-gauge steam train for six hours of winding curves, mountain tunnels, and postcard-worthy views. Locals wave as the train chugs past villages and tea fields. This is known as one of the most iconic train journeys in the world and is a real trip highlight.
• Arrive into Darjeeling mid-afternoon and check into our charming colonial-era guesthouse.
• Explore the lively Chowrasta square, sip on freshly brewed Darjeeling tea, and maybe sample tea-infused ice cream.
• Dinner of chicken momos, piping hot thukpa, and classic butter tea. In the evening we will also get a chance to explore the quiet village streets.
• Overnight in Darjeeling

Sunday 13th July – Darjeeling Villages – Tea Culture

Morning

• Early start for a sunrise drive to Tiger Hill. If the skies are clear, you’ll see the first rays of sun hit Kanchenjunga’s snow-covered face in a stunning display.
• Visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute museum, home to Everest memorabilia and stories of local Sherpa legends.
• Tour nearby Lepcha and Bhutia villages to meet families who have called these mountains home for generations.

Afternoon

• Lunch with a local host family featuring home-cooked thenthuk, potato curry, and fermented pickles.
• Visit the serene Peace Pagoda and nearby Tibetan refugee settlements, full of history and quiet resilience.
• Dinner at a family-run tea house with yak cheese, buttered breads, and fermented mountain vegetables.
• Overnight in Darjeeling

Monday 14th July – Darjeeling to Bagdogra and End

Morning

• Breakfast with mountain views before boarding our 3-hour private transfer to Bagdogra where you can be dropped off at either the town, train station, or airport.

Afternoon

• Tour concludes with assistance for onward travel from Bagdogra, with flights and train connections to the West Bengal and other major Indian cities.

Read More