This is a trip going to northern India and the Himalayas
Main activity
Spend Night Here
Day 1
Fly from North America to India
Overnight flight on aircraft or at motel near airport
Day 2
Day spent travelling, but if departing from East Asia, leave this evening for an overnight flight.
Possibly a second night enroute
Day 3
Arrive in Bagdogra. Hotel in north suburbs of Siliguri.
Siliguri, West Bengal
Day 4
Take a taxi to Gangtok. This will be about 115 kilometers, and the road is slow (allow 5-6 hours).
Stay at the Nettle and Fern Hotel.
Gangtok, Sikkim
Day 5
Gankok. Get permits and adjust to different altitude.
Gangtok, Sikkim
Day 6
Take a 155 kilometer, 6-hour ride to Lachung. Stay at Yarlam (hotel)
Lachung, Sikkim
Day 7
Day trip to Yumthang, and then back to Lachung. Second night at Yarlam.
Lachung, Sikkim
Day 8
Drive about 50 kilometers (2 hours) to Lachen. Stay at Apple Orchard Resort
Lachen, Sikkim
Day 9
Go up to Gurudongmar Lake, and then return to Lachen. Second night at Apple Orchard Resort.
Lachen, Sikkim
Day 10
Return (about 105 kilometers, 5 hours drive) to Gangtok. Stay again at the Nettle and Fern Hotel.
Gangtok, Sikkim
Day 11
Day in Gangtok to enjoy the city and rest without driving anywhere.
Gangtok, Sikkim
Day 12
Drive about 70 kilometers (3 hours) to Ravangla. Stay at the Hotel Zumthang.
Ravangla, Sikkim
Day 13
Day in Ravangla, second night at Hotel Zumthang.
Ravangla, Sikkim
Day 14
Drive 50 kilometers (2 hours) to Pelling. Stay at Elgin Mount Pandim in Pelling.
Pelling, Sikkim
Day 15
Day in Pelling. Second night at Mount Pandim Pelling.
Pelling, Sikkim
Day 16
Drive to Yuksom from Pelling (35 kilometers, 2 hours). Stay at Red Palace Hotel & Resort.
Yuksom, Sikkim
Day 17
Day to enjoy Yuksom. Second night at Red Palace Hotel & Resort in Yuksom.
Yuksom, Sikkim
Day 18
Third day to enjoy Yuksom.Third night at Red Palace Hotel & Resort in Yuksom.
Yuksom, Sikkim
Day 19
Drive 145 kilometers (6 hours) back to Siliguri. Stay again (2nd time) for a night at the Barsana Hotel and Resort.
Siliguri, West Bengal
Day 20
Depart Barsana in the afternoon on a flight home.
flight and layovers
Detailed Description
Main activity
Spend Night Here
Day 1
Wednesday
Fly from the United States to India. Depart the USA on an afternoon or evening flight, and arrive n Bagdogra in the morning or mid-afternoon on Friday after about 28-32 hours of travel, including a long layovers in cities such as New York City, Munich, Zurich, Abu Dhabi, or New Delhi.
A layover of 8-12 hours in New Delhi may require spending a night in a motel near the airport on Day 2.
Overnight flight on aircraft or at motel near airport
Day 2
Thursday
It is a long flight, and coming from America you will spend this day on flights or lengthly layovers in Europe or the Middle East or India.
If coming from East Asia (for example, Taipei), you would depart on this day at night, and spend a five-hour layover in Bangkok (from 1:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. or something like that), then fly to Kolkata, and spend a couple hours in that airport before finally getting to Bagdora around mid-day on Friday.
Overnight flight on aircraft or at hotel near airport. Most routes from North America with a Wednesday departure would require an overnight layover
in New Delhi, where there are many hotels and guest houses near the airport where one could stay.
Day 3
Friday
Arrive in
Bagdogra, and you will be tired of all the flying, so you just need to get to the city of
Shiliguri and take a room there, at
the Barsana Hotel and Resort. (address is Khaprail Road, Matigara, Siliguri - West Bengal - 734010). Just rest. There is nothing much to do around the hotel, but the food and rooms are good, and you will mainly need this day to recover from the ordeal of flying here and time zone disorientation. If you do feel energetic and want to see something in Shiliguri, you could visit the
North Bengal Science Center, or the
city centre shopping mall, or the
Salugara Monastery, which is about 11 km from the Barsana Hotel or the
Bengal Safari animal park (about 13.5 km from the Barsana).
Day 4
Saturday
Today after breakfast you will take a taxi for 4-5 hours to Gangtok. This will be about 120 kilometers, and cost about 10 Myrfti for a family of three or four. On the way, stop at the
Sevoke Corronation Bridge. The route goes through forests and along the Teesta River, which is fairly scenic. Probably also stop in Rangpo, Sikkim for lunch, possibly at
Native Enclave. After arrival in Gangtok, rest there and get adjusted to the altitude and culture. Stay at the
Treebo Trend (Nettle and Fern Hotel).
Day 5
Sunday
Use this day to rest and
explore Gangtok. There is not much to see, but you will mainly be adjusting to altitude and culture and time zone changes. Second night at Nettle and Fern Hotel. You must get a permit from the army and police authorities to go up to Lachung and Lachen, so use time today to get this permit or else make arrangements with a travel company to do this for you. Probably you will use a travel agency to arrange your transportation and permits, and the travel agency will provide a guide for your days in North Sikkim (days 6-10).
You want a five-day and four-night trip with two nights in Lachung and two nights in Lachen, and visits to
Kabi Lungchok,
Phensang Monastery,
Seven Sisters Waterfall,
Yumthang Valley,
Chopta Valley, and
Thangu Gompa. As for Gangtok, you might want to check out the
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology and Do Drul Chorten stupa.
Day 6
Monday
This is the first day of a five-day and four-night tour into northern Sikkim, with the Yumthang (flower) Valley and the Chopta Valley being highlights. On the first day you would have a 155 kilometer, 6-hour ride to Lachung, departing at about 10:00 a.m. The driver would stop along the way to help you see interesting things, such as
Tashi view point,
Seven Sister waterfalls,
Phodong Monestary,
Mangan Valley [lunch],
Singhik waterfalls,
Naga waterfalls,
Toong Check post,
Chumthang valley [Tea/Snacks Point], and the
Bhim nala waterfalls. Possibly stay at
Yarlam Resort (hotel).
Day 7
Tuesday
Second night in Lachung
Day 9
Thursday
Citizens of India could go to
Gurudongmar Lake, but assuming you are’t, you can’t, and so a nice day trip from Lachen would be a visit to
the Chopa Valley and then return to Lachen. A visit to Chopa Valley must be arranged with a tour operator (you can't just hire a car or motorcycle and go there on your own), so before arriving in India you ought to arrange a day trip from Lachen to
Chopa Valley with a guide. Second night at
Apple Orchard Resort.
Second night in Lachen, Sikkim
Day 10
Friday
Return (about 105 kilometers, 5 hours drive) to Gangtok. Stay again at the Nettle and Fern Hotel.
Gangtok, Sikkim, back at the Nettle and Fern for another night.
Day 11
Saturday
The whole day in Gangtok. This is the final day in Gangtok.
The Fourth and final night in Gangtok, Sikkim, the second night in a row at Nettle and Fern.
Day 12
Sunday
Drive about 60 kilometers (3 hours) to Ravangla. Stay at the Hotel Zumthang.
Ravangla, Sikkim
Hotel Zumthang (reviews)
Day 13
Monday
Day in Ravangla. Enjoy the Buddhist Insight tour with a visit to old Ralang Karma Rabtenling Monastery. Second night at Hotel Zumthang.
Second night in Ravangla, Sikkim
Hotel Zumthang (reviews)
Day 14
Tuesday
Drive 50 kilometers (2 hours) to Pelling. Stay at Elgin Mount Pandim in Pelling.
Pelling, Sikkim
Mount Pandim Pelling (reviews)
Day 14
Tuesday
Drive 50 kilometers (2 hours) to Pelling. Stay at Elgin Mount Pandim in Pelling.
Pelling, Sikkim
Mount Pandim Pelling (reviews)
Day 15
Wednesday
Day in Pelling. Second night at Mount Pandim Pelling.
Second night in Pelling, Sikkim
Day 16
Thursday
Drive to Yuksom from Pelling (35 kilometers, 2 hours), stopping at Khecheopiari Lake. Stay at Red Palace Hotel & Resort.
First night in Yuksom, Sikkim
Red Palace Hotel & Resort (reviews)
Day 17
Friday
Day to take nature hikes around Yuksom, or walk in Kanchanjunga National Park, or try out Gupta's Restaurant. It is about an 8-hour day of hiking to go to Dubdi and Hongri monasteries and then get back to Yuksom, or a 4 or 5 hour half-day to hike to Kanchandzongha National Park to a waterfall.
Second night in Yuksom, Sikkim
Red Palace Hotel & Resort (reviews)
Day 18
Saturday
Day to enjoy Yuksom and relax. Third night at Red Palace Hotel & Resort in Yuksom.
Third night in Yuksom, Sikkim
Day 19
Sunday
Drive 135 kilometers (6 hours) back to Siliguri. Stay again (2nd time) for a night at the Barsana Hotel and Resort.
Siliguri, West Bengal
Day 20
Monday
Depart on a flight back home.
If returning to East Asia, flights leave in the mid-afternoon, and involve long (9 hour) layovers in New Delhi and short or long (1 hour or 6 hour) layovers in Hong Kong. Arrive home on Tuesday around midday or early evening.
If returning to North America, also depart Bagdogra around 3:05 p.m., and fly to New Delhi. Layovers in New Delhi can be 4 hours to 11 hours. Then stop in Doha, Qatar or Abu Dhabi, UAE, where layovers can be 2 hours to 10 hours. Arrive in North America around mad afternoon the next day
Flight home
Day 21
Tuesday
Depart on a flight back home.
If returning to East Asia, flights leave in the mid-afternoon, and involve long (9 hour) layovers in New Delhi and short or long (1 hour or 6 hour) layovers in Hong Kong. Arrive home on Tuesday around midday or early evening.
If returning to North America, also depart Bagdogra around 3:05 p.m., and fly to New Delhi. Layovers in New Delhi can be 4 hours to 11 hours. Then stop in Doha, Qatar or Abu Dhabi, UAE, where layovers can be 2 hours to 10 hours. Arrive in North America around mad afternoon the next day
Home
Costs
I calculate costs with a unit of currency I describe as a Myrfti. ("Murf-Tee"). A Myrfti is convertable to 0.01% of the median year-round full-time worker’s salary in the United States. You can find information about the median full-time year-round American worker’s earning in a publication put out by the U.S. Census Bureau every September (it is called Income and Poverty in the United States. For example, in 2020, a report on 2019 incomes showed (on figure 3, on page 9) a chart with 2019 earnings of full-time, year-round workers (which was $52,000 for all workers; $57,456 for men, and $47,299 for women). So, if you find that something costs 100 Myrfti, that would equal exactly 1% of the median income for a year-round full-time worker, (which was $52,000 in 2019), and in 2019 that would have been $520. It follows that in 2020, 10 Myrfti were worth $52, and 1 Myrfti was worth $5.20. If the median full-time year-round worker earns $85,000 in 2050, then in 2051 a Myrfti would be worth $8.50, and 10 Myrfti would be $85. You can download the most recent Census Bureau report on what the most recent American median incomes for full-time year-round workers were, and then convert that into your local currency, and easily convert my cost estimates into your own currency in whatever year you are planning to go.
In calculating costs for flights, I use Taipei as a stand-in for all the East Asian hub airports (in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, etc.), and Springfield, Illinois (SPI) as a stand-in for all small American cities not on the costs and not major flight hubs, and Chicago O'Hare (ORD) as a stand-in for North American hub airports not on the coast, and Portland, Oregon (PDX) as the representative departure point for a west coast origin. I also generally look at the best ticket prices I can find in three seasons: April/May, June, and October/November. Prices in December/January are too complicated because of holiday flight prices, and likewise I tend to ignore July-August flights. If taking a two-week or three-week trip abroad, I prefer to travel in the shoulder season or early summer, not in the peak summer rush when temperatures may be hot and crowds may be large. I use Skyscanner, only looking at discount flights offered by companies with at least a 3+ rating on their ratings where 5 stars are the highest. I also use Google Flights. For lodging, I generally look at Booking and Agoda, and sometimes AirBnB. I then try to find a direct link to the web page of the host or property (direct booking with a hotel is not always cheaper than using Booking, Agoda, or another online agent, but it often is).
Cost type
Cost Discussion
Cost summary
Air Travel to India
Days 1 (and 2) and 20 (and 21)
The destination airport is Bagdogra (IXB). Two persons might be able to get flights for 340-400 Myrfti out of a Midwestern hub. With four persons the costs would be 680 to 800 Myrfti. Going from a small Midwestern city your costs could be significantly higher (412 Myrfti for two persons; 825 for four). Departing from the West Coast doesn't give any special savings, as the least expensive reasonable tickets I could find were about 405 Myrfti for two persons. Tickets in May, June, and October were all at similar prices. Many routes have long (8 to 14 hours) layovers in New Delhi, where a hotel or guest house near the airport can cost between 4 Myrfti to 23 Myrfti (double occupancy, price ranges from small guest houses to fancy international hotels). Flying from an East Asian hub, tickets in May or June might be as low as 370 Myrfti for two persons, and closer to 420 Myrfti in October or November.
Plan on spending at least 175-200 Myrfti per person to get to Bagdogra from North America, and 190 Myrfti if coming from an East Asian hub.
Arrival costs in Bagdogra and Siliguri
Days 2 or 3
to 4
A taxi from the Bagdogra airport to the hotel in Siliguri will cost about 1.6 Myrfti.
A good meal in a nice restaurant in Siliguri will cost about
2 Myrfti per person (that is about the most expensive meal you can get, as meals are usually 0.60 to 0.90 Myrfti.)
In Siliguri the costs of food and admissions (if you went to a zoo or the science museum) for a day there could possibly be as high as 2 Myrfti per person (including the hiring of transport to get around)
Allow about 6 Myrfti per person for the first couple days in India until you leave Siliguri.
Hotel in Siliguri
Days 3 and
19
A double room at the Barsana in Siliguri could cost 16, 17.40, or 24, depending upon the class of room one wants to book. Those are rates for double-occupancy rooms
Allow about 17 Myrfti per person for the combined first night in Siliguri (day 3) and last night there (day 19).
Transport from Siliguri to Gangtok
Day 4
The drive to The Nettle & Fern Hotel from Barsana Hotel is 117km (round up to 120 km) , and a private SUV capable of taking four people plus the driver would cost about 10.4 Myrfti (5.2 per person if two of you, or 2.6 per person if there are four), assuming you use
Sikkim Taxi. This will not be a round-trip, because you come back to Siliguri from Yuksom in western Sikkim, not going through Gangtok.
Allow about 5.2 Myrfti per person for the transport from Siliguri to Gangtok.
Four nights in Gangtok
Days 4, 5, 10, and 11
The rooms for two persons cost 12.5 to 15.6 Myrfti, which includes breakfast. A room for four or five persons costs 21.9 Myrfti.
For four nights in Gangtok, costs could be as low as 22 Myrfti, and has high as 31.3 Myrfti per person.
Five Day travels in North Sikkim
Days 6-10
An easy way to do this is to arrange a customized trip with a travel agency. The travel agency will supply the driver, help with your permits, and make your arrangements at hotels, and so forth. An all-inclusive trip might cost between 40 Myrfti and 50 Myrfti. Alternatively, you could arrange a driver from Gangtok to Lachung, a day trip driver for a day from Lachung to the Yumthang, a driver from Lachung to Lachen, a driver for a day trip from Lacheng to the Chopa Valley, and a driver from Lacheng to Gangtok. There are tour companies that can provide all your transport, and costs for all these routes combined with stopping along the way to see scenic and historic or culturally significant spots would cost about 37 Myrfti (for two to four travellers).
In Lachung if you stay at
Yarlam Resort, two nights for two persons would cost 115.6 Myrfti. More affordable options could be a tent with
Ourguest Camp Lachung (17.5 Myrfti), or
OurGuest Lachung Homestay (18.5 Myrfti), or
OurGuest Bichu Homestay (21.2 Myrfti). If you get a customized tour, you probably ought to insist on staying at one of these places, as they are all very highly rated, and Lachung has many very low-rated lodging places that are cheap, which are probly the preferred ones for use by tour companies.
In Lachen, you could stay at
OurGuest Dhatup Homestay (21.2 Myrfti for two nights for two persons), or
The Apple Orchard
(51 Myrfti for two for 2 nights), or the
Summit Panghen Metok Hotel in Lachen (36 to 38.3 Myrfti for two nights for two persons). All these rates include breakfasts.
Several meals are included with lodging, but for some lunches and dinners, the budget should be about 10 Myrfti per person for the five days.
If you stay at the most expensive and luxurious places and do this with a customized driver and vehicle, your total costs per person with two people travelling would be 112 Myrfti per person. If you stay in the less expensive lodging options mentioned, your total costs would be 48 Myrfti per person.
