Day 1 – Bagdogra to Neora Valley
Our trip began with a pick-up from Bagdogra airport and a drive to Kolakham village, which is located on the outskirts of the Neora Valley National Park. The drive passed through the beautiful Coronation bridge and then continued with miles and miles of tea estates on both sides of the road. We were driving through the clouds as we neared Lava village. Neora valley is one of the richest biological zones in North-East India and is situated on the tri-junction of West Bengal, Sikkim, and Bhutan. The thick forest canopy consisting of Oaks, Pine, Firs, and Ferns made it difficult for even sunlight to filter through.
Coming from 40 degree Celsius to 10 and below, we had a freezing night. 🙂
It was the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. (Though Jio had full range, and it was possible to keep a tab on the IPL scores. 🙂 )
Day 2 – Neora Valley
Sunrises are early in the northeast and hence unwillingly the day starts early too. The early morning clear sky gave us a glimpse of the snow peaks in the silk route. The jungle camp also offers stunning views of Kanchenjunga, but we were not lucky enough to see them due to hazy skies in that direction.
After a delicious breakfast of sel roti, we set out for a half-day excursion to the fabled Changay falls. The falls are located at a 30-minute drive and we need to hike for 45-minute through a meandering trial. The walk was invigorating, and I felt my lungs fill with fresh mountain air. The sight of the waterfall was nothing short of breathtaking. The water was crystal clear, cold and refreshing. In the second half of the day, we went for a leisurely walk around the place, absorbing the tranquility of the place.
Day 3 – Neora to Kalimpong
By late morning, we drove to Kalimpong, taking a brief halt at Lava monastery on the way followed by a short detour to Silrey Gaon. The views from the Lava monastery were stunning but the same cannot be said of Silrey Gaon. The road to Silrey Gaon was in a very bad state and due to the hazy weather, we were not lucky to catch a glimpse of Kanchanjunga. We reached our hotel and then explored the neighborhood on foot. Art Cafe was a good place for some quick bite and good views.
Day 4 – Kalimpong
In the morning, we started with Tharpa Choling monastery, where we learned about different schools of Buddhism. On our way to Delo Hill, we took a stop at the golf course with inviting greens and stunning views and sit outs. We then stopped at Delo Hill, the highest point in Kalimpong. There is a para gliding center here and a few people were trying it out. Although it was tempting, considering the safety standards, we skipped it. On the way back, we drove through Dr. Grham’s home, one of the oldest boarding schools in the region. We also visited Hanuman tok and also the Buddha Park. These points are popular on Instagram.
Lunch at Cafe Kalimpong, another good place vocal for local.
This program takes about half a day and gives ample time to rest or roam around the markets in the evening.
Kalimpong has more laid-back vibes. A place to rest and chill and take some hikes around. It had clearer skies and gave us our only shot at Kanchanjunga in this trip, even if it was for only about an hour.
Day 5 – Kalimpong to Darjeeling
Post breakfast we started our journey towards Darjeeling, the Queen of the hill stations. On the way, we took stops at the point of confluence of the river Teesta and river Rangit and also at the various tea estates all along the way.
We then started our drive towards Lamahatta gardens. The drive passed through pine forests. Lamahatta gardens is a popular tourist destination. It has thick pine forests and has a hike trail of around 800 meters which takes you to the sacred lake at the top.
After a brief visit to Ghoom monastery we checked in to our hotel. In the evening, we walked around Chowrasta and Mall Road, taking in the sights and sounds of the place. It had just rained and so the overall ambience was fresh and warm. It was nice to visit Keventers for “Barfi” vibes and our personal favorite, “Hope Glenarys” for yum bakes 🙂
Overnight rain had us hoping for clear skies and favorable weather to enjoy an unobstructed view of Kanchenjunga. However, as it remained hazy, we chose to sleep in late and skipped Tiger Hill.
Day 6 – Darjeeling
After breakfast, we visited the beautiful Japanese Peace Pagoda. We then went for a ride on the historic Darjeeling Hill Railway, popularly referred to as the Joy ride. Our tickets were pre booked online. There are multiple train options available, and you can also choose between Steam engine and Deisel engine. It would be good to set your expectations right, this is no scenic drive. The train runs along the road all along. It takes 15 minutes break at Batasia loop and then another 20 minutes at Ghoom museum. Total train time just over 2 hours. Kids enjoy this ride and adults too, if you set the right expectations.
We skipped lunch and later in the afternoon, we visited the Zoological Park, where we observed rare animals like the Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, and Red Panda. Note : The zoo is closed on Thursdays. We loved this zoo, as it was our first sighting of snow leopard and the red panda. Overall, it was worth a visit. We were fascinated to see these rare and endangered animals up close and to learn about their habitats and behaviors. It also houses Himalayan mountaineering institute.
After the long day we finally took a break at Mall Road and called it a day.
Day 7 – Darjeeling to Kurseong
Today we drove to our last pitstop – Kurseong, the largest tea producing belt of Darjeeling. On the way we took a tea break at Margaret’s Deck which is a cute little dine-in surrounded by tea estate. There were multiple types of tea on the offering along with fresh bakes. Although we love tea, our preferred version is milk tea, all other versions taste like green tea to us 🙂
After a quick checkin to our heritage hotel, we stopped at the Makaibari tea estate, which produces one of the best organic teas in the world. We walked through the tea garden, learning about the tea product on process, from plucking the tea leaves to the final packaging.
We relaxed for the remainder of the day, taking in the beauty of the lush tea gardens and the tranquil surroundings of Kurseong. In the evening, we had a quiet dinner at our hotel and prepared for our departure the next morning. We were sad to be leaving this enchanting place but were grateful for the unforgettable experiences and memories we had gained during our trip.
Special mention of the delicious food along the trip.
Fact File
Travel:
Pune-Delhi-Bagdogra(round trip) by AirAsia flight.
Internal transfers by Innova: Deoraj 7908509084
Stay:
Neora Valley Jungle Camp: Our Rating **** (Lovely duplex cottage and food)
Kalimpong: Soods Garden: Our Rating *** (The new construction at the back blocks the valley view of the premium room, good breakfast), Alternative stay option would be Mayfair
Darjeeling: Villa Everest: Our Rating *** (Good rooms with heaters, location close to mall road)
Kurseong: Cochrane Place: Our Rating ****(Good rooms, good food, heritage)
Trip arrangement by Kipepeo.
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