North East India

Sikkim & Darjeeling

Snow-fed lakes, monasteries and Kanchenjunga sunrises

Best time to visitMarch – June and October – December

Ideal trip length6 – 8 days

How to reachFly to Bagdogra (IXB) or take a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP). Gangtok is about 4–5 hours and Darjeeling about 3 hours by road; Pakyong airport near Gangtok has a few flights.

High-altitude lakes, flower valleys and Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim — tea gardens, the toy train and the famous Kanchenjunga sunrise in Darjeeling. Our local office in Gangtok makes this our home ground.

Tucked between Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, Sikkim is one of India's smallest states — and one of its most beautiful. In a single trip you can stand beside a frozen lake at more than 12,000 feet, walk through a valley carpeted with rhododendrons and spend the evening on the cafés and promenades of Gangtok's MG Marg.

Gangtok, the capital, is the base for East Sikkim: Tsomgo (Changu) Lake, Baba Mandir and Nathula on the old trade route to Tibet. To the north, the villages of Lachung and Lachen lead to Yumthang Valley, Zero Point and the high, sacred Gurudongmar Lake. In the west, Pelling looks straight at the Kanchenjunga range and the old Pemayangtse Monastery, and in the south Ravangla and Namchi are known for their giant statues and quiet tea estates.

Just across the border in West Bengal, Darjeeling adds its own magic: sunrise over Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill, the century-old Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Batasia Loop, monasteries and endless tea gardens. Sikkim and Darjeeling fit together beautifully in one holiday — and with our team in Gangtok, permits, roads and timings are handled by people who live here.

Things to do

Yak ride beside Tsomgo Lake
Gangtok ropeway and an evening on MG Marg
Sunrise over Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill
Toy train joy ride in Darjeeling
Tea tasting at a Darjeeling estate
Snow at Zero Point (season permitting)
Monastery visits — Rumtek, Enchey, Pemayangtse
Local Sikkimese food: momos, thukpa and more

Good to know

Tsomgo Lake, Nathula and North Sikkim (Lachung, Lachen) need permits — we arrange them; keep a photo ID and passport-size photos ready.
Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit for Sikkim, and some areas (such as Nathula) are open to Indian citizens only.
Roads in North Sikkim can close after heavy rain or snow — we keep plans flexible and update you on the ground.
Carry warm clothes even in summer: the high lakes are cold and windy.
Take it easy on your first day at altitude and drink plenty of water.

Top places to visit

Must-see in Sikkim & Darjeeling

Tsomgo (Changu) Lake

A glacial lake at about 12,300 ft, around 40 km from Gangtok — frozen in winter, ringed by snow and alpine flowers in spring.

Yumthang Valley & Zero Point

The “Valley of Flowers” of North Sikkim, bright with rhododendrons in April–May and snow in winter; Zero Point lies higher up the road.

Gurudongmar Lake

One of the highest lakes in the world at about 17,800 ft, sacred to Buddhists and Sikhs, reached from Lachen.

Rumtek Monastery

One of the largest monasteries in Sikkim, about 24 km from Gangtok, with colourful prayer halls and a peaceful courtyard.

Pelling & Pemayangtse

Close-up views of the Kanchenjunga range, the 17th-century Pemayangtse Monastery and the ruins of Rabdentse.

Tiger Hill, Darjeeling

Watch the first light turn Kanchenjunga gold — the classic Darjeeling sunrise.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Ride the famous “toy train” — a UNESCO World Heritage railway — past Ghum and the Batasia Loop.

Darjeeling tea gardens

Walk the green slopes of the estates that grow the “champagne of teas”, and taste a fresh cup at the source.

Gangtok & MG Marg

Sikkim’s lively capital: the pedestrian MG Marg, the ropeway, viewpoints and monasteries all around town.

Holiday packages