Sikkim Jeep Safari Tour

Upon arrival at Bagdogra Airport, your tour officially begins where our representative will welcome you and continue on a 4 hour uphill journey from Bagdogra to Darjeeling through tea gardens and small towns. You will also occasionally come across the famous Darjeeling Toy Train, crossing your path. Upon arrival in Darjeeling, check in to the hotel and relax overnight.

Early morning visit Tiger Hill for fabulous sunrise views over Mt.Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world at 28,156 ft. Mt. Everest and a host of other Himalayan giants are also seen on the horizon subject to clear weather. On your drive back to the hotel you stop at Ghoom to visit Yigacholing Monastery.

After breakfast you shall visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Zoological Park, Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre and the nearest tea garden to witness the orthodox manufacturing process of Darjeeling Tea. In the evening, stroll around the local market.

Today’s drive is truly a naturalist’s delight. The hillsides and mountain slopes of Sikkim are strewn with bright patches of myriad colors. The lower mountain slopes are abundant with lush green bamboo and ferns.

The northern valleys are draped with wild cherry, oaks, chestnut, pines as well as magnolia variety’s called Magnolia Campbeli and Michelia Doltso-pa. The higher altitudes are abloom with 46 species of Rhododendrons.

Course, Sikkim’s 600 varieties of orchids are everywhere. This day your 05 hours drive is interesting s you move upstream along the river Rangit through dense forests of sal and teak.

Early morning after having breakfast you walk to the Pemayangtse monastery. Here you hear the chanting of the morning prayers by the young and old monks and the smell of the burning Juniferous Squamata and Rhododendron Nivele. Pemayangtse, also known as the “Perfect Sublime Lotus”

Is one of the oldest monasteries of Sikkim and belongs to the Read Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. After visiting his monastery you drive towards Kechpalri Lake – wishing lake and further proceed to Yuksom.

The original capital of Sikkim, the tiny hill town of Yuksom is the base for treks and climbing expeditions to Mt.Kanchenjunga and other important peaks. This day you walk to the coronation throne, Dubdi Monastery and the nearby jungles to see wild orchids like Coelogyne and Dendrobium, as well as the indigenous flora of Sikkim.

The 6 hour drive from Yuksom to Gangtok passes lush green fields of the famous large Sikkimese Cardamoms as well as Golden Rice.

Perched atop of ridge at a height of 1520 mtr lies Gangtok, a quaint, colorful town. This small modernized town is the capital of Sikkim. Here you visit the famous monastery of Rumtek (27 kms away from the main town), which is the headquarters of the Kagyu sect.

Later, you visit the Institute of Tibetology which has a collection of almost 30,000 volumes of diverse subject like astrology, philosophy, magic and religion. After lunch you visit Enchey Monastery, Flower Show, Du Drul Chorten and take a walk around the town..

Today, after breakfast; drive takes you through lush green bamboo thickets intermingled with tropical flora and you arrive at the historical place of “Kabi Logstok” where the Lepchas and Bhutias had their brotherhood treaty. Later you pass scattered villages and terraced paddy fields.

A few kilometers before reaching Mangan (the capital of North Sikkim), you will cross the Rang Rang bridge which is said to be one of the highest bridges in Asia. After Mangan the landscapes turn even more interesting as you encounter magnificent waterfalls cascading down steep mountain walls.

This day you visit Shingba Rhododendron sanctuary set at 12000 ft. Here you find different varieties of Rhododendrons and Pines. Yumthang is also rich in sulphur springs and even the Kings of Sikkim have made their own bathing huts.

The air starts to get cooler as you enter the valley, with towering peaks closing in from all sides. From this point Tibet is only 25 kms as the crow flies. Evening return back to your lodge in Lachung.

After breakfast visit Lachung monastery before commencing the return drive. Lachung is famous for apple and October and November are lively months when the apples are harvested and sent to Gangtok.

On your return drive you will make stop at different places and take short hikes to explore the countryside. You will have a picnic lunch at Singhik, famous for its clear and unobstructed views of Himalayas.

On the last day of the Sikkim Jeep Safari Tour, wake up early in the morning, pack your bag. The 5 hours drive from Gangtok to Bagdogra follows the Teesta river and you will be making stops to see the low altitude Himalayan flora..Finaly; the trek ends as you reach Bagdogra Airport.