Welcome to India! Upon arrival in Delhi a HIM-NATs guide/representative will be at the airport to greet and take us to our hotel. Please look out for your name-card once you exit out of arrival area.
Rest of the day free for independent activities.
Transfer to airport in Delhi after breakfast and take any convenient morning flight to Bagdogra. If the weather is clear we will get a superb view of the Himalayas from the plane including the giants of Dhaulagiri, Annapurnas, Makalu, Nanda Devi and of course Kanchenjunga
Arrive Bagdogra Airport and drive to Darjeeling, charming 3-4 hour journey, approx. 70 km. through tea plantations and tiny villages. The Darjeeling is situated on top of a ridge and it faces high Himalaya’s and is a popular destination for Tourists. It is a beautiful hill station and known as ‘the Queen of the hills’ noted for its scenic beauty, lush forests, quaint houses, friendly people, the mountain panorama etc. It was a popular hill station for English when they ruled India. Overnight stay in Darjeeling.
In the morning, drive to Tiger Hill (8,400 feet) to chase down and see the stunning view of the sun rising throwing it pinkish glow on the landscapes. View the high mountain peaks i.e. Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga etc. and after spending some time at the tiger hill, embark on a drive to the hotel via Ghum Monastery, which is famed for its 15-feet high statue of "Maitreya Buddha" and Batasia Loop, famous for its war memorial.
Enjoy scrumptious breakfast at the hotel and then go for the city sightseeing tour, visiting Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Pandit Nehru Zoological Park (Thursday closed), Tenzing Rock, Tibetan Refugee self-help Centre (Sunday closed), Tea Garden (outer view), Ropeway. Also it is possible to take a short joy ride on toy train (Darjeeling Himalayan Railway- A UNESCO world heritage). Remainder of the day for independent activities or at leisure. Overnight stay in Darjeeling.
Today, we’ll drive north from Darjeeling into western Sikkim, passing rich, green tea fields on the way. It is a downhill drive from Darjeeling until you reach Rangeeth River (a tributary of Testa river). Cross the river and then start uphill/gradual drive towards Yuksum crossing the border between Darjeeling & Sikkim at Jorethang.
As most of the Sikkim lies at a lower altitude than Darjeeling, the countryside here is far more verdant, with dozens of little streams trickling down the valleys between the emerald hills. Cross alpine forests, pass flowery meadows, witness sacred flickering prayer flags and gaze up at snowy Himalayan peaks. Sikkim is a tiny pocket of staggering natural beauty, tucked away in the fertile foothills of the Himalayas. With rich green valleys, bright rhododendron fields, working farms and friendly locals, it’s a wonderful place to explore. The drive will take you along the gushing river and continuing uphill, you will be crossing a bridge in Legship to reach Yuksom. Arriving in the small town, check-in into a hotel for overnight stay.
Today will be the first day of this remarkable trek for 4-6 hours. Waking up in the morning, start ascending uphill and follow the gorges of the Rathong River. Trekking through the lush thickets of magnolia, rhododendron and ferns, proceed towards the Paha Khola Bridge. On the way, relish a packed lunch and keep ourselves energized for the rest of the trek; be prepared to spot exotic orchids, colourful flowers, beautiful birds and monkeys along the hike! Arriving in Sachen, settle down into the campsite and call it a day.
While on today’s trek, we will be making your way uphill and through scenic forests of rhododendrons; we can expect well-laid trails on the way. Moving from here, a short trek will finally take us to Phedang and the days trek shall take approx. 4 hours. Overnight stay in Phedang.
After breakfast in the Phedang campsite, we will get ready for another scenic uphill trek, and with this trek, we will be crossing 4,000 m in the Himalayas! With this remarkable feat, enjoy your packed lunch and relax around the scenic vistas to get acclimatised to the higher altitudes. A further climb after relaxation will finally take we to the Dzongri, from where we can have mesmerising views of the Koktang, Rathong, Kabru, Khangchendzonga, Simvo and Pandim peaks. The days trek shall take approx. 4-6 hours. Overnight stay in Dzongri.
Starting with a gradual ascend, today we will climb around 1 mile and advent towards a low-ridge (4,115 m), from where the chortens and the colorful prayer flags overtakes the views! The astounding views of the Kanchenjunga and Pandim peaks will keep you enchanted all through the way.
Hereafter, the trek starts descending down towards Pandim and will take us through rhododendron forests and the Prek Chu River. Take a lunch break in a trekking lodge within the vicinity and continue trekking for another 1.5 hours to make it to Thangshing and the days trek shall take around 6 hours. Overnight stay in Thangshing.
Start the day early in order to avoid the harsh climatic conditions that might hinder our course in the latter part of the day. Climbing uphill through the moraines, we will then be descending to the Samiti Lake and then cross the Zemathang Plateau. From here, we will once again start ascending over a moraine and after trekking for around 1 hour, will reach the Goecha La Pass. Arriving at this magnificent pass, behold the magical views of the Kanchenjunga and other distant peaks before you start moving back towards Thansing for an overnight stay. The days trek shall be approx. 8- 9 hours. Overnight stay in Thansing or at Lamuney.
Waking up early in the morning, enjoy the enchanting views of the Kanchenjunga Peak from a nearby ridge and start trekking back towards Tshoka. Today, we will be taking a route through the Dzongri Plateau in order to avoid the long climb. The trail passes through Prek Chu and the deciduous forests of Phedang. Arriving in Tshoka, settle down for the overnight stay in camps. The days trek shall be for 5-6 Hours. Overnight in Tshoka.
Today, descending through the Prek Chu River, we will be arriving in Yuksom, the last leg of this astounding Trek. The days trek shall roughly take 5-6 Hours.
Arrive in Yuksum in the afternoon and check-in into a local hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. With this, the amazing Goecha la Trek shall come to an end. Overnight stay in Yuksom.
After a leisurely breakfast, prepare our bags and check-out from the hotel. Leave Yuksum and drive to Kalimpong for overnight.
We can relax here for the rest of the day while enjoying the views of the surrounding Himalayan foothills. Overnight stay in Kalimpong.
After breakfast we drive down to Bagdogra airport to get our flight back to Delhi. Transfer from Delhi domestic airport to hotel.
Rest of the day is free for your individual activities or undertake a sightseeing tour of Old Delhi (Optional).
Evening farewell dinner at the hotel or at very good local Restaurant. Overnight stay in Delhi.
Transfer to airport for your homeward-bound flight.
Price: US$ 2,070 PER PERSON (TWIN SHARING BASIS | BASED ON MINIMUM 4 PERSONS)
Single Supplement: US$ 345