KarmaQuest has specially designed this journey to Sikkim, India to give you a taste of daily life in a Himalayan kingdom. A highlight of the trip will be a visit to Karma Lama's family farm house in Temi where you will experience traditional family life and dine on organic farm-grown food. Other activities during this 14 day trip include two days in the quaint village of Kuzing, visits to Sikkim's premier monasteries, dayhikes in the forest and tea gardens, and drives through this amazing undulating landscape, looking onto the snowy Himalaya.

Your tour of Sikkim begins with flight from Delhi to Bagdogra. Three nights in Gangtok include a day visit to Rumtek Monastery, and time to explore and shop for souvenirs in this walker-friendly town. Departing Gangtok, you'll continue your journey to west Sikkim, visiting Pemayangtse Monastery and strolling to holy Lake Khechopalri, where wishes are granted to the pure of heart. During two days in Yuksom you'll be guided on walks through the village and a lovely oak and rhododendron forest and will learn about community-based ecotourism activities underway with support from KarmaQuest.

The next stop is Kuzing village for a two-night homestay with a family. Homestay families have been oriented to the practice of hosting foreign visitors and are well accustomed to their needs and interests. Homestay visits are a favorite of all of our clients. In the words of Tom and Mary Herrmann: "The homestay was the highlight of the trip. We were treated like royalty."

Leaving Kuzing you will drive an hour to Temi, where you'll spend the last two nights at the beautiful Cherry Resort. From Temi, you'll depart Sikkim --leaving a bit of your heart behind in this heavenly corner of the Himalaya – for a return drive to Bagdogra and a flight to Delhi and homeward.

Itinerary:

Day 1    Depart US: En route to Delhi Overnight on board.

Day 2    Arrive in Delhi: KarmaQuest in-country representative staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Delhi. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3   Fly Delhi to Bagdogra (2.5 hrs), drive to Gangtok, Sikkim:
Drive to Gangtok (3-4 hrs hours drive), arriving in the evening. Overnight at hotel. Elevation: (5,800')

Day 4    Gangtok: After a leisurely morning, stroll along the pleasant Mahatma Gandhi Marg, a pedestrian-friendly downtown area where you can pick up souvenirs or people watch from a park bench. Overnight and a welcome dinner.

Day 5    Gangtok: Today you'll venture out of Gangtok to Rumtek Monastery. Built in the traditional Tibetan style of architecture, it is a masterpiece of color and religious art, crowning a hilltop facing Gangtok. Enjoy a leisurely day exploring quiet Martam, with lunch at a garden lodge. Overnight at Gangtok.

Day 6    Gangtok to Pelling/Pemayangtse: Drive to Pemayangtse (5 hrs), through the cardamom farms and tea estates of South Sikkim. Pemayangtse Monastery is the one of the most important and oldest monasteries of Sikkim. Overnight in Pelling (6700').

Day 7    Pemayangtse to Khechopalri, a Wish Fulfilling Lake, and Yuksom: Rise early to see a spectacular sunrise over the Sikkim Himalaya. Drive to one of Sikkim's holiest pilgrimage sites, Khechopalri Lake. Continue on to Yuksom, a picturesque village offering ecotourism activities that benefit local farmers and herders. Overnight in Yuksom (5800').

Day 8    Yuksom: Day Hike and Village Visit: Take a morning village walk of Yuksom, seat of Sikkim's first king's (choegyal's) coronation. Hike up to Dubdi Monastery, oldest in Sikkim, and visit the KCC visitor center. KarmaQuest has a long involvement in ecotourism in Sikkim, working with community organizations such as the Kangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC) in Yuksom. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 9    Homestay in Kuzing: You'll drive several hours to Kuzing, where you'll meet your home-stay hosts and hostesses for a two-night stay in a traditional family home. Stroll the village paths, and enjoy village-organized activities.

Day 10   Homestay in Kuzing: Today you'll hike to a local monastery or to a hill-top look-out point. You will take meals with the family, enjoying tales of yetis and views of the great Himalaya from window.

Day 11    Temi: Say goodbye to your homestay hosts and drive an hour to Temi. You'll visit the nearby tea estate to learn about how tea is grown and made. In the evening relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding the Cherry Resort, your home for three nights. (elev: 5500')

Day 12    Temi: Awaken to the sight of Mt. Kangchendzonga on the horizon. Weather permitting, you'll take a hike to a lookout point and visit the giant statue of Guru Rinpoche, the Indian saint; or just rest and enjoy the fresh mountain. Overnight at hotel.

Day 13    Temi: Enjoy an afternoon visit to Karma Lama's family home and cardamom farm, where you'll unwind with a traditional drink of fermented millet called tongba, before a dinner of delicious rice and curries with Karma's family. (5500')

Day 14    Drive to Bagdogra, fly to Delhi and to the US: Catch an afternoon flight to Delhi. Arrive in Delhi and transfer to international airport for your flight to the US, arriving in the US the same calendar day.

Extension Opportunities:

Delhi and the Taj Mahal: Extend your stay in India with a two to three night guided tour of Agra and the Taj Mahal, the ancient red-sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri, and Delhi.

Other Extensions: Inquire about other short stay options in India (e.g., Goa, Varanasi, Mumbai-Aurangabad) or beyond.


Trip Cost:

4-6 persons US $2995/person

7-10 persons US $2750/person

Single supplement US $500/person

Top