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DAY
01 |
DELHI |
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Previous day or early morning,
arrive in Delhi and transfer to hotel.
Sightseeing : QUTAB MINAR - HUMAYUN'S TOMB
- RED FORT - RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN - INDIA GATE...
NEW DELHI : New Delhi is the capital of India and its third-largest
city. In Old Delhi you will find many mosques, monuments
and forts relating to India's Muslim history. The other
Delhi in New Delhi, the imperial city created as the capital
of India by the British. It is a spacious, open city and
contains many embassies and government buildings. |
| DAY 02 |
DELHI - BAGDOGRA (flight)
- DARJEELING (car) |
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| DARJEELING : Straddling a ridge at
2134 m and surrounded by tea plantations on all sides,
Darjeeling has been a very popular hill station since
the British. Here you will find yourself surrounded by
mountain people from all over the eastern Himalaya who
have come to work, to trade or - in the case of the Tibetans
as refugees. |
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| DAY 03 |
DARJEELING |
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Free day to explore the area and and
get used to the bicycles.
Darjeeling is a fascinating place where you can see Buddhist
monasteries, visit a tea plantation and see how the tea
is processed, go for a ride on the chairlift, spend days
hunting for bargains in colorful markets and handicraft
shops, or go trekking to high - a altitude spots near
the border with Sikkim.
Like many places in the Himalaya, half the fun is in getting
there and Darjeeling has the unique attraction of the
famous toy train. This miniature train loops and switchbacks
its way up the steep mountainsides from New Jalpaiguri
to Darjeeling. |
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| DAY 04 |
DARJEELING - PEMAYANGTSE |
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PEMAYANGTSE means "the subline perfect
lotus" signifying purity and was originally built as a
small thankhang in the early 17th century by Gewala Lhatsun
Chempo, on the three Tibetan lamas who gathered at Yuksom
in 1642 to choose Sikkim's first Chogyal.
There is a statue of him inside behind the alter, to the
right of the central figure Guru Rinpoche, or Padmasambhava.
The thankhang was later expanded during the third Chogyal's
reign in the early 18th century by a reincarnation of
Lhatsun Chempo. It is paramount of the Nyingmapa monasteries
and regarded as Sikkim's most prestigious center of religious
learning. |
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| DAY 05 |
PEMAYANGTSE |
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| Free day to explore nearby villages. |
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| DAY 06 |
PEMAYANGTSE - SINGTAM |
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| DAY 07 |
SINGTAM - RUMTEK |
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RUMTEK : Rumtek is now the residence
of His Holiness‚ (the reincarnate) and the headquarters
of Dharma Chakra Religion Center. Rumtek Monastery is
the largest monastery of its kind outside Tibet.
It is a splendid example of Tibetan monastic art, traditional
architecture, intricately carved and painted woodwork.
and is an important center of Kagyu teachings.
Rumtek is the seat of the Kagyu order - one of the 4 major
Tibetan Buddhist sects - since the late 1960's the center
houses some of the world's most unique religious art objects,
traditional in design it is almost a replica of the original,
Kagyu headquarters in Tibet. |
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| DAY 08 |
RUMTEK - GANGTOK |
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GANGTOK (1500 m) meaning "Hilltop",
is the capital of Sikkim‚ and has a population of around
30,000. First established in 1716, Gangtok still retains
its charming architectural style with the pagoda-like
wooden houses, painted turquoise roofs and colorful bazaars.
High above the town on a ridge that commands magnificent
views of the Himalayas, is the most arresting and important
building in Gangtok, the Tsuklakhang. It is a royal Gompa‚
(monastery) of the former Chogyals‚ (kings) of Sikkim.
It has an elegant structure in traditional Sikkimise style,
carved and painted woodwork, superb murals, thankas and
precious Buddhist treasures.
While in Gangtok you can visit the Orchid Sanctuary‚ with
over 500 varieties of orchids, and the Institute of Tibetology
which is established for research in the Mahayana Secretariat
Building‚ and an afternoon at Rumtek‚ are a must.
The lepchas‚ are oldest inhabitants of Sikkim. These tribal
people migrated to Sikkim around the 12th Century. Now
the population is mixed. comprising of the Nepalese /
Lepchas and Bangalies.
Gangtok, for many years isolated from the foreigners,
still maintains the old-world Shangri-La‚ atmosphere.
The charms of the Sikkimise, the elegance of their costume,
the gentle pace of their life-style and the magic of the
Kanchenjunga mountain range, makes Gangtok, one of most
delightful places in the foot-hills of the Himalayas. |
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| DAY 09 |
GANGTOK. Sightseeing. |
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HANDICRAFT CENTRE : Instituted with
the aim of promoting and keeping alive the state's traditional
art and crafts, the center is a storehouse of hand-woven
woolen carpets with traditional motifs, blankets, shawls
in Lepcha weaves and exquisitely carved Choktse tables
and many other gift items.
ENCHEY MONASTERY : An important seat of the Nyingma
order, the Enchey monastery is built on the site blessed
by Lama Druptob Karpo, a tantric master known for his
powers of flying. This 200 year old monastery has on its
premises images of gods, goddesses and other religious
objects.
DO-DRUL CHORTEN : The Do-drul Chorten or stupa
was built by the venerable
Trulsi Rinpoche head of the Nyimgma order of Tibetan Buddhism,
in 1945. Inside this Stupa are a complete mandalas set
of Dorje Phurpa, a set of Ka-gyur relics, complete Zung
( mantras ) and other religious objects.
RESERCH INSTITUTE OF TIBETOLOGY : The most prestigious,
one of its kind in India - this Buddhist institute houses
on display a vast collection of rare Lepcha, Tibetan and
Sanskrit manuscripts, statues and rare Thankas used in
Buddhist litergy, over 200 Buddhist icons and other prized
objects of art. Today it is a renowned worldwide center
for study of Buddhist philosophy and religion.
TASHI VIEW POINT : Situated along the north Sikkim
highway, from this point you get a breathtaking view of
Mount KANCHENJUNGA and Mount SINIOLCHU - one of the most
graceful peaks in the world. |
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| DAY 10 |
GANGTOK - KALIMPONG |
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| KALIMPONG : is a bustling and rapidly
expanding, through still relatively small bazaar town
set amongst the rolling foothills and deep valleys of
the Himalaya at an altitude of 1250 meters. It was once
part of the lands belonging to the rajas of Sikkim, until
the beginning of the 18th century when it was taken from
them by the Bhutanese. In the 19th century it passed into
the hands of the British and became part of west Bengal.
It became a center for Scottish missionary activity in
the late 19th century and Dr. Graham's orphanage and school
is still running today. |
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| DAY 11 |
KALIMPONG - BAGDOGRA (car)
- DELHI (flight) |
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| DAY 12 |
DELHI. Rest and shopping.
Transfer to airport. |
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