Sikkim Darjeeling 8-day Tour: Toy Train & Monasteries
The Toy Train climbs to one of India's highest railway stations in a single morning.
An 8-day guided tour of Darjeeling and Sikkim starting from Bagdogra Airport with private transportation, an English-speaking guide for the full itinerary, and accommodation at 3-star hotels. The route covers Darjeeling's Toy Train ride to Ghum station, Ghum Monastery, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, tea gardens, and continues through Pelling and Gangtok with visits to Rumtek Monastery, Khecheopalri Lake, and local handicraft centers. Toy Train tickets and all entrance fees are included. Lunch is not covered on most days, and international airfare to Bagdogra is separate.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and evening in Darjeeling
- Meet representative at entry point
- Drive to Darjeeling
- Visit local market and Mall Road
Day 2: Toy Train and Tea Garden tour
- Assemble at hotel reception
- Ride Darjeeling Heritage Toy Train to Ghum
- Visit Ghum railway museum
- Return to Darjeeling by train
- Lunch break
- Visit Tukvar Tea Garden and factory
Day 3: Darjeeling sunrise and sightseeing
- Early morning drive to Tiger Hill for sunrise
- Visit Ghum Monastery
- Return to hotel for breakfast
- Visit Himalayan Zoological Park
- Visit Mountaineering Institute
- Visit Tibetan Refugee Self-help Centre
- Optional climb at Tenzing Rock
- Return to hotel for lunch
- Shopping for handicrafts and souvenirs
Day 4: Transfer to Pelling and leisure
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Pelling with lunch stop
- Obtain Inner Line Permit
- Arrive in Pelling and leisure time
Day 5: Pelling sightseeing tour
- Visit Darap village
- Visit Khecheopalri Lake
- Visit Khangchendzongha waterfalls
- Visit Pemayangtse Monastery
- Visit Rabdantse Ruins
Day 6: Transfer to Gangtok via Ravangla
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Gangtok with lunch stop
- Visit Ravangla Buddha statue and relax
- Arrive in Gangtok and leisure time
Day 7: Gangtok sightseeing and optional paragliding
- Breakfast at hotel
- Paragliding tour (optional)
- Visit Rumtek Monastery and meditate
- Return to Gangtok for lunch
- Visit Cottage Industry and Handicraft Centre
- Visit Institute of Tibetology
- Visit Dro-dul Chorten
- Explore local market
Day 8: Departure from Gangtok
- Assemble at hotel reception
- Travel to next destination (Bagdogra Airport or others)
- Obtain exit stamp on passport
The experience
Eight days means you move through three regions without rushing (Darjeeling, Pelling and Gangtok), and stay long enough in each to see both the main sights and the quieter corners. A private car waits for you throughout, which matters because the roads between towns run 5 to 6 hours and the sightseeing days start before dawn. Your guide speaks English and stays with you the whole time, so the commentary on Ghum Monastery's 15-foot Maitreya Buddha statue, the tea-plucking methods at Tukvar estate, and the history of Rumtek Monastery comes in real time, not through a headset.
Day two splits between the Toy Train and tea. The steam engine (a 100-year-old heritage model, unless you book at the last moment) departs at 10:30 am from Darjeeling's main station and climbs 5 miles to Ghum, one of India's highest railway stations, in 2 to 3 hours. You explore the heritage station and its free railway museum before riding back. After lunch, the afternoon takes you to Tukvar tea garden, where you walk the plantation and see how the leaves move from bush to factory floor. Day three starts at 3:30 am to catch sunrise at Tiger Hill, then moves to Ghum Monastery and the Himalayan Zoological Park by mid-morning, leaving the afternoon free to shop for handicrafts or rest.
The route then crosses into Sikkim: a state that requires an Inner Line Permit for foreign nationals, which your guide obtains using copies of your visa and passport. Pelling sits in the hills for two days of sightseeing: Darap village, Khecheopalri Lake and its waterfalls in the morning, then Pemayangtse Monastery and the ruins of Rabdantse in the afternoon. Gangtok, the capital, gets a full day with optional paragliding (an extra cost) and visits to Rumtek Monastery, the Cottage Industry and Handicraft Centre, the Institute of Tibetology, and Dro-dul Chorten. The final day is transfer only, with time to get your exit stamp before heading to the airport.
What’s included
- Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle for the entire tour.
- accommodation in 3-star hotels (Jai Hotel and Spa in Darjeeling, Summit Newa Regency in Pelling, Udaan Woodberry in Gangtok) in deluxe rooms with twin sharing.
- an English-speaking guide for all eight days.
- Darjeeling Toy Train tickets on the heritage steam engine.
- entrance fees to Ghum Monastery, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Pemayangtse Monastery, Rumtek Monastery, the railway museum at Ghum, the Institute of Tibetology, and Dro-dul Chorten.
- Inner Line Permit arrangement for Sikkim.
- all taxes and fees.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
Operated by I Am Himalaya
Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary on monasteries, tea estates and local history without translation delays. Book this one if you want context woven into each stop rather than a self-guided route.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).
How long does the Toy Train ride take and where does it go?
The Toy Train departs at 10:30 am from Darjeeling's main station and runs for 2 to 3 hours total, climbing 5 miles to Ghum, one of India's highest railway stations, before returning to town. You explore Ghum station and its railway museum during the stop.
What is Ghum Monastery and what will I see there?
Ghum Monastery, also called Yiga Choeling, belongs to the Gelukpa or Yellow Hat sect and is known for its 15-foot-high statue of the Maitreya Buddha. The visit happens on the morning of day three, after sunrise at Tiger Hill.
Do I need a special permit to visit Sikkim, and who arranges it?
Foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit to enter Sikkim. Your guide obtains it for you using copies of your visa and passport. The process is handled before you arrive in Pelling.
What is included in the tour cost and what do I pay separately?
The package includes private transportation, accommodation at 3-star hotels, the Toy Train tickets, all entrance fees, and your English-speaking guide for all eight days. Lunch is not included on most days, and any flights or trains to reach Bagdogra Airport are separate.
What happens on the first and last days?
Day one is arrival: your guide meets you at Bagdogra Airport, Bhadrapur or Phuntsholing and drives you to Darjeeling (3 to 6 hours depending on entry point), then takes you to the local market and Mall Road in the evening. Day eight is departure only: no sightseeing, just transfer to your next destination after you get your exit stamp.
Sikkim Darjeeling 8-day Tour: Toy Train & Monasteries
8d · EN
from US$ 850 per person
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