This is a specially designed holiday that gives the inquisitive traveller an opportunity to explore and discover the marvels of the erstwhile capital of British India and its foreign settlements and the territories around. Kolkata (Calcutta), the capital of West Bengal, is still considered a cultural and intellectual heart of India. Wildlife trip to the Sunderbans National Park & Tiger Reserve – a World Heritage Site – will add further excitement to this journey. Finally up in the Lesser Ranges of the Eastern Himalayas, the picturesque hill-stations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, their ambience reminiscent of the bygone British Raj, provide a complete contrast to this holiday. Leisurely walks over peaceful hill paths and fine views of the colossal Himalayan peaks; inviting tea gardens stretching over fertile mountain slopes and charming flower nurseries abloom with orchids; all these are a fitting finale to this wonderfully crafted trip.
Duration: 16 days
Best time: mid October to April
Highlights: explore old foreign territories; boat cruise on Hooghly River; rickshaw ride through narrow lanes of the old town; traditional cultural evening; jungle activities in national park; temples; indigenous culture & every day life of local residents; nature walk in hill-stations for scintillating views of the Greater Himalaya; tea Gardens & orchid / flower nurseries
Physical challenge: Overall moderate
Festival: Dusshera (worship of Goddess Kali is celebrated with pomp and show during October)
Route: Kolkata – Basanti – Sunderbans – Basanti – Kolkata – Vishnupur – Shantiniketan University – Kolkata – Bagdogra – Darjeeling – Kalimpong – Bagdogra – Kolkata
