This trip takes one into an unspoilt part of Western Sikkim free from the bright lights of Gangtok and Changu Lake. Our base is the small village of Kaluk-Rinchinpong with the beautiful and comfortable Ghonday Village Resort. We stay here for four nights and make day trips and day walks around this area in the shadow of Mount Kangchenjunga. This is one of the easy tours in Sikkim which covers the finest views of Kangchenjunga much closer than the views from Darjeeling.
This trip is a good post covid exercise as people have been housebound for many months and have been looking to get back into the outdoors and breathe some fresh mountain air. It is a spectacular outing in post monsoon weather with clear blue skies and white peaks.
HIGHLIGHTS
A five day four nights holiday in unspoilt West Sikkim in a covid free environment.
Walk 3-4 hours a day ( 5-6 km) and return at night to the beautiful Ghonday Village Resort in Rinchinpong/Kaluk with comfortable rooms, hot showers, good meals and great mountain views.
Look out on the Kangchenjunga range from your bedroom window.
Verdant forests of the Eastern Himalaya rich in bird life flowers, ferns and orchids.
Monastic and village walks give a flavour of Sikkim away from the crowds of Gangtok and Rumtek in east Sikkim.
Ideal for those of you thinking of a longer trek but need to build confidence with short day walks.
Day 1: Kolkata to Rinchinpong We reach Bagdogra by lunchtime and then transfer to our vehicles for the 5 hour drive to Rinchinpong/Kaluk to the Ghonday Village Resort our home for the next four nights. Dinner at the resort with a roaring fire and then to bed for the night. If we are lucky we can see Kangchenjunga by moonlight from our rooms.
Day 02: Walk from our resort uphill to Reesum Monastery 2-3 hours and then visit Rinchinpong monastery below.
The trail leaves our resort and begins a pleasant steady uphill climb through a forested path. It is a beautiful walk with lots of ferns, lianas, rhododendrons and azaleas. We pass small village houses in the clearing and continue up to the abandoned monastery which is now almost in ruins. There is a very fine view of Kangchenjunga from the monastery on a clear day. We spend some time on the top and then walk down to the Rinchingpong monastery which a fully functioning monastery. From here we can have our transport pick us up and take us for lunch.
Day 03: Drive to Uttarey one hour and then do a Uttarey village walk for 2-3 hours mainly downhill
We leave the resort in the morning by 8 am after breakfast and drive to Uttarey 1924 metres past the village of Dentam and the beautiful Singshore bridge. We then drive up 30 minutes from Uttarey to the Hillary Tenzing Memorial Park with the huge statues of the first summiteers of Everest. The car leaves us here and then we walk downhill through small village paths and stone steps passing beautiful houses decked with flowers, local produce and have a first hand chance to view Sikkim village life away from the cities. The walk should take us around 2 hours after which we can have lunch in Uttarey. After lunch we can visit the Trout farm which is around 20 minutes away and then drive back to our resort by late afternoon.
Day 04: Drive to Chakung in the morning 45 minutes and then walk up from Chakung to Durpenay Dara one hour up
We leave our resort after breakfast around 8.30 am and then drive to Chakung which would take around one hour. We then start our one hour walk uphill to the viewpoint to Durpenay Dara. Thw walk is very peaceful along the ridge with the valley on one side and the forest on the other. We cn also seea lot of birds and butterflies on the way. If the weather is clear we can get a good view from the top. The return is back the same way and we should be in time for lunch at Chakung and return to our hotel by afternoon
Day 5 : We leave Rinchinpong by 7 am and are down in Bagdogra by lunch time – we can have lunch at the airport restaurant and catch our 3 pm flight to Kolkata.
December 17th to 21st 2023
For Indian Nationals Indian Rs 50,000/- including taxes
The cost is per person for Bagdogra to Bagdogra (5 days ) as per the itinerary given.
Costs given above are at current rates and may change without notice. Changes if any will be notified 3 months before the tour.
Costs include
All necessary permits including covid permits to enter Sikkim as per the current rules.
Four nights hotel stay at Ghonday Village Resort Kaluk/Rinchinpong on a twin sharing basis.
All meals on the tour are covered if we are travelling during the day then packed lunch will be provided.
Cost of guide and support staff as needed
All transport Bagdogra to Bagdogra is covered. Due to covid restrictions only four passengers will be allowed in a Xylo/ Ertiga or Inova.
Costs not included
Flight Cost/Train costs to reach Bagdogra/New Jalpaiguri
Breakfast or lunch on the way Bagdogra to Rinchinpong and back is not covered.
Medical insurance of any kind.
Personal clothing and equipment; medicines for personal use etc.
Air fare from residence country to India and back
Cost of covid negative test if needed and any other test like rapid antigen test in Sikkim if required – presently no covid test is needed for Sikkim.
Tips at hotel and to local staff at the end of tour – we will give a guideline on this before the tour.
Sujoy Das
+919831054569
[email protected]
CANCELLATION POLICY
The cancellation policy and refunds available are given below:
0-7 days before the start of the trek =75%
8 -15 days before the start of the trek = 50%
16-30 days before the start of the trek = 35%
31-45 days before the start of the trek = 25%
46 days and above = 15%
IN CASE OF LEAVING THE GROUP
If due to illness or any other reason a client has to leave the group and go down or wait at a campsite for the group to pick him/her up on the way back, all expenses including lodging, fooding and any porter/guide related expenses if any are to be borne by the individual client over and above the trek fees paid for the trek. There are also no refunds for leaving a trek before completion.
HIRING OF PONIES ETC
In the eventuality of a client needed the services of a pony to come down to lower altitudes, the cost of hiring the pony will be paid by the client.
CAMPSITES ON THE TREK
The choice of campsites to be used on the trek will be decided by South Col and clients will have to stay at these designated campsites. Clients are not permitted to choose their own campsites on the route.
TREK ROUTE
The trek route and day wise schedule will be fixed by South Col and will have to be followed by the client.
RISKS AND LIABILITY
The trek is in a remote mountain area and has certain additional dangers and risks, some of which include: physical exertion for which the client should be prepared; weather extremes subject to sudden and unexpected changes; remoteness from normal medical services; evacuation difficulties.
In the event of injury or illness South Col Expeditions (Sujoy Das) or its Staff can, at the clients cost arrange any medical treatment and emergency evacuation service as it or they deem necessary for the health and safety of the client. Waiver of liability form as per link attached to be signed by the client. https://www.southcol.com/waiver-of-liability-release/