Darjeeling, Sikkim & the Singalila Ridge

4.8Based on

Carbon neutral

15 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants, maximum 18 travelers

16 peopleMaximum group size

16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Challenging

Demands good physical fitness and stamina for more intense or extended activities.

Starts

New Delhi, India

Ends

Kolkata, India

Highlights

Classic camping trek through rhododendron forests to the Singalila Ridge

See four of the five highest peaks on Earth: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu

Explore Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim

Drive through tea plantations and visit a tea estate

Stay in Martam, a traditional Sikkimese village

Itinerary

Ever wondered what it’s like to trek along a ridge that forms the border between India and Nepal? The "Darjeeling, Sikkim & The Singalila Ridge" tour offers just that—an immersive, challenging journey for experienced travelers keen on uncovering the unspoiled corners of the Indian Himalayas. Spanning 15 days from New Delhi to Kolkata, this guided small group trip blends rigorous trekking with cultural exploration across Martam, Rimbik, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and more.

You’ll ascend through tea plantations, visit the hill station of Darjeeling, and ride the UNESCO World Heritage toy train before tackling the legendary Singalila Ridge. Trekking here rewards you with dramatic rhododendron forests and unparalleled panoramas of the world’s greatest peaks: Kanchenjunga dominates the skyline, while Makalu, Lhotse, and even Everest reveal themselves on clear days.

The unique selling point of this trip is its access to remote Himalayan trails coupled with cultural immersion—think vibrant monasteries and mountain villages rarely seen by outsiders. With accommodation, transport, and meals included, this tour is designed for those who thrive on challenging hikes and have a thirst for authentic discovery. If you’re seeking a trekking adventure that marries awe-inspiring scenery with deep cultural resonance, this trip is your calling.

day 1 - Adventure starts in Delhi

Our adventure begins in Delhi, a colourful and chaotic city full of architectural masterpieces.

Around 6pm, say namaste to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Want more time in Delhi? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Meals:Dinner

Accommodation:Hotel Bloom Karol Bagh (or similar)

day 2 - Fly to Bagdogra; drive to Gangtok

We transfer to the domestic airport terminal and fly to Bagdogra. On arrival, we join our vehicles and drive to Gangtok. The road soon leaves the plains and at Sevoke we cross the Teesta River and climb into the Doar Hills. At Rangpo, we take a break as we enter Sikkim. Border formalities take time – you need your passport and one photograph. Climbing further, we reach Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, set at an elevation of 5,510ft (1,680m). The drive usually takes about five hours (78mi/125km) but has been known to take up to 10 hours in instances where landslides have occurred from heavy rain along the route. Your leader will advise if your journey is likely to be affected.

Meals:Breakfast, Dinner

Others:Netuk House, Gangtok (or similar)

day 3 - Drive to Martam village visiting Rumtek Monastery en route

Gangtok is set among the hills and, on a clear day, we can see Kanchenjunga from the hotel. We have the morning for exploration. The Mall Road is the centre of Gangtok and the nearby indoor vegetable market makes for an interesting wander. Either explore Gangtok solo or your leader can take you to see some of the sights. About an hour’s walk from the hotel there is the small Enchey monastery. Overlooking the town, it was founded in 1840 by Lama Drubthob Karpo and was rebuilt in 1908 by the 10th chogyal (king) of Sikkim. From the monastery, walk back to town via the Flower Show, a small exhibition of orchids and other local flowers. There is a handicraft centre close by, which is a government enterprise offering community training in traditional handicrafts such as carpet weaving and wood carving.

After lunch, we have an hour’s drive to Rumtek monastery. Founded in the mid-1700s by the 12th Karmapa, it fell into ruins. When the 16th Karmapa came from Tibet, he rebuilt the monastery as the main seat in exile of the Karmapa sect. It is the largest monastery in Sikkim and contains a golden stupa with the remains of the 16th Karmapa. A 30-minute drive brings us to Martam, a scenic Himalayan village in a quiet corner of East Sikkim.

Meals:Breakfast, Dinner

Others:Martam Resorts (or similar)

day 4 - Sightseeing in Martam

We spend today in the pretty village of Martam, which was known for producing butter and other dairy products (mar means butter and tem means spread). The population is about 10,000, made of Bhutia and Nepali communities. In the morning, we go for a hike around the village. We can visit the interesting Nyingma Institute, which provides education in higher Buddhist studies and philosophy to many monks. There is also another small monastery and a Krishna Mandir in the village. We return to our hotel for lunch and the afternoon is free.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Others:Martam Resorts (or similar)

day 5 - Drive to Darjeeling and visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

Leaving Sikkim, we drive to Darjeeling. The road winds all the way to the Testa River, where we enter the state of West Bengal. It then weaves back into the hills to Darjeeling. We arrive by lunchtime; this afternoon, we explore one of the most famous hill stations of the British Raj. The region originally belonged to the chogyals of Sikkim, before it was annexed by the Gurkhas. By the early 1800s, it was in the control of the British East India Company who returned it to Sikkim rule. Stumbling across Dorje Ling Monastery, situated on a quiet forested ridge, two British soldiers thought it would make a great location for a sanatorium and with the permission of the Sikkim king, a hill station was born. Today, Darjeeling is a bustling town but the Mall still retains Victorian charm. Our stay includes a visit to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, where many famous Sherpa climbers trained in mountaineering skills. There are interesting displays and photographs from some of the early Everest climbs.

Today’s drive is 50mi (80km) and will take approximately four hours; however, there may be delays due to landslides caused by heavy rain. Your leader will advise if this is the case.

Meals:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Sinclairs Hotel (or similar)

day 6 - Ride the toy train; drive to Rimbik and trek to Manedara

On a clear day, wake early for beautiful sunrise views of Kanchenjunga from the roof of our hotel. After breakfast, we have a 40-minute ride on the toy train to Ghoom (subject to running, see Day 13 for another opportunity if not running today). The train chugs out of Darjeeling, stopping to take on water and to allow passengers to photograph the Batasia Loop. At Ghoom, we meet our cars and drive for around four hours to Rimbik, the trailhead of our trek at 7,500ft (2,286m). We have a 45-minute gentle uphill walk through magnificent rhododendron forests (a blaze of reds in spring) to our camp at Manedara, where we spend our first night under canvas. As we approach the village, we have stunning views of Kabru Dome and Kabru South peaks.

Accommodation: Full-service camp – sleeping altitude: 8,040ft (2,450m)

Please note: Any baggage not needed during the trek can be left at our hotel in Darjeeling until we return on Day 12.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Full-service camp – sleeping altitude: 8,040ft (2,450m)

day 7 - Trek through forest and villages to Gurdum

Today we start our trek with an easy trail passing small houses and fields. It is about two hours’ gradual walk through beautiful forest to Shepi village. We then descend to the Gurdum Khola river, which we cross by bridge and after a steep one-hour climb to Gurdum village, we arrive at our camp for the evening.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Full-service camp – sleeping altitude: 7,875ft (2,400m)

day 8 - Trek through forest ascending through Sandakhphu to Chandu

It’s a fairly tough but rewarding day as we finish our ascent to the Singalila Ridge. The trail climbs steeply in places until we emerge at a forest clearing. From here, it undulates through rhododendron forest to the ridgetop at Sandakhphu (11,929ft/3,636m), the highest point of our trek. On a clear day, the climb is well worth the effort as we are rewarded with a magnificent Himalayan panorama. The views from here are truly amazing – the towering slopes of Kanchenjunga lie ahead and Everest, Lhotse and Makalu come into view in the distance. After lunch at Sandakhphu, it is a gradual walk on a rough jeep track to our camp at Chandu.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Full-service camp – sleeping altitude: 11,715ft (3,570m)

day 9 - Trekking along the Singalila Ridge to Sabargam taking in Himalaya views

We are now on the Singalila Ridge, the border between Nepal and India, which means at times we are walking in each country. This is a great day for views. The trail undulates, following the ridge through chestnut, oak and silver fir trees with commanding panoramic views of the Himalaya all day. Dwarf rhododendrons and primulas colour the landscape in spring. Tonight, we have a spectacular wild camp at Sabargam. The views from here are sublime and we hope to see a magnificent sunset and sunrise over Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu and a whole host of other Himalayan peaks.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Full-service camp – sleeping altitude: 11,601ft (3,536m)

day 10 - Trek to the end of the Singalila Ridge at Phalut then descend to Samaden

We enjoy a full day of trekking along an undulating trail to the end of the ridge at Phalut, where we descend to Samaden. On a clear day, we get breathtaking views of Kanchenjunga as we continue along the ridge. The Everest range is further away but Kanchenjunga rears up over us. Phalut is at 11,810ft (3,600m) and just behind the lodge there is a viewpoint where we are surrounded by Himalayan giants. The trail down to Samaden is glorious and takes us through forests of oak, conifers, pine and rhododendrons, an explosion of colour in spring. We camp tonight in Samaden, a small settlement with excellent views.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Full-service camp – sleeping altitude: 8,135ft (2,480m)

day 11 - Trek through small settlements to Rimbik

Our final trek winds through a collection of small settlements (inhabited by Rais, Sherpas and Tamangs) to Ramman, where terraced fields and villages dot the landscape. We descend along a jeep track to Sri Khola for lunch, after which we cross a suspension bridge and continue for another 2hr 30min along a road, passing through more villages to Rimbik, a large Sherpa village among the forest landscapes of Singalila National Park. We stay in a small lodge with great views across the valley.

Accommodation: Rimbick Lodge (guest house)– sleeping altitude: 7,500ft (2,286m)

Please note, the guest house is a basic home-stay property. Although all bedrooms offer attached bathrooms (including toilets), those with shower facilities are limited and some bedrooms may only provide a sink and "bucket" wash option.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Rimbick Lodge (guest house)– sleeping altitude: 7,500ft (2,286m)

day 12 - Drive to Darjeeling, visiting a tea estate en route

Today we drive back to Darjeeling along a road that winds up and down ridges through picturesque landscapes. En route, we visit a tea estate and learn how this famous drink is grown and processed. We arrive in Darjeeling midafternoon and the rest of the day is free to further explore this historic hill station. Our hotel is close to the Mall, which is a great place to wander in the evening.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Sinclairs Hotel (or similar)

day 13 - Morning to explore Darjeeling, drive to Siliguri, overnight train to Kolkata

We have the morning to explore further. If we missed the ride on the toy train and Ghoom monastery, there is time this morning. In the afternoon, we set off for the drive to Siliguri (two to three hours) where we board the overnight train to Kolkata. Train times in India change regularly, although it usually departs around 8pm or 9pm.

Meals:Breakfast

Transport:Overnight sleeper train

day 14 - Arrive Kolkata; free time to explore

We arrive in Kolkata in the early hours of the morning and have the day to explore this fascinating city. Once the capital of British India, Kolkata has a turbulent past. It was central to the struggle for Indian independence and thousands of Bengali refugees came here at the start of the 1900s. It is a city of striking contrasts and the unusual sights, pungent smells and cacophony of sounds are an experience unique to India.

If you would rather not navigate Kolkata alone, your leader can usually arrange a short guided city tour for you (pay locally).

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Peerless Inn (or similar)

day 15 - Adventure ends in Kolkata

The adventure ends in Kolkata after breakfast. If you’d like a little more adventure, however, consider joining our five-day Golden Triangle extension. Encompassing Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, the trip is a whirlwind of culture, taking in the Taj Mahal, Red Fort of Akbar and much more. Speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Meals:Breakfast

Darjeeling, Sikkim & the Singalila Ridge

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What's Included

Accommodation

All accommodation

Meals

All breakfasts, seven lunches and ten dinners

Transport

All transport and listed activities, including Sikkim and trekking permitsArrival transfer for any flight, group departure transfer available

Guide

Tour leader throughout

Others

Kitbag to keep

What's Excluded

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