Combined · 5 Nights · 6 Days
Darjeeling Hills & Dooars Jungle
Duration
5 Nights · 6 Days
Group sizes
2, 4, or 6 people
Pickup
Bagdogra Airport (IXB) / NJP Railway Station
Starting from
₹21,000/person
About This Journey
Journey Overview
This is the journey that shows you two entirely different Bengals in one seamless arc — and it is all the more striking for it. Your Darjeeling Dooars combined package begins with pickup from Bagdogra Airport (IXB) or NJP Railway Station and an immediate ascent into the Himalayan foothills: Darjeeling, the hill station that gave the world its most famous tea. Two days here follow the classic high-altitude rhythm — the pre-dawn drive to Tiger Hill for the Kanchenjunga sunrise, the Toy Train's UNESCO World Heritage spiral at Batasia Loop, tea garden walks, and the quiet interior of Ghoom Monastery. Then on Day 3 the road tilts downward and the landscape transforms completely. Pine and rhododendron give way to sal canopy and elephant grass as you descend to Lataguri, where your jungle lodge sits at the edge of Gorumara National Park. Two full days in the Dooars follow: a Gorumara wildlife safari, Chukchuki Watchtower birding, and the scenic Samsing–Bindu loop along the Bhutan border. The journey culminates at Jaldapara National Park — on the final morning, a dawn elephant safari through grasslands where one-horned rhinos graze in unhurried silence. Five nights, six days. Prices start from ₹21,000 per person.
Day by Day
Your Itinerary
From Himalayan tea gardens and Tiger Hill sunrises to elephant-grass savannahs and one-horned rhinos — two worlds, one seamless journey.
- ·Pick up from Bagdogra Airport or NJP Railway Station
- ·Scenic drive up to Darjeeling (~80 km, ~3 hrs via Hill Cart Road or Pankhabari Road)
- ·Check in to your Darjeeling hotel and acclimatise
- ·Evening stroll on Mall Road with views of the Kanchenjunga range at dusk
- ·Pre-dawn drive to Tiger Hill for the iconic Kanchenjunga sunrise (weather permitting)
- ·Visit Ghoom Monastery (Yiga Choeling) — the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the region
- ·Batasia Loop — the famous spiral railway loop with a war memorial and panoramic Himalayan views
- ·UNESCO World Heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway joy ride on the Toy Train
- ·Afternoon visit to a working tea garden and tea tasting at a heritage estate
- ·Walk through Chowrasta, browse Tibetan curio shops along Nehru Road
- ·Morning check-out and drive down from Darjeeling to Lataguri (~110 km, ~3–3.5 hrs)
- ·The descent shifts dramatically: mountain pines give way to sal forest canopy, tea estates, and river valleys
- ·Arrive Lataguri by early afternoon — check in to your jungle nature lodge
- ·Late afternoon jeep safari into Gorumara National Park — golden hour in the grasslands
- ·Morning jeep safari into Gorumara — grassland-forest mosaic of one-horned rhinos, Asian elephants, gaur, and leopards
- ·Chukchuki Watchtower birding session: Indian hornbills, paradise flycatchers, woodpeckers, and migratory winter species
- ·Post-safari breakfast and rest at the lodge
- ·Afternoon excursion to Samsing and Suntalekhola through tea gardens and dense forest
- ·Riverside stop at Jhalong and Bindu — Bhutan border views and Bindu Dam wetland for waterbirds
- ·Drive east from Lataguri to Jaldapara (~80 km, ~1.5 hrs) through the Chilapata Forest corridor
- ·Stop at Chilapata — an ancient elephant migration corridor with ruins of Nagrakata fort in dense sal forest
- ·Check in to jungle resort near Madarihat
- ·Collect jeep safari permits for tomorrow from the Nature Interpretation Centre, Madarihat
- ·Sunset visit to a Jaldapara watchtower — rhinos often visible in the dusk grasslands
- ·Early morning elephant safari inside Jaldapara National Park — the closest you can get to wild rhinos in their natural habitat
- ·Breakfast, check-out, and farewell
- ·Drive back to Bagdogra Airport or NJP Railway Station (~117 km, ~2.5–3 hrs)
Package Pricing
Group of 2
₹32,000
per person
Group of 4
₹26,000
per person
Group of 6
Best value₹21,000
per person
* All prices inclusive of applicable taxes. Quote valid for 3 days from issue.
No commitment — we'll answer your questions first
Accommodation
2 nights in Darjeeling at a heritage or boutique hotel with Himalayan views; 2 nights at a nature lodge in Lataguri; 1 night at a jungle resort near Madarihat/Jaldapara.
What's Included
- Pick-up and drop at Bagdogra Airport or NJP Railway Station
- 5 nights accommodation with daily breakfast and dinner (MAP)
- All road transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Darjeeling Tiger Hill sunrise visit
- Toy Train joy ride (UNESCO World Heritage section)
- Tea garden visit and tasting
- Gorumara jeep safari — one session (park entry fees extra)
- Samsing, Suntalekhola, Jhalong, and Bindu sightseeing excursion
- Chilapata Forest stop en route Jaldapara
- Assistance with Jaldapara safari permit collection
- Local naturalist/guide for Gorumara and Jaldapara days
- All applicable taxes and service charges
Not Included
- Gorumara National Park entry and camera fees
- Jaldapara jeep safari permit and vehicle charges (payable at forest counter on arrival)
- Elephant safari charges at Jaldapara (₹500/person for Indians, payable at forest counter)
- Chilapata forest entry and guide fees
- Ghoom Monastery and Batasia Loop entry fees
- Lunches and beverages
- Personal expenses, tips, and laundry
- Travel insurance
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this trip combine Darjeeling and Dooars — how many days at each place?
The itinerary is structured hills-first, jungle-second: 2 nights in Darjeeling (Days 1–2), followed by 2 nights in Lataguri at the edge of Gorumara National Park (Days 3–4), and 1 night near Jaldapara in Madarihat (Day 5). Day 6 is the Jaldapara elephant safari at dawn followed by departure. This routing avoids ending the trip with a tiring uphill climb and saves the most thrilling experience — the dawn elephant safari — for last.
What is the best time of year for this Darjeeling and Dooars package?
October through mid-June is the operating window. October to December offers the clearest Kanchenjunga views from Tiger Hill and lush post-monsoon Dooars forests. March and April are excellent for both — comfortable hill temperatures and peak elephant activity in the terai. The Dooars forests close from approximately mid-June to mid-September, so the package is not available then. Tiger Hill sunrise visibility is best between October and April.
Which animals can you expect to see on the Dooars safari days?
Gorumara National Park and Jaldapara together form one of India's finest rhino habitats outside Kaziranga. You can expect Indian one-horned rhinoceros, Asian elephants, gaur, spotted deer, sambar, and — with luck — leopard in Gorumara's grassland-forest mosaic. Jaldapara holds the highest rhino density in West Bengal. The Chukchuki Watchtower is one of the region's best birding spots, with Indian hornbills and paradise flycatchers regularly sighted.
Where is the pickup point, and how does travel work throughout the trip?
Pickup is from Bagdogra Airport (IXB) or NJP Railway Station on Day 1. You are then in a private air-conditioned vehicle for all 6 days — Darjeeling, the descent to Lataguri, the eastward drive to Jaldapara, and the final return to Bagdogra or NJP on Day 6. Safari vehicles inside Gorumara and Jaldapara are Forest Department jeeps or elephants, arranged with your guide's assistance.
Is Jaldapara open on all days, and are elephant safari slots guaranteed?
Jaldapara National Park is closed on Thursdays for jeep safaris, so itinerary dates are planned to avoid a Thursday. Elephant safari slots are limited and allocated first-come-first-served at the forest counter in Madarihat — which is why Day 5 afternoon is dedicated to arriving early and collecting permits. Slots cannot be pre-booked remotely. The elephant safari charge (₹500 per person for Indian nationals) is paid directly at the forest counter.
Important to Know
- ·Routing is hills-first then jungle: arriving in Darjeeling before descending to the Dooars avoids the tiring uphill drive at the end and ends the trip on the high of an elephant safari.
- ·Dooars forests close from approximately mid-June to mid-September. This package operates October through mid-June only.
- ·Jaldapara elephant safari slots are very limited and allocated first-come-first-served at the forest counter — Day 5 afternoon permit collection is critical.
- ·Jaldapara National Park is closed on Thursdays. Itinerary dates should avoid a Day 6 Thursday.
- ·Tiger Hill sunrise is weather-dependent; Kanchenjunga views are clearest October–December and March–April.
- ·Gorumara jeep safari can be pre-booked online via wbsfda.org — strongly recommended for travel October to February.
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