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Tea estates & hill stations
Stay at the luxurious Glenburn Tea Estate and visit the hill stations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Duration: 10 Days
Combine your itinerary with your preferred hotels or other accommodation. Take a look at the Accommodation section for ideas and inspiration.
| Days 1 - 2 | An overnight flight from London takes you to Delhi. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your choice of hotel. |
| Day 3 | Today you will enjoy a guided tour of the key cultural and historic sights of both New and Old Delhi including the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid Mosque and the remarkable Jantar Mantar observatory. |
| Day 4 | Early this morning you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Bagdogra in the northern reaches of the state of West Bengal. The flight takes around two hours and you will be met on arrival by a representative of the Glenburn Tea Estate. The drive to Glenburn takes about 4 hours but you will have a picnic hamper full of home-baked treats to sustain you on the journey. On arrival you will receive a warm welcome from your hosts and be shown to your stylish room in a beautifully restored tea bungalow. Then, simply relax and enjoy the glorious mountain views before joining your fellow guests for dinner. |
| Day 5 | As a working tea estate, one of the best ways to familiarise yourself with Glenburn is on their 'Tea Experience'. It begins with a presentation about the history of Glenburn before you take a tour of the estate's own tea factory to see the production process in action. The factory tour ends with a tasting session followed by a walk through the tea fields with an estate guide. Lunch is provided on the banks of the River Rung Dung after which you can return to the lodge or enjoy a guided nature walk. |
| Day 6 | Today you can take a trip to Darjeeling, probably the most well-known of all the British hill stations and steeped in colonial history. A car and driver is provided and the lodge will pre-purchase tickets if you wish to ride on the iconic toy train of the Darjeeling Hill Railway. In Darjeeling you can wander the Mall, shop for souvenirs, visit the botanical gardens and enjoy afternoon tea in one of the town's famous old cafes. If you want to walk off the calories, take a stroll up to Observatory Hill for fine views, on a clear day, of Kanchenjunga and much of Sikkim. |
| Day 7 | After a full day in busy Darjeeling, you may want to spend today taking advantage of the many walks that are available from the lodge. You can choose how long or short, and how hard or easy your walk is and the lodge will provide you with a guide and a picnic lunch. You can hike up to a splendid viewpoint or along a riverbed, or walk to a village and meet the local people. Birding and nature walks are also possible at any time. Alternatively you may just want to relax at the the lodge and pamper yourself with a massage or spa treatment. |
| Day 8 | The hill station of Kalimpong is a two hour drive from Glenburn but is well worth a visit. In contrast to Darjeeling, Kalimpong is much quieter, and has a fascinating blend of Buddhist, Hindu and Christian influences. There are far fewer tourists here and you will see local people of different ethnic groups, particularly on market days. Kalimpong is also a renowned horticulture centre and you should visit to at least one of its many nurseries specialising in orchids, gladioli or cacti. |
| Day 9 | After a final lavish breakfast you say a fond farewell to the wonderfully friendly and attentive staff at Glenburn and leave for the long drive back to Bagdogra airport. You will of course have refreshments for your journey. You fly back to Delhi and overnight at a hotel near the airport. |
| Day 10 | You will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. If flying to the UK you will arrive back on the same day. |
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