VT/01: 07 days Awake & Shine Samthar Village Tour
Explore village lifestyles whilst being hosted by Nepali and Lepcha families. A fascinating combination of village home stays with a chance to participate in and observe village activities in a picture post card Himalayan setting. Your stay is in specially built clean and comfortable cottages in family holdings with modern western style toilets. |
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Day 01. Your tour starts when you arrive at at Bagdogra Airport. A Car with driver will meet you and drive you 110 Kms in 4.30 hrs to the remote Himalayan village of Samthar. Alternativly you can be picked up from Kalimpong to drive 80 Kms in 04 hrs. In either case it is a scenic journey through the Himalayan foot hills with its river valleys and forests. Dinner & overnight Stay at Samthar Farm House, hosted by retired Indian Army General "Jimmy" Singh.
Day 02 You will be introduced to your hosts and move into the village home-stay at the Nepali hamlet of Gairi Gaon. The breathtaking panorama of the snows, that Samthar offers as the sun rises - Khangchenganga group of peaks, Simvo, Siniolchu, Lama Anden, Chomoyomo, and Paunhari, and the passes of Chola, Natula, and Jalepla, leading into Tibet will be there every morning to see from your cottage ( weather permitting) Click here to read details about the village and host family at Host Hamlet fact file. In the afternoon your host family will walk you around the village meeting Hindu Nepali families. In the evening a session of Nepali and Hindi songs and Bhajans ( devotional songs). Overnight at the home stay.
Day 03: After breakfast, take a two hrs guided Nature & Culture walk, through homesteads, agriculture fields, and paddy terraces, meeting the local folks in their homes and fields. Return to your home stay and spend some time with children at the Awake & shine Pre School. Click here for more details about Awake & Shine pre School. In the afternoon watch how the local women use ancient stone grinders for grinding corn, and foot pounders for threshing. In the evening you are free to relax. Overnight at the home stay Day 04: Today you have a choice of activities. Option 1: Walk around the village to witness demonstrations or learn basket making, mat making, extracting oil by using an ancient press, ploughing with oxen, and more. Option 2: A full day trek to a forest village or a 100 years old Lepcha Gompa with picnic lunch. Alternativly you can just relax, or learn how to cook a set of Nepali dishes on a wood fire. In the evening participate in a session of Nepali song and dance and a typical Nepali feast. Overnight at your homestay.
Day 05 After breakfast, take a nature and culture walk to the Lepcha Family homestay in Kabi Village, visiting the village blacksmith and passing through Lepcha Buddhist and Lepcha Christian homesteads. Arrive at your Lepcha family homestay in time for lunch. In the afternoon explore the village with your host family. Details at Host family fact file
Day 06 A full day to explore Lepcha lifestyles. Take a walk around the agriculture terraces to see the various activities depending upon the season. Learn how the local millet is grown ,harvested, and converted to “chang” – the local millet beer, Participate in local archery and see how the Lepcha’s make bows and arrows, learn how to cook a Lepcha dish on a wood fire. In the evening partake of a Lepcha feast with singing and dancing. Overnight
Day 07 Choose one of the following options:- Option 01: Drive to Siliguri or Bagdogra in 4.30 hrs Option 02: Trek down to Teesta Valley in 03 hrs. Cross river on hand pulled ropeway and drive to Darjeeling ( 2.30 hrs) / Siliguri ( 02 hrs) / Kal;impong ( 01 hr) / Option 3: Drive to Kalimpong in 3.30 hrs. TOUR ENDS
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Gurudongma Tours & Treks, Gurudongma House, Hill Top, Kalimpong, Dist - Darjeeling, West Bengal, India - 734301
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bsnl.in | E-mail : gurudongma
