This 7-day Darjeeling and Sikkim tour package loops from Bagdogra through Darjeeling, Pelling, Gangtok and Kalimpong with one private car and chauffeur. The car is priced per kilometre and billed on at least 250 km a day, which sets this trip at 1,750 km; the travel desk quotes hotels and permits in writing.
Is the week-long loop the right choice?
Pick this length if you want to see Kanchenjunga from more than one side and spend nights somewhere quieter than the two famous hill towns. Compared with the 5-day Darjeeling and Gangtok version, it adds two nights: two in Pelling in west Sikkim instead of a second one in Gangtok, and one in Kalimpong, a market town of flower nurseries and old mission schools. The route becomes a proper loop instead of an out-and-back, so apart from the airport approach no stretch of road is driven twice.
It suits travellers who enjoy the drive as much as the destination, photographers chasing clear morning light, and families who prefer several medium transfers to one exhausting day. If you have five days or less, or you are travelling with someone who struggles on winding roads, the shorter package makes more sense. If you have ten days and want high valleys and snow, ask the travel desk about bolting on north Sikkim; our guide to Lachung and Yumthang by road explains what that involves.
What west Sikkim adds
Pelling is a ridge settlement near the early royal capitals of Sikkim, and its reason to exist is the view. On a clear morning Kanchenjunga fills the northern horizon, far closer than it looks from Darjeeling. Nearby stands Pemayangtse monastery, one of the oldest in the state, and the ruins of Rabdentse, the second capital of the Namgyal kings. Khecheopalri lake, revered by Buddhists and Hindus alike, lies in forest a short drive away; local tradition holds that birds keep its surface clear of leaves. More recent additions are a glass skywalk and a very large Chenrezig statue at Sanga Choeling.
The day across to Gangtok takes in Ravangla, where a huge seated Buddha presides over Tathagata Tsal, and Namchi, known for the hilltop statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse and the Char Dham replica complex at Solophok. Both are easy stops that split a long drive into manageable parts. More on the region in our Pelling road guide.
Permits, in the order you meet them
- Day 3, entering Sikkim from Darjeeling: Indian citizens show photo ID only. Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit, and not every western crossing necessarily issues it on the spot, so foreign guests should apply online in advance through the system linked from Sikkim Tourism or ask the travel desk to route via a checkpost that does. Keep several printed copies; checkposts in west Sikkim may ask for them.
- Days 3 to 6, inside Sikkim: Pelling, Ravangla, Namchi, Gangtok and Rumtek need nothing further beyond the permit (foreigners) or ID (Indians).
- Optional Tsomgo lake: a protected area that needs a separate permit for every visitor, arranged through a registered Gangtok operator and often done in a locally registered vehicle. It would replace the Day 6 morning in Gangtok, so request it when you book.
- Day 6, crossing to Kalimpong: you leave Sikkim for West Bengal again. No permit is needed for Kalimpong.
Road notes for the whole loop
Total driving is about 540 km over seven days, spread so that only one transfer runs past five hours.
- Bagdogra to Darjeeling climbs through Kurseong: roughly 70 km in three hours.
- Darjeeling to Pelling drops steeply to the Rangeet river and climbs again via Jorethang and Legship. It is only about 75 km, but gradient and narrow sections make it a four-hour drive.
- Pelling to Gangtok, about 130 km via Ravangla and Namchi, is the long day. With stops at Buddha Park and Samdruptse, allow six hours including lunch.
- Gangtok to Kalimpong goes down to the Teesta and up the far bank in about three hours.
- Kalimpong to Bagdogra via Sevoke is the gentlest run, around two and a half hours in normal traffic.
West Sikkim has fewer roadside eateries than the main Gangtok highway, so carry water and snacks on days three to five. Mobile signal fades in the Rangeet valley; that is expected. Your chauffeur keeps to daylight on the smaller roads where possible and will suggest leaving early rather than driving the hairpins after dark.
Rooms along the loop
- Darjeeling, two nights: heritage hotels and guesthouses near Chowrasta and the Mall, or homestays out at Ghum.
- Pelling, two nights: mostly mid-range hotels in Upper Pelling, many with mountain-facing rooms. Ask specifically for a north-facing balcony; it is the whole point of staying here.
- Gangtok, one night: somewhere close to MG Marg keeps the evening walk simple.
- Kalimpong, one night: small heritage bungalows and hotels along the ridge and towards Deolo.
The travel desk books any of these on request and combines them with the car on one written quote.
Matching the vehicle to the group
West Sikkim roads are narrower and rougher in patches than the Gangtok highway, so ground clearance and suspension count for more on this version. For two people with light bags, a sedan at Rs 72/km is adequate. For three to six, an Ertiga at Rs 84/km or the Innova Crysta at Rs 114/km is the sensible choice, and the Innova rides noticeably better on broken tarmac. A Fortuner at Rs 168/km gives the most comfort and clearance for a couple or small family willing to pay for it. Groups of up to sixteen can travel in a Tempo Traveller at Rs 156/km, accepting slower progress on the Pelling hairpins. Browse the fleet or the Fortuner on rent page.
The pricing method is identical across classes: the billable distance times the per-km rate. The loop itself is about 540 km, below seven days at 250 km each, so the bill is based on 1,750 km. Driver night allowance of Rs 3,000 per night, tolls, entry taxes and parking at actual cost, and 5% GST are added. Cars are within four model years.
Season notes and festivals
October and November give the best mountain views and the heaviest demand, as Bengali holidaymakers arrive for Durga Puja and Diwali. December to February is cold with sharp, clear mornings; nights in Pelling drop close to freezing, and snow can close higher roads. March to May brings rhododendron bloom to the west Sikkim forests and milder days, with haze building by afternoon. June to September is the monsoon, when slides are frequent on the Rangeet and Teesta roads; the package still runs, with flexible timings and a larger buffer before your flight.
Losar in February brings masked cham dances to the monasteries, and Pang Lhabsol, which honours Kanchenjunga as Sikkim's guardian deity, falls in late summer.
Reserving the car
Reserve the car through the online booker, paying by card or UPI with a GST invoice. The all-inclusive version with hotels, permits and toy-train tickets is quoted by the travel desk. Cancellation is free until 72 hours before pickup; 10% applies within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours and the full fare within 24 hours or on a no-show, as set out in the cancellation policy. Coming through Kolkata? See car rental with driver in Kolkata, and read the Kalimpong road guide before you go.
