RutzIndia.com's tour packages from Kolkata are chauffeur-driven circuits that begin a short flight or one night's train away: Darjeeling and Sikkim from Bagdogra, Meghalaya and Kaziranga from Guwahati, the Odisha temple coast from Bhubaneswar and the Buddhist trail from Varanasi. The car is billed per kilometre, with a floor of 250 km a day.
Why the car meets you at the start and not in Kolkata
None of the seven circuits on this page actually begins inside the city. The nearest start, Bhubaneswar, is roughly 440 km down NH16; Siliguri and Bagdogra sit close to 600 km to the north; Guwahati and Varanasi are further still. If a car were sent from Kolkata, you would pay for two empty travelling days at each end, because a multi-day hire is billed on at least 250 km for every calendar day whether the wheels turn or not. So RutzIndia.com works the other way round: you reach the start point by air or rail, and a car and chauffeur based near that point collect you there.
The only driving you do at home is the run to the airport or the railway station. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International at Dum Dum is quick from Salt Lake and New Town and a slower crawl from Park Street, Ballygunge or Behala at office hours; Howrah and Sealdah need a margin for the bridge and the station approaches. Book that leg as an ordinary Kolkata city taxi or a few hours of car rental with driver in Kolkata, and for a large family or an office group heading to the same train, a tempo traveller in Kolkata takes everyone and the luggage in one go.
There is one exception worth knowing. The Odisha coast is a realistic road trip, and some families prefer to drive down NH16 rather than fly. If you want the same car door to door, ask the travel desk to add a positioning leg to the Odisha quote; it is charged by the kilometre like every other part of the trip, so you can compare it honestly against a flight or a train.
Reaching each starting point
Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri, for Darjeeling and Sikkim
Flights from Kolkata to Bagdogra take about an hour, and the airport sits on the edge of Siliguri at the foot of the hills. The rail alternative is the overnight run from Sealdah to New Jalpaiguri, a few kilometres from Siliguri; the chauffeur can meet you at the station instead of the airport, and the climb to Darjeeling is the same either way. Send the desk your train number and coach so the driver waits at the right exit. Coming down at the end, trains back to Kolkata usually leave New Jalpaiguri in the evening, which leaves time for a last morning in the hills.
Guwahati, for Meghalaya and Kaziranga
The flight is a little over an hour. Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport lies on the western side of the city, so the first leg south to Shillong begins with a cross-town drive; land before midday if you want to reach the Khasi hills in daylight. The Saraighat Express from Howrah is the classic train option for those who like the slow approach along the Brahmaputra plains.
Bhubaneswar, for Konark, Puri and Chilika
This is the shortest hop of all: under an hour in the air, and the airport is only a few minutes from the old temple town. Day and night trains run from Howrah to both Bhubaneswar and Puri. If your tickets land you at Puri rather than Bhubaneswar, the desk can simply start the loop on the coast and finish among the temples.
Varanasi, for the Buddhist circuit
Flights and overnight trains both work. The airport at Babatpur is about an hour from the ghats. On the way home there is a useful shortcut for Kolkata travellers: rather than being driven the 250 km back to Varanasi, ask to be dropped at Gaya Junction, about a quarter of an hour from Bodhgaya, where long-distance trains on the Howrah main line stop. The daily minimum still applies, but you save a long afternoon on the road.
Choosing between the seven circuits
The Himalaya, five or seven days. The 5-day Darjeeling and Sikkim package is the classic Puja-holiday trip: two nights in Darjeeling for Tiger Hill and the tea gardens, then two in Gangtok. The 7-day version is for people who have done Darjeeling before and want the quieter west of Sikkim, with Kanchenjunga seen from Pelling across the valley and a final night in Kalimpong among the orchid nurseries. Read our Darjeeling road guide and the Gangtok guide before you decide.
Meghalaya and Assam, six or seven days. The 6-day north-east package covers Shillong, the waterfalls and caves around Cherrapunji, the living root bridges and two safaris at Kaziranga. Take the 7-day version if you want the clear river at Dawki and Mawlynnong village without rushing, and a spare morning for the park. The transfer from the hills to Kaziranga is the longest day of either trip, so the extra day earns its keep. Our Shillong, Cherrapunji and Kaziranga guides go deeper.
Odisha, four or five days. The 4-day Odisha package fits neatly around a weekend: Bhubaneswar's temple lanes, the Sun Temple at Konark, and Puri's beach and Jagannath temple, all within about 65 km of each other. The 5-day version adds a dawn start to Satapada for the boat out on Chilika, where Irrawaddy dolphins surface near the sea mouth and the winter birds gather.
The Buddhist trail, six days. The Buddhist circuit package links Varanasi and Sarnath with Bodhgaya, Rajgir and Nalanda. It suits pilgrims, retired couples and anyone who has wanted to see the Mahabodhi temple at first light. See also our Bodhgaya and Rajgir and Nalanda guides.
A Kolkata calendar for these trips
The first thing every Kolkata family knows is that Durga Puja empties the city into the hills. From Mahalaya to Lakshmi Puja, hotels in Darjeeling and Gangtok fill early and the road up from Siliguri slows with traffic; book the car and rooms well ahead or travel the week after. October and November give the clearest Kanchenjunga views, December to February is cold but sharp, and March to May brings rhododendrons in Sikkim. June to September is the season to avoid for the hills: landslides close stretches of the Teesta valley road, and the views vanish into cloud.
Meghalaya runs on a different clock. Cherrapunji is famous for its rainfall, and the monsoon months make the plateau spectacular but the root-bridge treks slippery and some roads slow. Kaziranga's safari ranges generally close through the rains and reopen in autumn, so the north-east circuits are best planned between November and April.
Odisha is at its most comfortable from October to March. The Rath Yatra in June or July transforms Puri and fills every room for days, which is wonderful if you are going for it and difficult if you are not. Chilika's migratory birds are there roughly from November to February. The Buddhist trail follows the same winter window; December and January also bring large groups of pilgrims to Bodhgaya, so the desk will ask you to confirm rooms early.
Which car for the hills, the coast and the plains
- Compact sedan (Rs 72 a km) works well for two people on the Odisha coast and the Buddhist trail, where the roads are flat and the drives are moderate.
- Ertiga (Rs 84 a km) or Innova Crysta (Rs 114 a km) is what we suggest for Darjeeling, Sikkim and Meghalaya. Hill roads reward ground clearance and a stronger engine, and a family's suitcases fit without anything on the roof. See Innova Crysta on rent for the details of the car.
- Fortuner (Rs 170 a km) suits a couple who want a higher, quieter ride on the mountain stretches.
- Tempo Traveller (Rs 160 a km) or Force Urbania (Rs 200 a km) for Kolkata office outings, school alumni groups and joint families of ten or more; compare them on the tempo traveller page.
Whichever class you pick, the method is the same and it is printed on every package page: kilometres driven or 250 km per day, whichever is higher, multiplied by the class rate. A driver night allowance of Rs 3,000 per night is added, tolls, state permits and parking are paid at cost, and 5% GST sits on top. Cars are kept within four model years, and the whole fleet is on the fleet page.
Permits and altitude in the north-east
Indian citizens do not need a permit for Gangtok, Pelling or Kalimpong. Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, which is issued at the Rangpo and Melli checkposts on the way in; carry the passport, visa and photographs. Tsomgo lake needs a separate protected-area permit for everyone, arranged through a registered Sikkim agency with your ID a day ahead, and the Sikkim tourism department publishes the current rules. Meghalaya and Assam need no special paperwork on these routes.
The altitudes are moderate: Darjeeling and Gangtok sit roughly between 1,600 and 2,100 metres, but Tsomgo is above 3,700 metres and cold even in April. Pack layers, walk slowly on arrival and tell the desk about anyone with heart or lung conditions. The toy train from Darjeeling is part of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO-listed line; joy-ride seats sell out in the Puja weeks, so book them as soon as your dates are firm.
Weekend drives from Kolkata that need no flight
Not every break needs a plane. For two or three days by road, the Sundarbans, the Digha and Mandarmani beaches and Shantiniketan are all within a comfortable drive. Our Sundarbans, Mandarmani and Shantiniketan guides explain the roads, and an outstation cab at the same per-km rates covers the trip.
Booking, payment and cancellation
Pick a circuit, open the online booker and enter the start point as the pickup; the car-and-chauffeur fare appears straight away and you can pay by card or UPI. For an all-inclusive quote with hotels, entries and guides, send the dates to the travel desk and it replies in writing. Corporates booking staff trips receive a proper GST invoice. Cancelling more than 72 hours before the first pickup is free; after that the charge is 10% inside 72 hours, 50% inside 48 hours and the full fare inside 24 hours or for a no-show, as set out in the cancellation policy.
