Destinations we drive
Sikkim, the Darjeeling hills, Bhutan and the wider North East. What each one is like, what needs a permit, and when to actually go.
27.33°N · 1,650 m
Sikkim
Gangtok, Pelling, Lachung, Yumthang, Zuluk, Nathu La
Best season: October to MaySikkim
Sikkim is the reason most people come here. Gangtok sits at a comfortable 1,650 m and works as the base, but the trip people remember is the run north to Lachung and the Yumthang valley, or east on the old Silk Route to Zuluk's thirty-two hairpin bends.
Everything above Chungthang sits inside a protected area, so permits are compulsory and only registered Sikkim-plated vehicles are allowed. We hold that registration, which is why our cars can take you the whole way instead of dropping you at the checkpost.
What people go for
October to May. June to September is monsoon and North Sikkim roads close often.
See Sikkim packages
27.04°N · 2,045 m
Darjeeling
Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik, Kurseong, Lepchajagat
Best season: All yearDarjeeling
Three hours from the plains and a different climate entirely. Darjeeling is compact enough to see in two days, which leaves room for Kalimpong's monasteries and nurseries or a quiet night at Lepchajagat away from the crowds.
The Tiger Hill sunrise run leaves at 3:30am and the queue for the viewing tower forms early. Our drivers know which side road avoids the jam, and in peak season we book the vehicle slot the previous evening.
What people go for
All year. October to December gives the clearest Kanchenjunga views.
See Darjeeling packages
27.47°N · 2,320 m
Bhutan
Phuentsholing, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Dochula
Best season: March to June and September to NovemberBhutan
The land border at Phuentsholing is a four-hour drive from Bagdogra, and for Indian nationals entry is by permit rather than visa. Thimphu, Punakha and Paro form the standard circuit, with the Tiger's Nest hike as the day everyone plans around.
Permits are filed at the Phuentsholing immigration office and normally take one working day, which is why our itineraries put the first night at the border. Route permits for Punakha and beyond are issued separately in Thimphu. We file both.
What people go for
March to June and September to November. Book six weeks ahead for the spring festivals.
See Bhutan packages
25.57°N · 1,496 m
North East
Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki, Kaziranga, Guwahati, Tawang
Best season: September to AprilNorth East
Meghalaya and Assam are a different kind of trip — longer driving days, lower altitude, far greener. Cherrapunji's waterfalls, the living root bridges at Nongriat and the glass-clear Umngot at Dawki are the highlights, with Kaziranga's rhinos a day's drive east.
Distances here look small on a map and take twice as long in practice. We roster two drivers on the Guwahati–Tawang run and pre-book stays, because turning up without a reservation in Dirang in season does not end well.
What people go for
September to April. Meghalaya is spectacular in the monsoon but the treks turn dangerous.
See North East packages