Palighar Itinerary
DAY 01: ARRIVE BAGDOGRA – PALIGHAR
Arrive Bagdogra airport today (flight details to be advised). On arrival you will be received and driven (approx. 3.5 hours) to PaliGhar where you will be met and welcomed.
Accommodation: PaliGhar – Standard Room
Meals included: D
Day 2: PALIGHAR
After a leisurely breakfast, you will be taken on an easy walk which will focus on giving a real understanding of the rural lifestyle in the villages of Kalimpong. The walk will include passing through agricultural lands and a small patch of forest briefly stopping at a village called Gairigoan and also touch another village, Harrabhotey.
During this walk you, will get a chance to experience the rural lifestyle of Kalimpong. As Kalimpong is mainly an agriculture town, guests will get an opportunity to learn about the techniques of terrace farming practiced in the hills while walking through these fields. In the villages, guests can interact with the local community members and learn more about the area, culture and heritage through their tales. This short hike will also offer a good bird and butterfly watching experience.
You will return to the property for lunch. After lunch, you can be at leisure.
Towards the evening, you will be taken on a short walk to visit Shivalaya Temple which also has a school where young priests are taught Sanskrit and to read/practice the Hindu scripts. You could join in to experience the evening prayers ‘aarati’ before walking/driving back to the property.
Accommodation: PaliGhar – Standard Room
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 3: PALIGHAR
After a leisurely breakfast, you will be taken on a hike to Relli River passing through rural landscape, forest areas and beautiful Himalayan villages. The first half of the walk would be downhill and you can get wonderful views of the hills and valley. Along the way you will get the chance to interact with local villages and enjoy the flora and fauna.
On reaching the Relli river, you will then start to walk upstream and may wish to take a plunge in the numerous natural dip spots. If you come across any of the local people fishing using nets, you could also give that a try. After walking for a while, you reach Bidhyang where you will be met by your vehicle after crossing a wooden hanging bridge.
On your drive back, you may explore a bit more of Kalimpong visiting - Dr Graham’s Homes (DGH), a 116-year- old missionary school, which was founded by a Scottish missionary with a vision to provide quality education in the hills. Spread over an area of 200 hectares, today it includes cottages, a school, hospital, workshop, farm, and bakery – all looking after the needs of more than 1,500 students. The campus is noted as a "miniature town" and is self-sufficient enough to produce and provide its own food, clothing and lodging.
And visit some of its splendid flower nurseries. There are numerous nurseries that excel in production of orchids. Other flowers grown here include amaryllis, roses, gerbera, dahlias and gladioli (the region produces 80% of the total gladioli produced in India).
Later you will be driven back to the property.
Accommodation: PaliGhar – Standard Room
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 4: PALIGHAR
After a leisurely breakfast, you will be taken on a walk to visit an art school where you may spend time in getting yours hands dirty with paints and learning a bit more about painting and the natural surroundings.
Hemlata Pradhan a renowned botanical illustrator set up Natural History Art in Kalimpong in order to further her dream of combining Art, Education and Conservation at the grassroots, she initiated a Charitable Trust called the Himalayan Trust for Natural History Art. They have been running various hands-on workshops and classes in the field of Natural History Art.
It now sponsors and looks after the art education of 14 talented underprivileged children between the age of 7 to 14 years from the local villages around Kalimpong. While they attend regular schools during the day, they visit the Art school in the evenings, weekends and every major holiday.
Later return for lunch to the property and may spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Accommodation: PaliGhar – Standard Room
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 5: PALIGHAR
Day to explore Kalimpong and maybe undertake Paragliding (on direct payment basis) or any other activities of your interest. (No guide today).
Accommodation: PaliGhar – Standard Room
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 6: PALIGHAR – BAGDOGRA – ONWARDS DESTINATION
This morning you will be driven (approx. 3.5 hours) to Bagdogra reaching in time to board your flight home (flight details to be advised).
Accommodation: None
Meals included: B
