Weekend trip at Gangani - The grand canyon of Bengal

Gangoni is called Grand canyon of Bengal, a perfect place for visit at the weekend . It is located at a stone pelt distance from Kolkata. nearest Railway station is Garhbeta and well connected in SE railway .The distance from Howrah to Garhbeta rly station is 177km and from Bishnupu it is 25 km. Well known Rupasi Bangla and Aranayak express are connected to Garhbeta and takes 3 to 3.30hrs.It takes 15 minutes by toto to reach Gongoni. After spending 1 to 2 hours at Gangoni one can avail local/express/Emu at Garhbeta to reach Bisnupur. One can cover Gangoni, Bishnupur and Joyrambati and kamarrpukur in a weekend trip 
Itinerary :
Date : 8th February 2019
Avail Rupsi Bangla express at satra gachhi station at 6.25 am and get  down at Garhbeta at 9.25 am, reserve a toto and reach Gangoni , we spent 2 hours at Gangoni and returned to Garhbeta station . Avail Midnapur Adra  Emu at 12.20 pm and reached Bishnupur at 1 PM. Take a auto and reached laxmi park hotel.  

Visit Bishnupur temples : Reserve a auto and visit 12 temples at Bishnupur. The visit started with a visit at  Rasmanch temple . Enntry fee Rs.25/.This entry fee covers visit of total  12 temples at Bishnupur. return to Hotel 5.30 pm 
Date : 9th February 2019
Reserve a car and visit Joyrambati and Kamarpukur at distance 45 km from Bishnupur and visited birth place of Sree sree ma sharda devi and  Ramkrishna Paramhonsa Dev  and temples. Note : Temples are closed at 11.30 am. BHOG is availble both at Joyrambati and kamarpukur at 11.30 am. collection of coupon before 11.30 am is mandatory to take BHOG. Return to Bishnupur and reached  at 2 pm. 
Visit Pora matir Hut and cultural programme :  Enjoyed cultural  programme and Teracotta handicrafts from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm at the hut(market) place.
Returned to Howrah : Avail Rupsi Bangla  and reached Satra gachi at 8.30 pm 

for further information please contact : ajoy_2@hotmail.com or mobile 9831450217

Mesmerizing Himalaya - A trip to Gangtok and Darjeeling.

                                        
                    For more photos CLICK HERE              

    This blog aims to provide assistance to the tourists  for a hassle free but budget tour to  visit  Gangtok and Darjeeling avoiding the clutches of tout operators and agents . we are  three in number with  my wife and my adult daughter .  It was a 7 day and 6 night tour starting from  and ends up at new Jalpaigudi  The period of the tour from 8th June 2016 to 14th June 2016,

The Itinerary

Day1 - 8th June	Check out hotel at NJP . Start from New Jalpaigudi at 10 am  and reached Gangtok at 2.30 pm. Check  in Hotel . visit  crowded but friendly M.G. Road at night at a distance of  15 minutes car drive  from the hotel. This is heart of the town with colourful  shops and restaurant
Day 2 - 9th June	Visit  Nathula, Baba mandir and Chhangu lake, night stay at Gangtak. Start from the hotel 8 am and back to  hotel  6.30 pm . The whole day programme
Day 3 - 10th June	Travel to Pelling via Temitea garden,Namchi and Char Dham , night stay at Pelling. Start from Gangtak at 9 am and reach Pelling at 5.30 pm
Day 4 - 11th June	Sight seeing at Pelling , Night stay at Pelling
Day 5 - 12th June	Travel to Darjelling , start from the hotel at 9 am and reached Darjeeling at 4.30 pm, Check in hotel  Visit mall area in the evening time. Night stay at Darjeeling
Day 6 - 13th June	Sight seeing at Darjeeling including Tiger hill. visit mall area in the evening, night stay  at Darjeeling. Also visited Bhutia market and Mahakal Temple
Day 7 -  14th June	Travel to new Jalpaigudi via Mirik and Pashupati market. Visit Mirik lake and Pashupati market for shopping Check out hotel at 12 noon and reached NJP at 8 pm. Check in Hotel at NJP

Where to stay

Budgeted hotels are available Gangtok, Pelling and Darjeeling. These are tourist spots and even budgeted hotels are not inexpensive compared to plain area and non touristic spots. In Gangtok and Pelling standard three bed rooms hotels are available @ Rs.1500 per night and in Darjeeling @Rs.2000 per night. Still you have to compromise with the locations. You might not get the hotels at your desired places with this price And also price varies depending on season. No need for AC rooms as weather is cool althrough the year 

where I stayed :  

In NJP( New jalpaigudi) : This is only for  transit. Located near the NJP railway station and in walking distance. Hotel Hilton : 03532690756. Mobile : 9333095546. Rate : Rs.860 to 1200 per night . Non AC three bed room.  

In Gangtak : DA KINGS RESIDENCY, located at Siligudi taxi  stand  or main line taxi stand, Deorali. Contact no : 09933960725 /09476336677/08001930699. . Rate @Rs.1500 per night for three bed  Non AC room

In Pelling :Hotel Kingstone . Mobile no : 08145029558/9733083702/9748732139. Rate @Rs.1500 per night for three bed Non AC room

In Darjeeling :Hotel Regent . Mobile no : 09733210966 /09932876515. Located  H.D Lama Road Behind Chawk Bazar, Bata Darjeeling. It is located  at 10 minute  walk from mall area./ Rate Rs.2000  per night.

The hotels above having basic facilities with  timed supply of hot water and cold water.( except hotel at  NJP) . Please do not expect luxury . You might have also compromise with the locations but the hotel rooms are good. 

Transportation :  

4 seater ( wagnor type) and 10 seater ( Mahindra max, Bolero) cars are available for your journey on reserved basis @ Rs.2500 to 3000  per day for  Wagnor type cars and 4500 for bolero type cars..For Nathula visit it is advisable to go on shared basis @1000 per person . if you reserve a car it will cost  Rs.8500/  excluding permit cost.

My journey :

From NJP to Gangtak : used Wagnor. cost : Rs.3000/- . Driver Prakash No: 09832079310 

Nathula visit : On shared basis  @ 1200 person ( including permit fee) . Tour operator : kaushik 09735993308

From Gangtok to Pelling via Timetea garden, Chardham and Namchi . Driver Milon . Mobile no : 07872884993 . Cost 4500/-  used Bolero

Pelling sight seeing : Driver  L. Bhutia :  Mobile no : 09734186665  cost 3000/-. ( Santro zene type)

From Pelling to Darjeeling : Driver : Visen . Mobile no :09593375790. cost 3000/

Darjeeling sight seeing  including Tiger hill . Driver Avinash : mobile no : 07583995222

Darjeeling to NJP via Mirik and Pashupati market . Driver : Emanuel . 07679865052. cost 3000/-

PLEASE DO NOT STICK ON THIS PRICE. IT MAY VARY +/-  Rs.500/- depending on your bargaining capacity, season , waiting time and time management of driver etc.  

Points to remember :

Ideal period of visit : March to May and specifically  March - April. But you can visit any time from November to May. please before making plan contact tour operator ( here kaushik . mobile no has been mentioned above) who will advice/guide  you  (, availability of  snow capping . road condition , which tourist spots are open /closed etc)

Carry voter ID card for granting permission to visit  Changu lake and Nathula and Pashupati market

carry stamp size photos and copies of  voter id card( 4 copy each).

in Monday and Tuesday , tourist are not allowed to visit Changu lake and Nathula. Please plan your visit accordingly

Before visiting Changu lake and Nathula please contact tour operator in at least 1or 2  days in advance  so that he can book your seats and make necessary arrangement for granting permission. Otherwise you may loose one day for taking permission. Tour operator will do on your behalf

Please carry some cubes of camphor as you might experience some breathing trouble at the high altitude at Nathula  .

Carry sufficient winter clothes ( including shoe) to protect yousrself  from cold 

Carry umbrella. It is specially useful in Darjeeling.

Food expenses :  

 You can get both veg and non veg food at a reasonable price ( please consider these are tourist place). You can try Momo and Thukpa . these are specially good in Sikkim. You can reserve Rs 1000 to 1200/- as food cost for a family of three including tea and coffee and mineral water,   

Budget ( start point NJP and end point NJP)  

 Lodging expenses : Two days at NJP, two days at Gangtak, two days at Pelling and two days at Darjeeling . Total lodging expenses  for eight days : Rs. 12000/-  ( including transit lodging expenses at NJP)

Fooding expenses : Rs 1200 per day for 8 days .  Rs. 9600- for a family of three ( including tea/coffee and mineral water). Also included fooding expenses while staying at NJP for transit.

transport expenses :  Rs. 23000/- including granting permission for Nathula visit, journey from Gangtak to Pelling by Bolero , visit Nathula, Changu lake on shared basis and all other visit by wagnor type car.

Local transport cost ; 1000 ( lump sump). if you want to get food in good restaurant , visit to M. G Road at Gangtak etc.

Entry fee   and car parking : Rs.500/-

Total : Rs.46100/-  for a family of three. @15500/- per head. Add train fare  for complete your budget.  

Please click the following link for Photo gallery.

                               CLICK HERE  for more photos

Acknowledgement : 

I am very much thankful to Mr.Arindam chakraborty for his necessary guidance and support who organised my tour programme. He is my well wisher and my facebook friend for last two years. He is not a tour operator. He owned  hotels in Gangtak and Pelling and staying in Gangtak for last 10 years.Literally he picked me up from NJP and dropped me at NJP and arrange my entire trip including sight visit and arrangement of hotels. I am not comfortable to give his contact no. as I did not ask him to obtain necessary permission to make his mobile number public, if you want to contact him please contact me either to my email address( preferable) or mobile number so that I can discuss with you before giving his contact no.

However the description in the blog sufficient enough to  organize this tour programme by yourself  independently

My contact details :

Mobile no : 09831450217 

email address : ajoy_2@hotmail.com /bhattacharyya.ajoy@gmail.com

whatsapp : +917044108330

skype : ajoy641  

IN CHAD WITH MSF - HOLLAND AS A WATSAN COACH IN JUE 2014

Tour to Arunachal Pradesh - an access to serenity

The blog site aims to help to the tourist who opt for visiting Arunachal Pradesh first time.Important guidelines are summarized below.
** There are  of 11 govt approved travel circuits are available  for Arunchal  Pradesh to visit.
** The travel circuit under discussion falls under the route Tezpur - Bhalukpong - Bomdilla- Tawang.The circuit covers a distance of 350 km( approx) starting from Tezpur, The Head qtr. of Sonitpur district in Assam.
Bhalukpong : 65 km from Tezpur and 213m  above msl is the entry to Arunachal.The mighty river Kameng after completing all turbulent courses enters Bhalukpong in a serene flow which provides rare opportunity of adventure tourism and beutiful picnic spot.




Tipi : 5 km from Bhalukpong is a botanical paradise of the state. It is home about 450 species of orchids. Some of them are rare and endangered species. There is an orchid museum too. Water falls and natural beauty are the other attractions. However during our visit( 2nd week of May 2012) the museum was closed. We also understand that it remain closed most of the time and only a few orchid existed during our visit period.
Sessa ( 24 km fom Tipi on the way to Bomdilla). A natural orchid sanctuary amidst chirping birds spread over 10sq Km. Over 2600 orchids representing 80 species have been cultivated in natural surroundings. Unfortunately during our visit time it was not an worth seeing.
Bomdilla ( 109 km from Bhalukpong and 2700 m above msf) is the head quarter  of west Kameng District and home of  several tribes.Craft centre, Monastries, Ethnographic museum, emporium etc are the centre of attractions. Monastry is the worth visiting.
Dirang ( 42 km from Bomdilla and 1497m above msl) Hot water springs where people take bath for curing skin ailments,Apple and Kiwi orchards, National Yak research and breeding centre at Nigmadung, sheep breeding Farm and Sangti valley where Siberian black necked storks visit during winter are places of interest. However except the turbulent flow of river Kameng and scenic beauty of its surrounding are places are not worth visiting during our visit period..
Sela Pass( 45km from Dirang and 4111m above msl).On the way to Tawang  Sela pass is the world's second highest motoable pass at 14000 ft with a high altitude serene crystal blue water natural beauty of the surrounding landscape is a dream come true feeling.
Nurannang( 12 km from sela pass) is home to cold water snow and rainbow. Triut Fish Hatchery where one can go fishing in the chilly water.
Jaswant Garh: ( 4 km from Nuranang). A memorial for veer Jaswant singh of the 4th Garhwal Riffles, the recipient of the Mahavir Chakra( Posthumous) who along stopped the Chinese for 72 hours during 1962 aggression, is a place where patriotic emotions of all Indians find a natural expression.
Tawang ( 183 kms from Bomdilla and 3500 m above msl) has a unique historic perspective mixed with natural beauty and solitude of Gudpi and chong - Chugmi ranges and Tawang chu river and valley. Tawang is an important seat of Mahayana Buddhism famous for Tawang Monastery of the Gelukpa founded my Mera Lama Lodre Gyaltso during the 17th Century, and a contemporary of the 5th Dalai Lama.This is the second largest Monastery in Asia and the largest one of its kind in the country which controls 17 gompas in the region. The most imposing part of the Moastery is the three storied assembly hall which houses the temple and the 28 ft high golden statue of Buddha. The monastery has a big library having an impressive collection of anients books and manuscripts where famous Buddhist scriptures Kangyur and Tangyur inscribed in gold are preserved.
PTSO lake, Nagula and Madhuri lake  are worh visiting located within a stretch of 35 km Tawang for its splendid natural beauty of the surrounding, especially beautiful lakes surrounded snow capped mountain 


Our tour programme :
we selected Tezpur-Bhalukpong-Bomdilla- Tawang  Tourist circiut.It was a 11 days trip from point to back point ( we started from Kolkata on 9th may by train and returned kolkata on 19th May by train.
We designed our pour programme like this
9th May  - Started from Howrah by Sariaghata Express at 12.30pm
10th May : Reached at Guwahati , Check-in hotel , visit Kamakhya temple, Night stay at Guwahati.
( for visiting Kamakhya temple afternoon is the best time for avoiding rush in the morning time). Kamakhya temple gate  opens at 3 pm in the afternoon . It is advisable to reach half an hour before and stand on que, Auto rickshaws are available from the railway station. It takes Rs.200 to 300 for one way journey, You can get it in cheaper price ( Rs.150 for oneway) depending on your negotiation ability. The Kamakhya temple is 14 km far from railway station.  No need to hire auto rickshaw for return travel ; you will get many auto rickshaw at the Kamakhya  for return to your base.. 
11th May : start for Tezpur in the early morning ( 6am) by car , reached Tezpur at  10.30 am . We hired a car( Bolero) from Tezpur and started  for Bhalukpong; night stay at Bhalukpong. You can hire a car either from Guwahati or Tezpur'



Innerline permit ( ILP) : ILP requires for Indian citizen to tour to Arnachal Pradesh. It takes 4 to 5 days for processing. we got ILP from kolkata office  from the Dy. Resident Commissioner , Arunachal Bhawan, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh, CE-109 sector 1, Salt lake city( Land Mark  sector 1  , Telephone exchange). phone : 033 23341243. Please visit the above mentioned office with the copies duly attested  by gazetted officer of address proof and Photo Id along with two passport size photo  for each person. Application fee Rs.20/- for each person. One family member can apply for the whole family subjected that he/she should accompany the group.  

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