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Tuesday 24 March 2009
We will meet at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 at 0715 ready to catch British Airways’ direct flight at 1015 to Calcutta….
Included: Flight, meals on flight, accommodation. Not included: other meals, travel to Heathrow.
Wednesday 25 March 2009
…arriving at 0115. We’ll be met with a coach that will take us direct to our hotel for the rest of the night. In the late morning, we’ll take our bus to the new railway museum near Calcutta’s Howrah station where there is much of Calcutta’s railway history on view (and we’ll take a look at Howrah station – one of India’s busiest). To follow, we’ll take a chartered tram ride through the northern part of the city – this gives a great insight into the way this lively city works – you are part of the crowds without having to fight your way through them!
Included: breakfast, coach transfers, museum visit, tram ride, dinner, accommodation.. Not included: other meals, incidentals.
Thursday 26 March 2009
After an early breakfast, the coach will take us to Calcutta’s Sealdah station to catch the 0905 Express to New Jalpaiguri, at the foot of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, where we are due to arrive at 1900. The train shows the full contrast of India, starting through some of the slum suburbs of Calcutta, crossing the River Ganges twice, and passing through some of the rich farmland of North Bengal. On arrival, we’ll have a coach waiting for the short transfer to the Cindrella Hotel, our home for the next few days
Included: breakfast, coach transfers, rail travel, dinner, accommodation. Not included: other meals and incidentals
Friday 27 March 2009
Tea from the Darjeeling area is called the “champagne of teas” – so this morning we’ll take a visit to a tea plantation where we’ll see the leaves being picked, learn how the tea is processed and visit the factory. In the late afternoon we’ll visit the locomotive shed to become acquainted with the world-famous ‘B’ class engines synonymous with the Darjeeling line. We’ll then take our seats for dinner in our steam-hauled charter train and enjoy a good three-course dinner as the little train blasts its way up through the forest at dusk.
Included: breakfast, coach transfers, rail travel, dinner, accommodation . Not included: other meals and incidentals
Saturday 28 March
We have a full day’s steam charter on the broad gauge line from Siliguri out to Chalsa, again with plenty of runpasts. Take some small gifts for the kids you’ll meet along the way. At Chalsa, lunch will consist of the local delicacies, samosas and chai at a roadside café. Our locomotive will be one of India’s famous bullet-nosed Pacific WP class – probably 7161, built in India in 1965.
Included breakfast, coach transfers, train travel, lunch, dinner, accommodation. Not included: incidentals
Sunday 29 March 2009
We’ll start the day on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway with a short diesel-hauled run from New Jalpaiguri to Siliguri Junction, where we’ll change to our steam charter train which leaves for the journey up through the Siliguri bazaar and the forests to Tindharia, where we will visit the DHR’s workshops, before returning to Siliguri and our hotel for dinner. There will be ample opportunity for photography – we have a bus available on the parallel road for the photographers, and it’s possible to change between bus and train frequently.
ncluded: breakfast, rail travel, works visit, road transport, dinner, accommodation. Not included: other meals and incidentals.
Monday 30 March 2009
Our second charter will run from Tindharia to Darjeeling, with a break at Kurseong for lunch – there are good samosas and cakes right by the station. We’ll arrive in Darjeeling in good time for dinner in our hotel, home for the next two days. We’re hoping for good weather – if there’s a good view of the mountains, we’ll stop at the famous Batasia Loop to photograph the train with Kanchenjunga in the background. As usual, the bus will accompany the train for the photographers.
Included breakfast, dinner, train travel, coach transfers, dinner, accommodation. Not included: other meals
Tuesday 31 March 2009
The day will be free in Darjeeling, but we will organise an excursion on the ‘Joy Train’ from Darjeeling to Ghum (to visit the excellent DHR museum). This gives another chance to photograph the train at Batasia with the mountains. There’s a lot to do in Darjeeling – the Tibetan Refuge Centre, the bazaars, the Mountaineering Institute or just looking at the view.
Included: breakfast, train travel and museum visit, dinner, accommodation. Not included: local transport, other meals and incidentals
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