Mumbai to Kanchenjunga: IRCTC’s 7-day mountain escape comes with a surprise

Mountain calling

Swap Mumbai’s rush for views of the snow-covered Kanchenjunga. IRCTC’s 6-night, 7-day Gangtok-Darjeeling air tour begins on September 27, taking travellers through some of Sikkim and West Bengal’s most popular hill destinations.

Holiday sorted

No separate hunt for flights, hotels or mountain cabs. According to IRCTC, the package bundles Mumbai-Bagdogra return flights, hotel stays, meals, local transfers and a tour guide or escort — taking much of the planning headache out of a week-long hill holiday.

Price puzzle

Who you travel with could make a sizeable difference to the bill. A solo traveller pays Rs 71,500, while the price falls to Rs 56,200 per person for three people sharing a room. For two people sharing a room, the package costs Rs 56,800 each.

Triple escape

This journey packs more than Gangtok and Darjeeling into seven days. Travellers move from Gangtok through Pelling before reaching Darjeeling, swapping Buddhist monasteries and Himalayan scenery for tea gardens and sweeping views of Kanchenjunga along the way.

Early takeoff

The mountain break starts early. As per the scheduled itinerary, the IndiGo flight leaves Mumbai at 7:35 am and reaches Bagdogra at 10:50 am. On the return journey, travellers depart Bagdogra at 11:30 am and are scheduled to land in Mumbai at 2:20 pm.

Payment breather

A Rs 56,000-plus holiday does not necessarily have to be paid for in one shot. IRCTC’s part-payment option allows travellers booking online to initially pay 30% of the package cost, with the remaining 70% payable later under the applicable booking terms.