Almost everyone who writes to us asks the same thing: should we do Sittong or Tinchuley first? The honest answer is that it depends on how you're arriving and what kind of first evening you want.
Sittong sits low, in a river valley. From NJP it's the shorter, gentler drive, which matters if you've just come off an overnight train. The village is spread out along the slope, the homestays are family-run, and the evening is quiet in a way that feels like a proper reset from Kolkata. Between November and January the orange orchards are full, and you'll be handed fruit off the tree.
Tinchuley is on the ridge. The homestays look down over tea gardens and, on a clear morning, across to the snow line. It's cooler, the walks are longer, and the sunset is the main event. It makes a wonderful second night because the climb up from Sittong gives the day a shape: valley in the morning, ridge by afternoon.
So our default is Sittong first, Tinchuley second, and Darjeeling to finish. If you're flying into Bagdogra late morning and only have two nights, we sometimes swap Tinchuley in for Sittong and keep Darjeeling. Either way, tell us your arrival time and we'll build it around that.
One more thing: both villages are on a slope. If anyone in your group finds steps hard, say so and we'll pick the property with the easiest access. We know which ones they are.
Sittong, the orange villageTinchuley
Planning this route? See the packages, or send your dates for a custom plan.
