Kolkata, Darjeeling and Andaman Islands holiday with Taj hotels

Itinerary in brief: 

• 1 night Kolkata 
• 3 nights Darjeeling 
• 1 night Kolkata
• 1 night Port Blair 
• 4 nights Havelock Island 
• 1 night Chennai 

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included: International flights 

Day 2: Arrive Kolkata

 On arrival in Kolkata, you’ll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel. This frenetic city is the gateway to Eastern India, with a rich intellectual and cultural heritage. You’ll have the rest of the day to explore at your leisure – why not visit the Dakshineswar Kali Temple or head to the College Street Book Market, famous for its vast array of titles. The largest second-hand book market in the world, you’ll be sure to find something to take home as a souvenir. 

Included: Transfers, Taj Bengal

Day 3: Fly to Bagdogra, travel to Darjeeling

After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport for the short flight to Bagdogra in Sikkim. On arrival, you’ll be driven to Darjeeling, around 2.5 hours away. You’ll check into your room at the Glenburn Tea Estate, a little plantation on a hill beside the River Rungeet, high in the Himalayas. Started by a Scottish tea company in 1859, it then passed into a pioneering Indian tea-planting family, the Prakashes. Inspired by the vineyards of Europe, you can observe the tea-making process, taste the local specialities and shop for your favourite blends. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, internal flights, Glenburn Tea Estate  

Days 4 & 5: Darjeeling

Darjeeling conjures up images or vibrant green hills and vast tea fields under the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, and you’ll see just how true this vision is as you head out to explore. After breakfast, you’ll head to enjoy a ride on the Toy Train, before discovering more of the city. Drive past Observatory Hill, a sacred viewpoint for Hindus and Buddhists and visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute to see the collections of history mountaineering equipment, specimens of Himalayan flora and fauna and history of the mountain climbing in these regions. 

On one of your afternoons, you’ll enjoy the Glenburn Tea Tour, watching the tea plucking where cheerful ladies pick the tea and collect it in the traditional wicker baskets on their back, singing and chatting as they work. You’ll have a picnic lunch on the banks of the river before visiting the factory to see more of the tea planting process, from weighing to sorting. You’ll end with a spectacular tea tasting, learning about the different varieties and aromas of tea grown on the estate. 

Included: Breakfast, Glenburn tea tour, Glenburn Tea Estate                   

Day 6: Fly to Kolkata 

This morning, you’ll be driven back to the airport for your flight back to Kolkata. Spend the rest of the day at leisure in the city, admiring the impressive architecture and tasting some delicious West Bengali specialties. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, internal flights, Taj Bengal            

Day 7: Fly to Port Blair

After breakfast, you’ll be driven to the airport for your short flight to the Andaman Islands. You’ll land in Port Blair, the capital of this island state. Picturesque beaches, crystal clear water and a bit of history make the Andamans the perfect choice for a laid-back section of your trip, although there is plenty to do here if you want to bee a little more adventurous. You’ll spend the rest today in Port Blair before heading to Havelock Island tomorrow. Why not learn about the history of the city at the Port Blair Prison or head to the beach at Corbyn’s Cove?

Included: Breakfast, transfer, internal flights, Seashells Port Blair            

Day 8: Ferry to Havelock Island 

This morning you’ll hop on the short ferry to Havelock Island, around 2.5 hours away. You’ll be welcomed with a traditional song and taken to your beautiful hotel, the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, checking in for four nights. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, ferry, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa 

Days 9 - 11: Havelock Island           

Your time here is yours to enjoy the island at your leisure. We’ve included a kayaking excursion into the famous mangroves, where you’ll learn about the importance of these ecosystems and paddle through the clear water and lush plants as you go. If you want to head off cycling, there are some fantastic beach and forest trails that can be enjoyed, as well as some brilliant night kayaking to see the mangroves as they light up with bioluminescence. Scuba diving is popular here – you can dive with some beautiful fish and colourful corals, all on a spectacular reef just offshore. 

However, if you’d like to relax and do nothing – you’re in the right place. Escape to your private villa surrounded by rainforest and palm trees, relax in your hammock and get stuck into a good book. Set right next to the famous Radhanagar beach, you can stroll along the sands, snorkel in the calm waves and soak up some of the best sunsets around. 

Included: Breakfast, mangrove kayaking, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa                          

Day 12: Fly to Chennai 

After breakfast, you’ll be taken back to the ferry terminal for the ferry to Port Blair, before boarding the short flight to Chennai. On arrival you’ll be met and taken to your hotel, before heading out on an afternoon tour of the city. 

Chennai was the site of the East India Company’s first settlement and has centuries of history that came before that. Today it is the cultural centre of South India – palm trees mingle with modern buildings and the colonial influence is seen in the architecture of the old buildings dotted around the city. You’ll explore the Victoria Art Gallery, Bronze Gallery and Madras Museum before heading to St Mary’s Church, the oldst Anglican church in Asia. Drive along Marina Beach, visiting San Thome Cathedral, where lie the mortal remains of St. Thomas Christ's apostle and the earliest Christian missionary in Asia.  Your final stop is colourful Kapaleeswarar Temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, where you have an opportunity to mingle with the devotees and observe the various rituals of Hinduism.

Included: Breakfast, ferry, internal flights, guiding, Taj Coromandel       

Day 13: Depart India

This morning, you’ll wave goodbye to India as you head to the airport in time for your flight home.            

Included: Breakfast, transfers, international flights         

Day 14: Arrive UK