Virgin Eastern Hills 4N-5D Tour

Important Notes about Car and Hotels:

• Since your tour covers different districts and states one single vehicle for the entire trip cannot be used. Local sight seeing tours in the above places are arranged in separate car (Maruti Van or Sumo Jeep as per availability and local taxi syndicate rule). These cars are used exclusively for you and take you to all the points mentioned in the package.


• There is a restriction of vehicular movement in Gangtok Town after 8AM. If your hotel is in the town we request you to move from the hotel before 8AM for your Tsongo Lake excursion or transfer to next destination, or else the car has to leave the hotel and have to wait at the Taxi Stand.


• The car service for the specific package is on time limit contract basis as per given schedule and not for full day. The full day availability of car can also be arranged on request with an additional cost.


• Due to high traffic restrictions in the hill stations (mainly in Darjeeling and Gangtok) the drivers remain under pressure. They can not stop on the road while driving through the city or can not go to certain places even if desired by the tourists. In the hill towns the car parking places are very limited. In some hotels cars are not allowed to go. We have selected such hotels where the car has a direct access, but the same can be changed following sudden traffic rule imposition in some specific time. In such cases our driver will take you to the nearest taxi stand and help you to reach hotel. We request you to kindly understand these issues and cooperate with the drivers and maintain the timings.


• We suggest you visit the market areas in the afternoon by foot and avoid car unless the hotels are outside the city. Where the hotels are far from the city we can arrange extra car for visiting market. The cost for this service is extra.


• The hotels in Darjeeling or Sikkim are not air conditioned as this is not required here because of climatic condition. Also there is very few hotels having elevator and you may have to climb 3 to 4 story in some hotels. Rooms on higher floor have better view of the surroundings. However, we can arrange your room in the lower floor if you so desire.


• In case of any specific requirement of bed arrangement (Twin Bed or Couple Bed) we should be intimated in advance in order to book the rooms as per choice.

Permit:

• People visiting Tsongo Lake and/or Nathula Pass and/or North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung) are required to send photocopy of their valid Photo ID Proof of all (Passport or Voter Card or Driving Lenience or Pan Card for adult and school / birth certificate for children below 18 years) with 4 copies of Passport size Photographs to our office in advance in order to arrange the necessary permits. The original copies may be required to be shown on spot and should be carried during the tour.   Please use this as an important note with Tsongo Lake visit.


• People visiting to Tsongo Lake – please note there are two Baba Mandirs beyond Tsongo Lake. We will arrange your visit to New Baba Mandir which is 8kms away from the lake. Please check if this is already included in your package. If not then you can pay an additional Rs. 500 per car to include this in the itinerary and we will arrange extra permit for you. However, there is another Old Baba Mandir on the way to Jelepla Pass. Please do not get confused with the Old Baba Mandir and the New Baba Mandir. We do not arrange this in our package, as permit is not given for this sector. Sometimes, drivers take tourists on their personal capacity to Old Baba Mandir and Jelepla Pass. If you are willing to go there please negotiate the rate with the driver directly. The company is however not responsible for this extended-tour.

Climate:

• Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalayas experience a climate that varies right from Tropical to Tundra. This change can be felt in a matter of 5 to 6 hours journey. The temperature in the lower foothills varies from 4 D C in winter up to 35 D C in summer. Regions above 1500M up to 2500 M have an average temperature of Minimum 2 D C and Maximum 12 D C in winter and Minimum 12 D C and Maximum 25 D C in summer. The region above 6000m in Northern, Eastern and Western Sikkim remains under permanent snow throughout the year. Winter period in the hills Mid October to March and summer period is from May to July. Monsoon starts from July and continues till Mid September. Occasional rainfalls occur in early May and June. It is also one of the rainiest regions with an average rainfall of 350cm per annum. Best time to visit this region from September to December and March to June.

Clothing:

• Heavy to very heavy woolen garments form Oct to March and light woolen garments during the rest of the year. Carrying rain proof jackets or umbrella at any time of the year will be beneficial.

Cancellation-Rules:

• Advance Money (10% of the total package cost) is Non Refundable


• 20% cancellation charge of the total package cost if cancelled between 15 to 7 days before arrival


• 40% cancellation charge of the total package cost if cancelled between 7 to 1 days before arrival


• No refund is possible in case of cancellation after the tour starts.


• No refund is possible if the tour is cancelled due to bad weather, civil/political disturbance, or anything beyond human control. But there will be full cooperation from the entire team to make an alternate arrangement in such cases.

Altering the confirmed plan before tour starts:

• We can make changes in the tour plan based on your requirement before the final tour confirmation without any extra cost. However, to change a confirmed tour plan between the confirmation and arrival date a processing charge of INR 250 to INR 900.00 will be applied on the new tour cost (the final processing charge will depend on the type of alteration). The charge is not applicable for extension of tour and related services.

Altering the confirmed plan during the tour:

• We can extend or alter the itinerary during an ongoing tour as per guest’s specific requirement. The cost for the changed program is payable separately and adjustment of cost with the original service is not possible.

Declaration:

• The general geographical information provided above is collected from various sources and from field experiences. We do not guarantee 100% accuracy on it but try to be as close as possible.  We are in a constant process to give you the actual information and welcome any suggestion and correction on that. We are committed to provide you all promised service as detailed in the tour plan.


• The detailing of the itinerary aims to give you a basic idea of what you can do during the trip. We are not strict to rules and will treat your preference as a priority. In case you need any change this should be discussed in advance with us and there will be full cooperation from us to arrange an ideal trip you are looking for. There will not be any extra cost for the alteration/addition unless it is really required. However, it will be tour operator’s discretion to determine the cost for alteration / addition according to service requirement. This will be informed to you and our official will collect it from you in cash.


• Any alteration or addition in the program is subject to the availability and feasibility of the specific service requirement.


• We will try its best to maintain the schedule but circumstances beyond human control may change the same.


• Any legal dispute is subject to the jurisdiction of Sub Judicial Magistrate Court Siliguri.


• We hope you have read the entire program thoroughly along with the terms and facts and you have understood and accepted the same.