Calcutta & North East India

India’s east keeps a flavour all its own. So Calcutta layers colonial grandeur over a fierce intellectual life, while toy trains climb to Darjeeling’s tea gardens beneath Kanchenjunga. Beyond rise Sikkim’s prayer-flagged monasteries and Assam’s rhino-filled floodplains. Few itineraries come this way, which keeps the welcome warm and the paths quiet. Every one of our tailor-made holidays is private and built around you. As a result, the north-east shows India at its most soulful.

Why Travel the North-East

This is India for the romantic and the curious. So faded Raj splendour, Himalayan views and serious tea fill the days. Meanwhile, the region’s stays are characterful planters’ bungalows and family homes. Wildlife and culture interleave naturally. As a result, the east rewards travellers seeking depth over box-ticking.

Calcutta: The Bengali Capital

Calcutta wears its history magnificently. So you explore the city from the marble Victoria Memorial through flower markets to coffee-house debates. The mansions and maidans of Calcutta recall the Raj’s first capital. You might stay at the chic Glenburn Penthouse overlooking the Victoria Memorial, or unwind at the rural Rajbari Bawali. As a result, the city seduces almost despite itself.

Darjeeling: Tea and Toy Trains

The hills above Bengal grow the world’s most famous tea. So a walking tour of Darjeeling winds past the Planters’ Club, the bazaar and the famous steam railway. Dawn at Tiger Hill unveils Kanchenjunga blazing above the clouds. You stay amid the bushes at the beloved Glenburn Tea Estate, where estate days mix plucking, tasting and river picnics.

Sikkim: The Hidden Kingdom

North again, the old kingdom of Sikkim climbs towards Tibet. So monasteries like Rumtek and Pemayangtse hum with horns and butter lamps. The Shakti Sikkim village walks wander orchid forests between exclusive village houses. Meanwhile, Kanchenjunga fills the northern sky. As a result, Sikkim delivers the Himalaya without the trekking-tent hardships.

Assam and the Brahmaputra

East along the great river lies wild Assam. So Kaziranga’s floodplain grasslands shelter two-thirds of the world’s one-horned rhino. The marshes of Kaziranga also hide tiger, elephant and river dolphin. A cruise aboard the ABN river ships drifts past temples and island monasteries. As a result, the Brahmaputra ranks among Asia’s great wildlife journeys.

Our Eastern Itineraries

The east stars in some of our most distinctive routes. So Darjeeling and Sikkim: Hidden India joins tea country to the monastery trails. Tea and Tiffin: Colonial India savours the Raj from Calcutta to the hills. Meanwhile, Slowly down the Ganges begins its river journey from Calcutta. Each can be reshaped entirely around you.

When to Travel

Generally, October to April brings the clearest mountain views and the driest plains. By contrast, the monsoon drenches the region from June. The tea gardens, meanwhile, flush with new leaf each spring. So we tailor the timing to your plans. Either way, we advise on the ideal window for your dates.

Plan Your Trip

The east pairs naturally with Varanasi and the north or the Andaman Islands. So mountains, rivers and beaches can share one journey. When you are ready, simply get in touch with our specialists. We will then craft a private itinerary around your interests. As ever, every detail is arranged for you.

The Bengali Table

Bengal takes its food as seriously as its poetry. So mustard-laced fish curries, puchka street snacks and syrupy rosogolla mark the days. Calcutta’s coffee houses still host the adda, the city’s beloved art of conversation. Meanwhile, Darjeeling’s tastings school you in first and second flush. As a result, the east feeds mind and appetite together.

Travelling with Millis Potter

Everything we arrange in the east is private and hand-built. So drivers, guides and the planters’ bungalows we trust are booked well ahead. We know the railway’s best seats and the estates’ loveliest rooms. Meanwhile, our partners on the ground are on call throughout. As a result, this quiet corner of India runs smoothly.

An East That Stays With You

In the end, the east wins hearts quietly. So Kanchenjunga at dawn and tea-garden mists linger for years. Many travellers call Glenburn their favourite stay in all India. Meanwhile, Assam’s river islands wait for the return visit. As a result, one journey is rarely enough.

Rivers, Rails and Slow Travel

The east rewards unhurried movement. So the toy train wheezes up its loops as gardens slide past the windows. River ships idle along the Brahmaputra between temple stops. Meanwhile, estate days follow the pluckers’ gentle rhythm. As a result, the journey itself becomes the destination here.

Wildlife Beyond the Rhino

Assam’s floodplains brim with life. So elephant herds wade the marshes while otters fish the channels. Hoolock gibbons whoop from the canopy at dawn. Meanwhile, the birdlife runs to storks, hornbills and fishing eagles. As a result, every drive and cruise delivers something new.

Festivals of the East

Time it well and the east celebrates around you. So Durga Puja turns Calcutta into a city-wide art installation each autumn. Losar fills Sikkim’s monasteries with masked dances. Meanwhile, Assam’s Bihu welcomes the spring with song. As a result, a festival can crown the whole journey.