Travel style
Homestays
Nights with families in hill villages
A homestay in Sikkim, Kalimpong or the Dooars is a room in a family home, usually with an attached bathroom, home-cooked meals and hosts who know every path in the village.
We pick homestays registered with the state tourism departments and tell you plainly what to expect: hot water by bucket in some places, early dinners and quiet nights.
Journeys
Routes in this style
Places
Where it fits best
A boot-shaped lake and farm homestays below the Silk Route
The Karma Kagyu seat across the valley from Gangtok
Hairpin bends and homestays on the old Silk Route
A Lepcha reserve of cardamom, rivers and village homestays
The quiet overnight stop below Thangu and Gurudongmar
A wooden mountain village at the gate to Yumthang and Zero Point
A ridge-top village with a rare Buddha and a lake that was poisoned
Where Sikkim crowned its first king and the Goecha La trail begins
Mist, monks and the gate to Neora Valley
A Lepcha ridge village with an old forest and a canopy walk
A high ridge village facing the whole Kanchenjunga range
A ridge village above Pedong looking down on the Teesta bends
A Bhutanese fort and prison in the clouds above the Dooars
Elephant corridor and a lost fort in the sal
The quiet valley over Chele La
The winter valley of the black-necked cranes
Shape your own trip Tell us your dates and budget. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the valley to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an itemised price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginStays
Rooms that suit it
Zuluk has no hotels in the usual sense, only family homestays in the small village and army settlement. Rooms are basic but warm, and the price …
Aritar has a good spread of family homestays around Lampokhari lake and the surrounding villages. They are clean, friendly and cheap, and most include dinner and …
Family-run rooms in the older part of Lachung, across the river from the main road. Simple, warm hospitality and home-cooked meals at the lowest price in …
An established mid-range resort in Lachung with wooden-finished rooms and valley views, commonly used on Value packages. Reliable service and meals at a fair price for …
One of the most comfortable resorts in Lachung, with larger rooms, better heating and mountain views. Our Comfort-tier choice for the Lachung valley.
Simple family-run lodges and homestays in Lachen, used by almost every Gurudongmar package. Basic, warm-hearted and set up for 4 am starts.
Family homestays in Lepcha villages such as Lingthem, Passingdang and Hee Gyathang. The main way to stay in the reserve, and one of the most rewarding …
Family homestays in Yuksom, run mainly by Bhutia, Limbu and Nepali households, are the natural base before or after the Goecha La and Dzongri treks. Meals …
A working family farm below Rinchenpong, with rooms in an old farmhouse dating from the 1820s and a newer cottage. It is one of the best-known …
Shape your own trip Tell us your dates and budget. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the valley to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an itemised price within one working day. No payment to start. Begin