Eight tour packages to various, popular cool climes of north and north-eastern India are on offer this summer from the South Central Zone of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC).
The ever enticing, sought after, picturesque Jammu, Gulmarg, Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Darjeeling and Gangtok figure in the list of tourist destinations covered under different packages. A visit to Mata Vaishno Devi mandir, one of the most popular shrines in the country, forms part of a few packages.
The duration range from 5-nights/6-days to 8 night/9 days. Per person tariff is upwards of Rs.10,000 -- with that of ‘Discover Amazing Kashmir’ Srinagar-Gulmarg-Pahalgam-Sonmarg-Srinagar 5 nights/6 days package cheapest at Rs.10,910. The ‘North East Delights’ New Jalpaiguri/Bagdogra-Darjeeling-Pelling-Gangtok-Kalimpong-New Jalpaiguri/Bagdogra 6 nights/7 days package, with a tariff of Rs.20,217, is the costliest of the lot.
Giving details, IRCTC SCZ Deputy General Manager (Catering and Tourism) N. Sanjeevaiah highlighted the benefits of patronising the government of India enterprise. Tour packages, an official release said, are available for government employees desirous of availing themselves of leave travel concession (LTC). A package to Guwahati-Shillong will be launched soon.
Tourists, however, need to make their own to and fro travel arrangements from their place of stay to the pick-up point of the package and in the return direction as well. IRCTC would help in getting confirmed onward and return train reservations.
On the package inclusion, Mr. Sanjeevaiah said pick-up and drop from airports, 3-star hotel accommodation, road transportation, off-board food service, driver-cum-guide service, travel insurance figure are among those included.
Also, IRCTC SCZ offers several tour packages from Secunderabad to popular pilgrim locations, including Tirupati and Shirdi, he said, adding facilitating darshan is part of the Tirupati package.
