A week in Sikkim, taken at an easy pace — Gangtok as a base, monastery days at Rumtek and Ravangla, high-altitude lakes if the weather plays along, and the quieter western stretch around Pelling for Kanchenjunga at sunrise. The route stays flexible; we go where the roads and the weather allow and stay longer where it’s worth it.

New Year’s Eve is in Gangtok, on MG Marg, with live music and the whole street out for it.

Expect cold — proper winter in the hills — long mountain drives, and permits for the restricted areas. Suited to travellers who don’t mind plans shifting with conditions.