West Bengal

From Himalayan tea hills to the Ganges Delta: Darjeeling's tea and snow peaks, and Kolkata's colonial legacy and artistic spirit.

West Bengal lies in eastern India, bordering the Himalayan foothills in the north and reaching the Bay of Bengal in the south, with terrain shifting from high mountains to the Ganges Delta plains. The capital, Kolkata, was the capital of British India; the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge and the lively Durga Puja festival are highlights, and the city is also a center of Bengali literature and art. In the north, Darjeeling is known for its tea gardens, sunrise over Kangchenjunga and the World Heritage–listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; in the south, the Sundarbans mangroves are habitat for the Bengal tiger. Visit the plains from October to March; the hills are best in spring and autumn. The main gateways are Kolkata International Airport and Bagdogra Airport in the north.

Destinations

• Kolkata
• Darjeeling
• Digha
• Sundarbans
• Murshidabad
• Santiniketan
• Purulia
• Dooars & Gorumara
• Mayapur & Nabadwip
• Bishnupur
• Malda
• Buxa & Jayanti

Itineraries

• Bengal Terracotta Temples & Nawab Heritage – Depart from Kolkata to explore Bishnupur, Shantiniketan, Murshidabad, and Gaur.
• Purulia Red Soil Hills & Lakes – Travel from Kolkata to the Ajodhya Hills and Baranti Lake to see waterfalls, a mask-making village, and Palash blooms.
• Darjeeling, Pelling, Gangtok & Lachung Panorama – Travel from Darjeeling into Sikkim, covering tea gardens, ancient capitals, the modern capital, and northern alpine val…
• Darjeeling, Sikkim & Kanchenjunga Loop – A loop connecting Gangtok, Pelling, and Darjeeling to see sacred lakes, ancient monasteries, tea gardens, and the Kanch…
• Dooars Forests & One-Horned Rhino – Go on safaris in Gorumara and Jaldapara National Parks, connecting the scenic tea garden villages of Jhalong, Bindu, an…