Darjeeling

A British-era hill town in the Himalayan foothills, where the "Toy Train" winds through tea gardens and sunrise from Tiger Hill lights up Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak.

Darjeeling sits on a ridge in the southern foothills of the Himalayas in northern West Bengal, India, at about 2,000 m. In the mid-19th century the British developed it as a summer hill station and planted tea on a large scale – today Darjeeling tea is hailed as "the champagne of teas". The town is built in tiers along the ridge, and on clear days it faces Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), the world's third-highest peak. Its residents are mainly Gorkhas, Tibetans and Lepchas, giving it a rich mix of cultures. Areas: the town centre is Chowrasta and Observatory Hill on the ridge; to the north are the zoo and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, and on the northwest slope is the Happy Valley Tea Estate; about 7 km south, Ghum has Ghum Monastery and the Batasia Loop, with Tiger Hill, the sunrise viewpoint, further southeast. Best seasons: October–December brings clear skies and the best chance of seeing sunrise on the snow peaks; March–May is the first flush tea harvest, with rhododendrons in bloom; June–September is the foggy monsoon, with frequent landslides on mountain roads. Winter nights drop close to 0°C, so bring a heavy coat. Getting there: fly from Delhi, Kolkata or elsewhere to Bagdogra Airport (IXB), then take a taxi or shared jeep up the hill (about 3–3.5 hours); you can also take a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and transfer by road, or ride the Toy Train all the way (about 7–8 hours). Plan on 3 days: Day 1, sunrise at Tiger Hill, Ghum Monastery and the Batasia Loop, then a short Toy Train ride in the afternoon; Day 2, the Mountaineering Institute and zoo, the Peace Pagoda and tea tasting at a tea garden; Day 3, extend your trip to Gangtok or Kalimpong. Good to know: travel to Sikkim requires a Restricted Area Permit, and applications from Chinese passport holders face many restrictions, so confirm the latest policy with an Indian visa office before you travel; mountain weather is changeable and sunrise trips are often clouded out, so build in a spare day.

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