3 days in Darjeeling – the Queen of Hills

Year-end trips are a way of refreshing the mind and recharging our batteries for the year ahead. I bid adieu to 2019 and welcomed 2020 in the lap of nature – Darjeeling and the tiny border village of Tumling.

There is a multitude of information on the internet on what to do when in Darjeeling. What I am trying to do here is to share my experience, which entails how to make the best of your short holiday. I went online, asked friends and acquaintances to gather information. Based on this extensive research I planned my itinerary – 3 days in Darjeeling and a short side trip to an offbeat place nearby.

We i.e. my family and myself flew from Kolkata to Bagdogra airport in Siliguri – a short flight of 1 hr. – from where we took a pre-booked cab to reach Darjeeling.

Tip: The other way to reach Siliguri is via train upto NJP (New Jalpaiguri) Station.

Tip: You can easily hire a car outside the airport – there will be no shortage. But please do haggle on the fares because they may quote high prices. Bagdogra/NJP to Darjeeling should cost around Rs. 3500 by car. Make sure to reach Bagdogra or NJP before noon, so that you can reach your end destination within evening. It is advisable to not drive after dark.

It’s said, “It’s the journey that matters, not the destination”. As we traveled over the scenic mountain roads, this certainly was the case. Lush green tea gardens, towering pine trees and snow-capped mountains in the distance – eventually drawing close as we drove from a mere 400 ft to an altitude of 6800 ft. I could feel the change in weather as well – from the hot sunny weather in Siliguri to the evening chill of 4° C in Darjeeling.

Tip: Be sure to be suitably attired for this weather with jackets, scarves, gloves and hats. Layer more as night falls with thermal-wear.

Day 1

Evening-tea-mall walk-Glenary’s

After checking in at our hotel we had a cup of refreshing evening tea – we Bengalis love our tea morning and evening! We then set off to explore. Walking to the Mall, we enjoyed the biting cold, our breaths freezing in the sharp evening air.

Tip: Gandhi Road is one of the best areas to stay in, because of its nearness to the Mall and Chowrasta; it’s also a walking distance from the Chauk Bazaar and Taxi Stand as well.

The Mall

The Mall is a burst of color and activity – shops selling winter clothes, tea, curios, paintings and what not. I felt like ducking into each of the shops to look at their offerings – there is so much to look at and take in! We did a little bit of window shopping and soaking in the lively atmosphere – this place has an attraction of its own.

Tip: Most shops on the Mall close by 8 PM in the evening (some e.g. Golden Tips, pop-up winter clothes stores, etc. do remain open till later). Make sure to do all your shopping – window or otherwise – by then. Restaurants mostly close by 10.30 PM, some even before that, so getting a seat is hard after 8:00 especially in peak season.

Glenary’s

We capped off our first day with dinner at Glenary’s. Glenary’s is known for its bakery but the food here is delicious as well. Roast pork, fried chicken and mixed chowmein was utterly yummy. There is live music as well – it’s wonderful being serenaded while you eat! Do visit Glenary’s when you are in Darjeeling – it’s a must do!

Day 2

Kanchenjunga-Keventers-Ghoom Monastery-Lamahatta-Tribeni-Peace Pagoda/Japanese Temple

Kanchenjunga

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Next morning was a gift from the mountain gods. As I woke up and looked outside my window, I was greeted by the majestic Mt. Kanchenjunga in all its glory! What a breathtaking view it was! There stood the 3^rd highest mountain in the world at such close quarters – sparkling white against the pristine blue sky. Wow – I stood there gazing at that wonder for eons. This was the highlight of my visit.

The day was planned for sightseeing points close-by. We booked a car via the hotel itself for a half- day tour to 4 points.

Tip: You can talk to your hotel; they will arrange a car for day tour of Darjeeling. It should cost around Rs. 3500 for 5 points trip.

Keventer’s

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We breakfasted that day at the famous Keventer’s. Located at the entry point of the Mall, it’s known for its drool worthy breakfast and snacks. What I had was the pork platter – sausages, bacon, ham, salami and fried egg – and coffee. They were super yummy!

Tip: Platters are available in chicken as well. The hot chocolate is also worth a taste, my sister says.

Ghoom Monastery

Samten Choling, the new Ghoom Monastery (old one is called Yiga Choeling) is located on the Hill Cart Road, about 20 minutes away from Darjeeling. On reaching, one needs to climb down a number of steps to reach a large open space accommodating the monastery. The steps are not in good condition so mind your step! This white building with a golden top houses a huge idol of Lord Buddha at its centre. Spend a few minutes admiring the ancient paintings on the walls. The serene and quiet atmosphere had a calming effect on me.

Lamahatta

Lamahatta is about an hour’s drive (~25kms) from Darjeeling. The main attraction here is its eco-tourism – a picturesque eco-forest on the slopes of a mountain with an abundance of pine trees. Until a year ago, there were several short trekking routes to reach the mountain top, however now there is a 1 km pre-marked trekking route to the sacred pond. It is a pleasant trek with an amazing view though the pond is not really a big deal. The forest makes for some pretty pictures with its tall trees and the sun shining through the gaps. Walking on the cobbled path, I felt like an adventurer – climbing up in search of the pond.

Tribeni

Tribeni is the confluence of 2 rivers – Teesta and Rangit. This sightseeing point is basically a viewpoint of that confluence. It is a beautiful sight – the blue-green waters mixing into one another. The subtle shade difference – which arises due to different densities and content – makes for an alluring picture.

Tip: Optional activity is rafting on the Rangit river but in the month of December this is something we opted not to do.

Japanese Temple and Peace Pagoda

Last stop of the day was the Japanese Temple and the Peace Pagoda. They are situated in the same compound and is in Darjeeling itself. The temple is guarded by 2 white stone lion statues and the main temple is on the 1^st floor. We were fortunate enough to take part in the evening prayer where we played a musical instrument as part of prayer; a racquet like thing to be struck with a wooden stick to the rhythm of their prayer song. It is soothing and so utterly peaceful. While leaving we were given “nakuldana” prasad. The temple houses golden statues of Lord Buddha.

Peace Pagoda perches atop 40 odd steps a few metres away from the temple – a white stone structure with a huge golden statue of Lord Buddha. There are other statues depicting various avatars of Lord Buddha but unfortunately, I did not go up close because by then it was freezing cold and we were too tired to climb the stairs. Make sure you do visit the Pagoda from close quarters.

After the car dropped us back and we had had a little rest, we went shopping on the mall. Keychains, prayer flags, magnets, wind chimes, shawls, jewellery – we got some of each. You just cannot resist all the cute and colorful knick-knacks. That night, we cut a cake from Glenary’s to inaugurate the new year. Happy 2020!

Tip: Do haggle with the shopkeepers for these momentos and be sure to check all shops before buying.

Day 3

Toy train-Cable Car

Toy Train (DHR)

The 1^st day of 2020 was a throwback to childhood and an ode to Bollywood. We rode the Toy Train from Darjeeling to Ghum and back! As a child, I used to love trains.

Originally used as a mode of transportation between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts, it is now run as only joyrides. It is called the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR), a UNESCO World heritage site. These are narrow gauge trains, which are either steam or diesel fueled. The DHR climbs from sea level to a height of 7407ft at Darjeeling via several loops, zigzags and Z-reverses to combat the terrain and gain altitude.

The most famous of the loops is the Batasia Loop which is now a sightseeing point and the 1^st stop on the Darjeeling-Ghum-Darjeeling train. It includes a beautiful garden and a War Memorial. The view from the loop is scenic.

Tip: The train gives a 10 minute stop here but you can visit this place separately as part of your half-day sightseeing tour.

The next stop is Ghum station (7407 ft) for a duration of 30 minutes. You can get off here, explore Ghum, and then return on your own steam to Darjeeling or take this same train back (included in the fare). We used those 30 minutes to have a look through the small one-room Ghum Museum (free of cost), which has some very interesting information and pictures about the DHR and the way it works. I found this tiny museum utterly charming and the train trivia fascinated me.

Tip: The whole journey is 2 hours long and there are several trains per day.

Back to Darjeeling by noon, we spent the rest of the day just roaming around Darjeeling since we had already visited all the other places worth seeing on our last trip. The last thing we wanted to do in Darjeeling was ride the Darjeeling Ropeway. Unfortunately, we couldn’t due to lack of tickets. The Ropeway takes you from Singamari (~7000ft) to Singla Bazar (~800 ft) and has beautiful views of the Rangit river valley.

Tip: If you want to ride these cable cars, be sure to book your tickets in the morning itself because they tend to get sold out by evening. Also, there are long queues so be prepared for a significant wait.

Tip: You can also visit the following places during your second day in Darjeeling. We had already been to these during our last trip few years ago.

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (Darjeeling Zoo) houses varied species of animals including Red Pandas, Tibetan Wolf and the Royal Bengal Tiger.

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute has a museum which has memorabilia belonging to Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who was one of the first 2 people to climb Mt. Everest. It has other artifacts and information pertaining to mountains and mountaineering. These two are worth a visit. They are entered via the same gate and has a common entrance fee.

Happy Valley Tea Estate contains rolling tea gardens over the hilly slopes of Darjeeling. They have a tour of their tea-picking, processing and manufacturing stages in their estate, which ends with a tea tasting. We came away from our visit to this pretty tea estate with newfound knowledge on the various types of tea, which is the best and how to recognize good tea. This is a must do while in Darjeeling!

The most known sightseeing place which most people go to is the Tiger Hill – to watch the sunrise. But from what we had heard it is just a big hype and it anyway gets too crowded, so we gave this a miss.

Tip: One last thing I would recommend is walking on the roads of Darjeeling beyond the Mall. Just to walk among the mountains in that chilly air refreshes and relaxes you like nothing else can.

Summing up, your 3 day itinerary should ideally include:

Day 1 – Travel, Mall

Day 2 – Sunrise @ Tiger Hill (if you so wish), Ghoom Monastery, Batasia Loop (if you aren’t riding on the toy train), Lamahatta, Tribeni, Japanese Temple and Peace Pagoda

Day 3 – Toy Train, Zoo and HMI, Happy Valley Tea Estate and the Ropeway.

Must Eats: Thukpa, Momo, Glenary’s cakes and rum chocolates and Tibetan food from Kunga.

From Darjeeling, we traveled to a village called Tumling located on the Indo-Nepal border, about 73 kms away. If you wish to know more about this side trip, keep watching this space!