Darjeeling - Queen of Hills
Darjeeling, the tea capital of India & the queen of hills, is one of the most famous hill stations in India. We visited it during Christmas as part of our Bhutan trip. Snow-clad peaks, picturesque green hills, lovely bustling towns make Darjeeling a definite visit.
From Bagdogra airport, it takes about 3-4 hours to reach Darjeeling. We had booked a heritage hotel near the town center with a beautiful view of Kanchanjunga mountain. The Mall Road, as the center is called, is full of shopping, cafes, and restaurants. Glenary's and Keventers are famous eateries serving mouth-watering dishes and cakes. A small British era Pub called Joey's is good to catch some quick drinks.
On the second day we booked a cab for local sightseeing covering the Japanese Pagoda, Darjeeling Zoo, ropeway (which we ditched after seeing the long queues), small Tea Garden and the famous Darjeeling train station. The early morning sunrise view is much-hyped and with a small kid, we decided against it.
Next day we ventured for a day trip to the lake town of Mirik. The road takes you through beautiful tea gardens, tall pine trees, local villages. Mirik itself has a beautiful lake and some nice trekking pathways. On our way back, we went for a quick shopping stop in Nepal! Yes, without passport, just a quick border check and we were in Pashupatinagar.
From Bagdogra airport, it takes about 3-4 hours to reach Darjeeling. We had booked a heritage hotel near the town center with a beautiful view of Kanchanjunga mountain. The Mall Road, as the center is called, is full of shopping, cafes, and restaurants. Glenary's and Keventers are famous eateries serving mouth-watering dishes and cakes. A small British era Pub called Joey's is good to catch some quick drinks.
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| Joey's Pub |
On the second day we booked a cab for local sightseeing covering the Japanese Pagoda, Darjeeling Zoo, ropeway (which we ditched after seeing the long queues), small Tea Garden and the famous Darjeeling train station. The early morning sunrise view is much-hyped and with a small kid, we decided against it.
Next day we ventured for a day trip to the lake town of Mirik. The road takes you through beautiful tea gardens, tall pine trees, local villages. Mirik itself has a beautiful lake and some nice trekking pathways. On our way back, we went for a quick shopping stop in Nepal! Yes, without passport, just a quick border check and we were in Pashupatinagar.
A must do visit to Glenary's
After spending some memorable 3 Nights / 4 Days in Darjeeling, next morning we were en route to Bhutan.
Make no mistake about it, it can get expensive, but when the alternative is considered, the fees from a reputable passport agency are usually acceptable. Other people, just want their passports in hand and cannot wait for the 4-6 week typical turnaround of the government offices. Expedited passport
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