Darjeeling is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya at an average elevation of 6,710 ft (2,045.2 m). It is noted for its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Darjeeling is the headquarters of Darjeeling district, which has a partially autonomous status within the state of West Bengal.
The development of the town dates back to the mid-19th century, when the colonial British administration set up a sanatorium and a military depot. Subsequently, extensive tea plantations were established in the region, and tea growers developed hybrids of black tea and created new fermentation techniques. The resultant distinctive Darjeeling tea is internationally recognised and ranks among the most popular of the black teas.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway connects the town with the plains and has one of the few steam locomotives still in service in India.
Darjeeling has several British-style public schools, which attract students from India and neighbouring countries. The varied culture of the town reflects its diverse demographic milieu consisting of Nepalese, Bhutia, Bengali, and other ethnolinguistic groups. Darjeeling, with its neighbouring town of Kalimpong, was a centre of the Gorkhala movement in the 1980s. The town’s fragile ecology has been threatened by a rising demand for environmental resources, stemming from growing tourist traffic and poorly planned urbanization.
TEMPERATURE AVERAGE: 6°C to 18°C SHOPPING: Tea & Handicraft CURRENCY: Indian Rupees
Arrival NJP Railway Station/(IXB) Bagdogara Airport – Darjeeling.
Darjeeling Once you arrive at NJP Railway Station or at (IXB) Bagdogra Airport (500 feet above sea level), our representative will meet you and take you to your hotel, Glenburn Tea Estate (Darjeeling), which is approximately a 2 ½ hour’s drive.
On reaching check-in to your hotel room and spending the day as it pleases you. Relish dinner at the hotel and have a comfortable overnight stay.
After breakfast, proceed for the Glenburn tea estate tour and walk through the tea fields. Enjoy lunch by River Rung Dung. Take a tour of the tea factory and get the privilege of tea tasting.
You will get a presentation on the history of Glenburn and a brief overview of how tea is grown, manufactured, and tasted. After which you will drive through the tea fields with the estate manager and get a comprehensive guided tour of the estate.
After breakfast, take the same-day excursion to Darjeeling Town. Enjoy a ride on the famous Toy Train Railway from Darjeeling Town through the picturesque Batasia Loop and then to the neighboring towns of Ghoom and Kurseong.
Take a stroll on the mall or shop for local crafts and antiques along the way. Also visit the famous Das Studios for a peek at their collection of old black and white photographs from the area.
Enjoy your lunch at any of the places like Glenary’s, which has a nice cafeteria as well as a multi-cuisine restaurant. Visit the Zoo, famous in the renowned Himalayan for its snow leopards and pandas, the Mountaineering Institute, and the Gymkhana Club.
Drive back to Glenburn for an overnight stay.
Darjeeling-NJP Railway Station/ (IXB) Bagdogra AirportÂ
After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to NJP Railway Station / (IXB) Bagdogra Airport (100 Kilometers in approximately 3 to 4 Hours) for your onward journey. Breakfast.