Dar...chilling. Review on Darjeeling

Well, you are in a fix as where to go this winter vacation or any other vacation? I can suggest a place if you agree to go (come on u know it will be Darjeeling). okay now enough of dikhava. Lets talk to the point as we go through this causerie.

Darjeeling is a famous hill station developed by Bitishers. You may go there by train i.e. again a renowned toy train or by road. Please don't expect any steam engines available for you as they don't operate from Jalpaiguri or Siliguri to Darjeeling because they lack that much of power required to climb the steep slopes. You have to catch the train from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. You have to book in advance from your nearest Indian railways booking office. There are 3 bogies in the train (1 of 1st class the other 2 of second class). Steam engines run only from Ghoom to Darjeeling.

The toy train lets you vasool full money. It takes you through a five hour journey and lets you immerse in the beauty of these magnificent hills.

After you reach Darjeeling, in the night, you can't roam anywhere but just rest in your hotel for accumulating energy for the next day. I think you can stay in a hotel of Park Avenue or something like that owned by Mr Bansal. It is a nice pure vegetarian hotel with quiet reasonable rates. If you are lucky, and get a valley view room, then you can see Kanchendzonga from here. Kanchandzonga is better visble from here than from Gangtok.

On the next day, you may visit Rock Garden and Ganga Maiyaa park or if you want to view the Himalayas right at the time of sunrise, then all you have to do is wake up at 4 o clock or maybe 3 so that you can go to sunrise point or Tiger point. At the time of sunrise, these mountains i.e. Kanchandzonga, Everest and Nanda Devi appear red and also it is a spectacular sight. If you go here, especially in winter season, make sure you take enough warm clothes for you body as this point really chills at 2-4 degree celcius in winters in the morning.

You may visit the tea gardens and buy tea from these world famous gardens. But beware, they do sell cheap tea but the tea may not be pure infact it may not be tea also.

There is also the college where Main Hoon Na was shot i.e. ST Joseph's. You may require two days to cover the whole of Darjeeling. There is also a monestary (i cant remember the name as I went in 2004) where you can experience great peace.

If you wanna experience the bumbs of the steam engine, then go to Ghoom-the highest located station in the world. from there you may catch a steam engine to darjeeling.

The point from where you catch the toy train is situated nearby the air port of Bagdogra. Indian and Jet airways operate flights form Bagdogra which is an airforce airport. Darjeeling also provides links to go to Gangtok.

The people are also very helpful and you can get good food. There was very less non veg available here unlike I was fearing that there will be many slaughterhouses here.

If you are lucky, then you may encounter snowfall in winter and very heavy rain in rainy season.

But the travel is only by road and there are no toilets and other infrastructure facilities. This is the only con that I noticed.

It is a great place and I rekon it. Ya and the travel is quiet cheap.