India Travel

Around Darjeeling in North Bengal

Related Properties from Gurgaon

North Bengal in North Bengal

North Bengal, where the Himalayas soar from the flat alluvial plains towards Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, holds some magnificent mountain panoramas, and also some of India's best hill stations. Most visitors pass as quickly as possible through Siliguri en route to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the small state of Sikkim. For anyone with a bit of time on their hands, the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the one-horned rhino, bison and wild boar, east of Siliguri near the Bhutanese border, makes a worthwhile detour. Besides the occasional strike, few travellers will notice, but today the region is wracked by political turmoil, with

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in North Bengal

Apart from Darjeeling and the hills, most of North Bengal is well off the beaten track; few travellers venture off the Darjeeling-Sikkim-Nepal road. Probably the best reason to do so is to visit the small Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, roughly 124km east of Siliguri. The sanctuary was established in 1943 to help protect wildlife against the encroachment of tea cultivation. Consisting of tracts of tali elephant grass on the banks of the River Torsa, and set against the backdrop of forested foothills, it now shelters around fifty highly endangered greater one-horned rhinoceroses, wild elephants, sambar and hog deer. jaldapara is open from

The Town in North Bengal

The heart of Victorian Darjeeling is the Chowrasta (four roads), a square above the busy bazaar on Hill Cart Road. A small group of interesting curio shops line one side, with a bandstand at the northern end and ponymen offering rides to tourists who often outweigh the emaciated beasts. One of the four main roads that meet at the Chowrasta is the Mall, lined on one side by shops and restaurants and on the other by less permanent market stalls, which descends from Chowrasta to Clubside, the area below the prestigious Planters' Club. Established in 1868, and otherwise known as

Practicalities in North Bengal

Bagdogra airport, 12km west of Siliguri and served by flights from Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati, is connected not only with Siliguri itself, but also directly to Darjeeling as well as to Gangtok in Sikkim by helicopter.

About Calcutta and West Bengal

Unique among Indian stares in stretching all the way from the Himalayas to the sea, WEST BENGAL is nonetheless explored in depth by few travellers. That may have something to do with the exaggerated reputation of its capital, CALCUTTA, which is actually a sophisticated and friendly city that belies its popular image as poverty-stricken and chaotic. Certainly the rest of Bengal holds an extraordinary assortment of landscapes and cultures, ranging from the dramatic hill station of Darjeeling, within sight of some of the highest mountains in the world, to the vast mangrove swamps of the Sunderbans, prowled by man-eating Royal

Mirik in North Bengal

MIRIK, 45km southwest of Darjeeling near the border with Nepal, is the region's newest resort, primarily geared up for domestic tourists. There is a large and lively Gelugpa or "yellow hat" monastery above the picturesque central lake, but most of the tourism is centred around boating on the lake. Surrounded by large tea estates and pine forests, Mirik is a pleasant enough place and can be visited as a long day-trip from Darjeeling or as a stopover on an alternative route down to Sihguri. Most of the accommodation is restricted to the newer Krishnagar settlement at the southern end of the

Malda and around in Central Bengal

The large, unattractive commercial town of MALDA. 340km north of Calcutta, straddles the highway co the north and is renowned for ins local mango harvest. A natural port, at the confluence of two rivers, it was once a prosperous trading post for silk and cotton: in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it housed Dutch, French and English factories. Little of interest has survived from that period, but Malda makes a good base to explore the historic sites of Gaur and Pandua, both earlier capitals of Bengal, which can be reached by either bus or tonga. Malda is on the main line

Central Bengal

Central Bengal offers little in the way of major sights to tempt tourists off the Calcutta-Darjeeling route. It is a low-lying rural region where the pace of life is in stark contrast to that of its frenetic capital, Calcutta. Shantiniketan, built on the site of Rabindranath Tagore's lather's ashram, is a haven of peace, and a must for anyone interested m Bengali music, art and culture. The other highlights of the region include a cluster of exquisite terracotta temples in Bishnupur, the rums of Gaur, the region's seventh-century capital, and the palaces of Murshidabad. capital of Bengal's last independent

Darjeeling in North Bengal

Part Victorian holiday resort, part major tea-growing centre, DARJEELING (from Dorje Ling, "the place of the thunderbolt") straddles a ridge 2200m up in the Himalayas and almost 600km north of Calcutta. Fifty years after the British departed, the town remains as popular as ever with holiday-makers from the plains, and promenades such as the Mall and the Chowrasta still burst with life. Although the infrastructure created under the Raj is now struggling to cope with the ever-expanding population and Darjeeling is plagued by acute shortages of water and electricity, it's a fascinating and cosmopolitan place. The greatest appeal for visitors

Jorethang and Legship in Western Sikkim

The most important town in western Sikkim, JORETHANG, lies in the very south of the state, just across the River Rangit from Singla Bazaar in West Bengal and a mere 30km north of Darjeeling, just visible across the tea plantations. Set on an extensive shelf, which makes it feel oddly flat despite the huge hills that rise in every direction, it's a surprisingly pleasant and well-ordered place, with a good market and a couple of decent budget hotels. The Namgyal next to the Darjeeling taxi stand has good-value doubles with running hot water, some with river views; it also has

Practicalities in Central Bengal

Bolpur, 3km south of Shantiniketan, is the nearest railway station, on the main line between Calcutta and Darjeeling, and also served by local trains running between Burddhaman (or Burdwan) and Rampurhat. The best train :o get to Bolpur from Calcutta is the Shantiniketan Express #3015, which leaves Howrah at 9.55am and terminates at Bolpur at 12.30pm. Sometimes a fancy first-class lounge coach, decorated with terracotta, is attached, but even then it's more fun to travel second-class, as Baul singers occasionally get on and busk. The Rampurhat Express #3017 leaves Howrah at 6.05am and passes through Bolpur at 8.54am; the same

Arrival, information and transport in North Bengal

Virtually all travellers arriving in Darjeeling from the plains come via Siligun, whether by the Toy Train, shared Jeep or bus. Jeeps and buses stop at the bus stand in the lower half of the town from where it's a bit of an uphill trek to the main hotel area. Taxis and some Jeeps will take you up to Clubside near the Mall, at the upper end of town; porters are available (from Rs20), but be careful as some act as touts so you could end up paying more for your room. Darjeeling is best explored on foot - in

Tiger Hill in North Bengal

Jeeps and taxis packed with tourists leave from Clubside in Darjeeling around 4am each morning, careering 12km through Ghoom and the woodlands to catch the sunrise at TIGER HILL. This incredible viewpoint (2585m) provides an unparalleled 360° Himalayan panorama, with the steamy plains bordering Bangladesh to the south, the Singalila Range with Everest beyond to the west, Kanchenjunga and Sikkim to the north, and the Bhutan and Assam Himalayas trailing into the distance to the northeast. From left to right, the peaks include: Lhotse (which actually looks larger than Everest); Everest itself; Makalu; then, after a long gap, the rocky

Practicalities in North Bengal

Kalimpong, only accessible by road, is served by regular buses, taxis and Jeeps from Darjeeling and Siliguri. Direct transport to and from Gangtok in Sikkim tends to be limited; you could also connect from Gangtok Siliguri transport for local taxis or buses at the crossroads near the Teesta Bridge (no photography permitted) over the fast-flowing River Teesta. A sign near the crossroads welcomes you to Kalimpong although the town itself is 15km further on, and more than 1000m higher up. Since the advent of the new Bridge, Teesta Bazaar on the other side of the river is no longer the

The Darjeeling Himalayan railway: the toy train in North Bengal

Completed in 1881, the small-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was designed as an extension of the North Bengal State Railway, climbing from New Jalpaiguri, via Siliguri, for a tortuous 88km up to Darjeeling. Given World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1999, the Toy Train - as it is affectionately called -follows the Hill Cart Road, which was designed so that even bullock carts could travel up its gradual incline from the plains, crossing it at regular intervals and even sharing it with traffic. No longer an essential mode of transport, the Toy Train, pulled by endearing, ancient blue steam engines, some over

Travel details of North Sikkim

Jeeps tend to go when full, except for the Gangtok-Ghezing and Pelling services, which depart once daily. There are no train or plane services available and the helicopter service from Gangtok only operates to meet flights at Bagdogra. Buses cost a few rupees less than the Jeeps but they are much slower and tend to be a lot more uncomfortable. Jeeps Gangtok to: Darjeeling (5-6hr); Ghezing (4-5hr); Kalimpong (3-4hr): Pelling (5-6hr); Mangan (2-3hr); Siliguri (5-6hr). Ghezing to: Gangtok (5-6hr); Jorethang (2hr 30min -3hr); Pelling (30min); Yoksum (2hr 30min-3hr). Jorethang to: Darjeeling (2hr); Gangtok (4-5hr); Ghezing (2hr); Legship (1hr).

Ghoom and other monasteries in North Bengal

Often obscured in cloud, GHOOM (2438m), with its charming little railway station and tiny bazaar on the edge of jorebangla, has several interesting monasteries, the most venerated of which is Yiga Choling, or the Old Ghoom Monastery tucked off the main thoroughfare, above the brash new Sterling Resort. From Ghoom railway station, head back towards Darjeeling for 200m and turn left into the side road (signposted) and continue through the small market for 500m. Built in 1850 by Sharap Gyatso, a renowned astrologer, the monastery comprises a single chambered temple, with a few-residential buildings and an outhouse. Inside the prayer

Information about Calcutta

The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm, is your best bet for information on Calcutta,'West Bengal and destinations further afield, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours.The Government ofWest Bengal Tourist Bureau. 3/2 BBD Bagh East, arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same services. English-language newspapers such as the

Information on Calcutta

The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, 4 Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1 pm;) is your best bet for information on Calcutta, 'West Bengal and destinations further a field, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours. The Government of West Bengal Tourist Bureau, 3/2 BBD Bagh East (©033/248 8271), arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same

Moving on from Siliguri in North Bengal

Both Indian Airlines and Jet Airways fly to Calcutta, Delhi and Guwahati. The Indian Airlines' office is in the Hotel Mainak Complex, Hill Cart Road; Jet Airways is in the Hotel Vinayak, Hill Cart Road. At the time of going to press, flights to and from Bagdogra had been suspended due to runway repairs. All major trains, most terminating or starting at Guwahati, use NJP station, not Siliguri. Reservations can be made at NJP Railway Station or the Central Railway Booking Office (daily 8am-4pm), Bidhan Road, near Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri. The main trains to Calcutta include the Darjeeling Mail #3143/3144,