Darjeeling tour – romancing the hill town
The romance here is akin to that first sip of tea in the morning. And if it is Darjeeling tea, it will be a pick me up moment for you. I think the place has a lot to do with the Darjeeling tea ! The town is located in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas. The tea gardens sloping down the hill, the views of Kanchenjunga (3rd highest peak in the world), the colonial look of the buildings, all of this is o the setting of old world charm. Darjeeling tour is a great option for a short and sweet romantic getaway.
A little bit of Bollywood Romance
Did you know that lot of popular Bollywood movies have been shot in Darjeeling ? Whether it the Rajesh Khanna song “Mere sapnon ki Rani kab aayegi tu “ or the Ranbir Kapur starrer Barfi, Darjeeling has mesmerised us a lot through Bollywood movies. The forests, the toy train, the tea gardens, the love songs all have been a part of our life through these hindi romantic movies, may be without us knowing about it !
How to spend a few days in romantic Darjeeling?
Tiger Hills sun rise
For once, get up really early in the morning and head to Tiger hills to experience the sunrise. Capture the golden coloured sun rays falling on the snow-capped Kanchenjunga. And do nothing, soak it up in your eyes or click it with a camera. This won’t be available elsewhere.
Say yes to Tea
Explore the tea gardens, infact go on a tea tasting tour and fall in love with the Darjeeling ki Chai (tea). The never ending row of green coloured bushes and the lovely locals plucking the tea is a sight to behold and the general feel and freshness of the garden will fill up your senses.
Get on a Joy ride on the Himalayan queen express
Darjeeling Toy train has been accorded UNESCO World Heritage status. Get on the steam engine train and travel through the steep mountains. By the way the train moves a very slow pace and you can hop on and hop off if you want ( though it is not advisable and is a bad idea). But the snail pace allows you to experience the landscape better.
Trek up to Sandakphu
This one is for the adventure junkies. Sandakphu is the highest point in West Bengal and located at a height of more than 3600 metres. You get amazing views Mt Everest and the Kanchenjunga Peak from the top.
Spend some time at the Batasia loop
Batasia means airy space and this place offers a panoramic view of the hill town. There is a circular track for the toy train inside the park, along with flower gardens and a war memorial. It is a good place to generally hangout and spend some time exploring.
Visit the Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery at Kalimpong
The monastery is home to many rare scriptures from Tibet. Sit there and meditate or chat up with the monks. Either ways it will be enlightening.
Go rock climbing at the Himalayan Mountaineering institute
No, you don’t have to be a trained person. There are basic rock climbing and other activities for the first timers here. It will be a different kind of experinec after the slow paced toy train and the sleepy tea gardens
River rafting at Teesta
Get on that raft and make your way through the rapids.
Get refreshed with steamy Momos and Thukpa
Seal it with some delicious local food. You will be surprised to sample the different varieties of momos here.
So that was romantic Darjeeling for you. Mountains are always alluring. And if someone is called Himalayan queen, beauty is a given.
How to reach Darjeeling?
You can either fly into Bagdogra airport or take a train to New Jalpaiguri from any of the key cities and then drive to Darjeeling
Best time for Darjeeling tour
March to June (summer months) and October to December (winters) both are great
Check out the other romantic places in India or maybe the unexplored honeymoon destinations in India.
In case you are a nature lover, check out the natural wonders of India.
If you wish to travel to Darjeeling , you could take a look at the West Bengal and Darjeeling itinerary and talk to us for customisation
India is not just about romance. There is a lot of history, mystery, culture, nature and wildlife here. Check out these aspects of Incredible India beyond the regular tours and packages.
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