A village named after the last brick of an old dak bungalow
Altitude2,200mNights1–2BestMar – May · Oct – Dec
In brief
Chimney is a small forest village about 8 km above Kurseong at roughly 2,200 m, on the road over Dow Hill to Bagora. It is named after a lone brick chimney, all that remains of a British dak bungalow built around 1839. Homestays charge about ₹1,200–1,800 per person with meals.
The local story
The bungalow that left only its chimney
Before the Hill Cart Road and the railway, travellers to Darjeeling came up an older route that local people still call the Old Military Road, which climbed through the forest over the ridge above Kurseong. Along such roads the British built dak bungalows, simple rest houses where officers, mail runners and travellers could stop for the night. Local accounts date the bungalow here to about 1839, only a few years after the Company took the Darjeeling tract in 1835.
When the new cart road and then the railway took the traffic in the 1860s to 1880s, the old road lost its purpose and the bungalow fell into ruin. What survived was its brick chimney, about 7 m (23 ft) tall, standing alone in a clearing. The village that grew up around it took its name from that one object. Today the chimney stands in a small fenced park, and the forest road it once served is a quiet route for walkers between Dow Hill and Bagora.
The lone chimney is about 7 m (23 ft) high and is the only part left of a dak bungalow that local accounts date to around 1839.
The road through Chimney follows the Old Military Road, the route to Darjeeling used before the Hill Cart Road was built in the 1860s.
Chimney sits roughly 700 m above Kurseong bazaar, so it is usually 3–5 °C colder than the town on the same day.
About Chimney
Chimney is the kind of place you find by walking. There is a cluster of houses, a few homestays, some vegetable plots, a small fenced park around the old chimney and a great deal of forest. At about 2,200 m it is noticeably colder than Kurseong, and on clear mornings it looks out over the folds of the hills towards the plains and, northwards, to the snows.
It suits travellers who want a night of silence: a homestay dinner, a bukhari stove, stars over the ridge. Days are for walking: down through Dow Hill to Kurseong, along the ridge to Bagora, or into the forest with a local guide. Come in spring for rhododendron and magnolia, and in autumn for the clearest views. There is little to buy, so bring what you need from Kurseong.
What to see and do
The old chimney
A brick chimney about 7 m high standing alone in a small park, the last piece of a dak bungalow from about 1839. Read the sign, look at the brickwork and imagine the mail runners and officers who stopped here on the old road up to Darjeeling.
Forest road from Dow Hill
Walk over the ridge from the Dow Hill schools to Chimney in about 1.5–2 hours through quiet conifer and broadleaf forest. Mist often comes in after midday, so start early.
Ridge to Bagora
Continue along the ridge to Bagora, a village at a similar height with open slopes and long views. A good half-day walk out and back from a Chimney homestay.
Spring flowers
In March and April rhododendron and magnolia flower on the higher slopes around Chimney and Bagora, and the forest edge fills with small wild flowers.
A cold, quiet night
At about 2,200 m, Chimney is several degrees colder than Kurseong. Homestays light bukhari stoves in winter; the silence after dark, with no traffic and few lights, is the reason to stay.
How to get there
Reserved car
From Kurseong a taxi takes 20–30 minutes over Dow Hill and costs about ₹700–1,000. From Siliguri, a car direct to Chimney via Kurseong costs about ₹2,800–3,500.
Shared jeep
A few local jeeps run between Kurseong and Bagora via Dow Hill and Chimney, mainly in the morning and late afternoon, for ₹40–70. Ask at the Kurseong stand the day before for timings.
On foot
Walk from Kurseong bazaar via Dow Hill in about 3–3.5 hours, climbing roughly 700 m. Walk up, sleep, and take a jeep down the next day.
Where to stay
Stay in one of Chimney's family homestays, which offer simple rooms with dinner and breakfast for about ₹1,200–1,800 per person; ask for extra quilts and a heater or stove in winter. We do not list individual properties here because they change hands and names; ask your Kurseong driver or check recent traveller reviews. Bagora, a little further along the ridge, also has a few homestays. If you prefer a town hotel, stay in Kurseong and visit Chimney for the day.
Local tips
Bring warm clothes even in April and October; nights at 2,200 m drop near freezing in winter.
Carry snacks and cash from Kurseong; there are only small shops here.
Start forest walks before 9 am, before the mist rises.
Confirm that your homestay has hot water and power backup before you book in winter.
Respect the fenced chimney park; do not climb on the brickwork.
Chimney is about 8 km above Kurseong in Darjeeling district, on the road that climbs over Dow Hill towards Bagora. It sits at roughly 2,200 m. From Kurseong it takes 20–30 minutes by car or about 3 hours on foot.
Why is it called Chimney?
The village is named after a single brick chimney, about 7 m tall, the last part of a British dak bungalow that stood on the Old Military Road to Darjeeling. Local accounts date the bungalow to about 1839. The chimney now stands in a small park.
Is Chimney worth an overnight stay?
Yes, if you want quiet. There is not much to 'see' beyond the chimney, but a night here gives you forest walks, a cold clear sunrise and a homestay dinner with no traffic noise. For a busy sightseeing trip, visit for an hour from Kurseong instead.
How much does a homestay in Chimney cost?
About ₹1,200–1,800 per person per night with dinner and breakfast, as an indication for 2025–26. Rooms are simple, often with an attached bathroom. Ask about hot water, heating and power backup when you book, especially in winter.
How do I reach Chimney from Siliguri?
Take a shared jeep to Kurseong (₹150–200, 1.5–2 hours), then a local taxi to Chimney for about ₹700–1,000, or a local jeep towards Bagora if one is running. A reserved car from Siliguri to Chimney costs about ₹2,800–3,500.
What is the best time to visit Chimney?
October to December for clear mornings and dry forest walks, and March to May for rhododendrons and birdsong. Winter is cold but clear. July and August are very wet, with leeches and mist, and roads can be slippery.
Can I walk from Kurseong to Chimney?
Yes. Walk up from Kurseong bazaar through Dow Hill and over the ridge in about 3–3.5 hours, climbing roughly 700 m on a quiet road. Start by 8 am. Many walkers send bags by car and walk light.
Is Chimney good for families?
Yes for families who like walking and quiet. Children enjoy the chimney park and the forest, but there are no shops or play areas. Bring warm clothes and snacks, and confirm heating and hot water with your homestay.
Is there mobile network in Chimney?
Jio and Airtel work in places but signal is patchy, especially indoors and in the forest. Do not count on mobile data for work. Download offline maps before you leave Kurseong and tell your homestay host your plans for the day.
Plan with a local
Tell us your dates. We send the real cost
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.
