Kurseong, Mirik & the tea valleys · forest village

Dow Hill

Old schools, tall pines and Kurseong's favourite ghost stories

Altitude1,900m NightsDay trip BestMar – May · Oct – Dec

Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

In brief

Dow Hill is the forested ridge above Kurseong, about 3–5 km from the bazaar at roughly 1,900 m. It holds two old boarding schools, Victoria Boys' School (1879) and Dow Hill School, a quiet forest road that continues to Chimney, and Kurseong's best-known ghost stories. Walking is free; a car up costs ₹400–600.

The local story

Sir Ashley Eden's school and the road of whispers

In 1879 Sir Ashley Eden, then Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, wanted a hill school for the children of government servants of modest income, the clerks and railway staff of the province. The result was Victoria School on Dow Hill, now Victoria Boys' School, built in the cool forest above Kurseong. A girls' school followed on the same ridge in the late nineteenth century and grew into Dow Hill School. Both are still working boarding schools, and their stone buildings and chapels set the tone of the hill.

The forest between and around the schools gave Dow Hill a second reputation. The local story, told by drivers and shopkeepers rather than any record, is of a headless boy seen walking into the trees, footsteps in empty school corridors in the winter holidays, and a stretch of road between the two schools that people call the 'death road'. Newspapers have written about the ghost stories drawing visitors. We tell them as lore: what is real is the deep, quiet forest of tall conifers and the mist that rolls through it most afternoons.

Victoria Boys' School on Dow Hill was founded in 1879 at the wish of Sir Ashley Eden, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, for children of government servants of modest income.

The forest road over Dow Hill follows the line of the old road to Darjeeling, on which a dak bungalow stood at Chimney from about 1839.

Both Dow Hill schools are working boarding schools; visitors may not enter the campuses without permission, but the public road passes their gates.

About Dow Hill

Dow Hill starts where Kurseong's houses thin out. The road climbs from the town through a forest of tall conifers, with moss on the trunks and ferns in the cuttings, to the gates of Victoria Boys' School and, further on, Dow Hill School. Beyond them the road carries on to Chimney and Bagora, one of the quietest drives in the Darjeeling hills.

It is a place for walking, not sightseeing. There is no entry fee and little to buy. Most people come for a few hours from Kurseong, often for the ghost stories that local guides and drivers like to tell. We prefer the forest itself: the light in the pines at 7 am, the calls of laughingthrushes, and the mist that often comes up from the valley after lunch. Walk up and take a jeep back, or walk on to Chimney.

What to see and do

Victoria Boys' School gates

The school founded in 1879 sits in its forest with stone buildings and a chapel. The campus is private, but the road past the gates gives a good view of the old blocks, and on weekdays you hear the bells and drills of a boarding school.

Dow Hill School

The girls' boarding school further along the ridge, dating from the late nineteenth century. Like Victoria, it is closed to casual visitors; respect the gates and the privacy of students and staff.

The forest road

A quiet road under tall conifers, about 5 km from Kurseong to the schools, with moss, ferns and mist. Good for walking at any pace, and one of the coolest places near Kurseong in April and May.

Ghost lore

The headless boy, the footsteps in empty corridors, the 'death road' between the schools. These are local stories, not history, but they are part of how Kurseong talks about the hill, and drivers will tell them if you ask.

Onward to Chimney

The road continues over the ridge to Chimney, where a lone brick chimney of an old dak bungalow still stands. Walk it in about 1.5–2 hours from the schools, or drive in 20 minutes.

How to get there

On foot: From Kurseong bazaar walk up past the post office towards Dow Hill Road. It is about 3–5 km and 1–1.5 hours uphill to the schools, on a road with light traffic. Come back the same way or continue to Chimney.
Reserved car: A Kurseong taxi costs about ₹400–600 one way to the schools, or ₹1,200–1,800 for a half-day loop to Dow Hill, Chimney and back. Ask the driver to wait at the forest stretches for photographs.
Shared jeep: A few local jeeps run between Kurseong and Bagora via Dow Hill and Chimney, mostly in the morning and late afternoon. Ask at the Kurseong stand; fares are small, around ₹30–60.

Where to stay

There are no tourist hotels on Dow Hill itself, and the schools take no guests. Stay in Kurseong, 3–5 km below, at the WBTDC Tourist Lodge or a family hotel near the station, and walk up in the morning. For a quieter night in the same forest, stay in the homestays of Chimney village further along the road, which cost about ₹1,200–1,800 per person with meals.

Local tips

Walk up in the morning; mist and early dusk make the forest dim by 4 pm in winter.
Do not enter the school campuses or photograph students without permission.
Carry a light rain jacket; the hill makes its own weather even in dry months.
Leeches appear on forest paths in the monsoon, so stick to the road from June to September.
If you want the ghost stories, ask a Kurseong driver or homestay host, not the schools.

02,7005,400

Altitude1,900 m

Hill-station height: cool evenings, a sweater most of the year.

What it costs here

Walk from Kurseong bazaarFree

Car from Kurseong, one way₹400–600

Car to Dow Hill and Chimney, half day₹1,200–1,800

Tea and biscuits at a roadside stall₹30–60

Local walking guide, half day₹800–1,200

Indicative, 2025–26. Check current status before you travel.

Best months: Oct – Dec · Mar – May
Nights we suggest: Day trip from Kurseong
From Siliguri: ≈ 40–55 km · 2–2.5 h
Altitude: ≈ 1,900 m
Known for: Old schools, conifer forest, ghost lore
Network: Jio and Airtel patchy in the forest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BestGoodAvoid or closed

Things to do

Four things to do in Dow Hill

Treks and walks · 3 hoursWalk the Dow Hill forest roadDow Hill · Free · ₹400–600 for a car back

Culture and history · 2 hoursDow Hill ghost lore by daylightDow Hill · ₹800–1,200 for a car with a local driver

Culture and history · 1 hourVictoria School and the 1879 ridgeDow Hill · Free

Wildlife and birds · 2.5 hoursDawn birding in the Dow Hill forestDow Hill · Free · guide ₹800–1,200

On the map

Dow Hill and its neighbours

Drawn by Darjeeling Himalayas from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Close by

Nearby places

hill station1,482 m Kurseongकर्सियाङ The orchid town where the toy train runs through the bazaar

forest village2,200 m Chimney A village named after the last brick of an old dak bungalow

tea garden1,200 m Makaibari The cornfield that became one of Darjeeling's oldest tea gardens

Ways to travel

Treks and walks Photography Family trips Long weekends

Questions people ask

Questions about Dow Hill

Where is Dow Hill?

Dow Hill is the forested ridge directly above Kurseong town in Darjeeling district, about 3–5 km from the bazaar by road. It holds Victoria Boys' School and Dow Hill School. The road continues over the ridge to Chimney and Bagora.

Is Dow Hill worth visiting?

Yes, as a half-day walk or drive from Kurseong. Come for the conifer forest, the old school buildings seen from the road and the views when the mist lifts. If you come only for ghosts you may be disappointed; if you come for a quiet forest road, you will not.

Why is Dow Hill called haunted?

Local folklore tells of a headless boy in the forest, footsteps in the empty school corridors and a 'death road' between the schools. These are stories, not documented events, but newspapers and travel shows have repeated them. The misty conifer forest makes it easy to see why the stories grew.

How do I reach Dow Hill from Kurseong?

Walk up from Kurseong bazaar along Dow Hill Road in about 1–1.5 hours, or take a taxi for ₹400–600 one way. A few local jeeps run towards Bagora via Dow Hill and Chimney, mainly morning and late afternoon. There is no toy train station on Dow Hill.

Can I stay at Dow Hill?

There are no tourist hotels on the ridge itself, and the schools do not take guests. Stay in Kurseong and walk up, or stay further along the road in the homestays of Chimney village, which offer rooms with meals for about ₹1,200–1,800 per person.

What is the best time to visit Dow Hill?

October to December for dry roads and clear mornings, and March to May for spring flowers and birdsong. Go in the morning; mist often rolls in after lunch. From June to September the forest is beautiful but wet, with leeches on the paths and slippery roads.

Can I combine Dow Hill and Chimney in one day?

Yes, easily. Walk or drive up to the Dow Hill schools in the morning, continue over the ridge to Chimney for lunch at a homestay, and return to Kurseong by taxi or jeep. A car for the whole half-day loop costs about ₹1,200–1,800.

Are the Dow Hill schools open to visitors?

No. Victoria Boys' School and Dow Hill School are working boarding schools with private campuses. You can see the buildings from the public road. Do not enter without permission and do not photograph students.

Is Dow Hill good for families?

Yes, as a gentle road walk or a short drive. Children usually enjoy the ghost stories and the forest. Keep them close on the road, which has bends and some traffic, and plan to be back in Kurseong before dusk, around 4.30 pm in winter.