DarjeelingHIMALAYAS
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Stories from the hills

Read before you pack

History, food, money, roads and the small facts that make a place make sense.

EverythingFoodCultureWildlifeBudgetPracticalSeasonsHistoryTreks
Momos, thukpa, sel roti and chhurpi: a hill food walk with prices
Food5 min Momos, thukpa, sel roti and chhurpi: a hill food walk with prices You can eat very well in Darjeeling and Gangtok for ₹500–800 a day. Start with sel roti and tea in the morning …
Kanchenjunga as guardian in Lepcha and Sikkimese belief
Culture5 min Kanchenjunga as guardian in Lepcha and Sikkimese belief To the people of Sikkim, Kanchenjunga is not only the world's third-highest mountain, at 8,586 m. Lepcha elders tell that the first …
Rhinos at Jaldapara, elephants at Gorumara: a Dooars season guide
Wildlife5 min Rhinos at Jaldapara, elephants at Gorumara: a Dooars season guide Jaldapara is the place for one-horned rhinos and Gorumara for elephants, gaur and watchtower mornings. Both parks reopen in mid-September after the …
A week of Kalimpong homestays on ₹2,000 a day
Budget5 min A week of Kalimpong homestays on ₹2,000 a day Seven nights in the villages around Kalimpong cost about ₹14,000–14,500 per person if two travel together, close to ₹2,000 a day. The …
First flush to autumnal: Darjeeling tea seasons
Food5 min First flush to autumnal: Darjeeling tea seasons Darjeeling tea is plucked in seasons, called flushes. First flush, from March to April, is light and floral. Second flush, in May …
Sikkim permits explained simply, for Indians and foreigners
Practical5 min Sikkim permits explained simply, for Indians and foreigners Indian citizens need no permit to enter Sikkim, but do need one for Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La, the Silk Route and North …
Monsoon in the hills: is July worth it, and where to go
Seasons5 min Monsoon in the hills: is July worth it, and where to go July is the wettest month in the Darjeeling hills and the Dooars parks are closed, so it is not for mountain views …
After the 2023 Teesta flood: what changed for travellers
Practical5 min After the 2023 Teesta flood: what changed for travellers The October 2023 Teesta flood broke the dam at Chungthang, cut NH10 in many places and left Lachen and the Gurudongmar road …
Shared jeeps of the hills: stands, seats and fares
Practical5 min Shared jeeps of the hills: stands, seats and fares Shared jeeps are how the hills travel: ten seats, a fixed fare per seat, and a departure when the vehicle fills. From …
Agony Point, Batasia and the toy train's loops
History5 min Agony Point, Batasia and the toy train's loops The toy train climbs from the plains to 2,258 m at Ghum on two-foot track, and it cannot do that in a …
Tagore at Mungpoo: four visits to a quinine village
History5 min Tagore at Mungpoo: four visits to a quinine village Between May 1938 and 1940 Rabindranath Tagore stayed four times at Mungpoo, a quinine-factory village about 33 km from Darjeeling, as the …
Sandakphu in rhododendron season: April and May on the ridge
Treks6 min Sandakphu in rhododendron season: April and May on the ridge April and May put the Singalila Ridge in flower: red, pink and white rhododendrons from Tonglu to Sandakphu, with magnolias lower down. …

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