Destinations: Darjeeling, Kolkatta, Pelling, Gangtok, Kalimpong

Duration: 10 Days, 9 Nights

Cost: From £350
Availability: Year Round

 

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This month, we’re whisking you off to Darjeeling, just inside the state border in West Bengal, then up into the northern state of Sikkim, the home of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain.

The tiny state of Sikkim, bordered by Nepal, China/Tibet and Bhutan, is refreshed by the pure mountain air of the Himalayan foothills. It’s one of India’s least-populated areas and one of its most politically stable. However, the border area to the east, with China and Bhutan, is politically sensitive and controlled by the Indian army so these parts of Eastern Sikkim aren’t open to tourists.

There’s plenty to explore in this less-visited region of India, including more of the fascinating hill stations created by the British during the Raj.

Darjeeling is one of the most famous of these eastern hill stations, not least because it’s home to one of the best teas in the world, often called “the Champagne of Teas” - and then there’s the Darjeeling-Himalayan railway, which has a World Heritage listing.

What to see and do

The geography of the area of Sikkim down to Darjeeling ranges from mountain peaks and glaciers to jungle, so it’s a favourite for trekking and adventure sports. You can do everything from river rafting to a jungle safari, mountain climbing to mountain biking, in the midst of the most breathtaking scenery.

But a ride on the Darjeeling-Himalayan railway is a must. It’s a relaxing, 12 mph journey that takes you across the Mahanadi River up through the forested tea garden region of the Terai through Sukna and up to Ghum in one of three tiny carriages plulled by a little blue steam train starting out from New Jalpaiguri.

On the way, you’ll stop at many pretty bougainvillaea - clad stations, where you can buy tea in tiny earthenware cups from the chai wallahs or oranges and spicy, palm-wrapped samosas from women carrying laden baskets.

You can experience this magical little train on Gapguru’s 7-day Gateway to the East journey. You’ll take the overnight Darjeeling Mail train from Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri and after a short hop to Sitiguri you’ll pick up the toy train. It’s a brilliant, relaxing way to wind down from big city Kolkata as it ambles uphill to Darjeeling, giving you wonderful views of the plains from the carriage windows.

Darjeeling is a hill station built on a ridge and very popular with residents of Kolkata wanting to escape from the steamy summer heat of the plains to its pleasant atmosphere, which comes from being surrounded by thickly-forested hills and tea plantations.

The place to go here is Chowrastha, the heart of the town. Stroll through the town’s main street, the Mall, and you’ll find yourself wondering whether you’re in the UK or India. The British influence in the architecture is strong here, as it is in all the hill stations they created. But then go east and up a hill to the Observatory, a huge, flat platform with benches where you can sit and look at the magical Kangchendzonga in the distance and no question where you are now!

The Observatory’s close to three places that are well worth a look - the natural history museum, the zoo and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

The natural history museum is stuffed with examples of the flowers and animals of the region and the Padmaja Naidoo zoological park, is the only place to have bred a Tibetan wolf in captivity and the first S Asian zoo to breed snow leopard and Siberian tiger.

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Everest Museum traces the history of every Everest attempt since 1857 and you can also see the old mountaineering equipment used by Tenzing on the first successful climb of the mountain in 1953.

The next step of the Journey to the East itinerary is a drive to another hill station, this time the state capital Gangtok, (High Hill) in south-east Sikkim.

It’s the the only capital city in India to have a cable car and close to must-see places like Tsongmo Lake, Baba Mandir and the Nathula Pass, an offshoot of the ancient Silk Route, which connected Lhasa to India.

The cultural links forged by the ancient Silk Route show in Sikkim’s two main religions Hinduism and Buddhism and Gangtok is a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning, so you can visit many monasteries and religious educational institutions and landmarks - try the Dro-dul Chorten Buddhist stupa.

But as the capital city Gangtok is connected to the modern world too, so don’t be too surprised if you hear the strains of Western Rock and hindi pop music floating out to you from homes and restaurants as you stroll around.

The people of Sikkim love music so for a new twist check out the local Nepali rock, music with a western rock beat and Nepali lyrics.

Just 16Km from Gangtok is the holy lake of Lake Tsongmo. It’s completely frozen over in winter – up to mid-May - and another great place from which to see the mountain Kangchendzonga.


Festivals and fairs

In an area of diverse faiths, you’re sure to come across a festival or fair any time you visit, so you’ll find most major Indian festivals, such as Diwali and Makar Sankranti, here along with the Buddhist festivals.

But there is a cluster of festivals around late December-Early January and New Year is a particularly popular one celebrated in local nightclubs and sometimes with live bands.

Losar, the Tibetan new year, is in mid-December and if you’re there around January you can catch "Chaam", a religious masked dance at the 200 year-old Enchey Monastery just above Gangtok


Shopping and Food

Thukpa, chowmein, thanthuk, fakthu, gyathuk and wonton, are all noodle-based foods much enjoyed in Gangtok.

And you have to try momo, a popular snack made of a simple flour and water dough with sometimes a little yeast or baking soda added to give a more 'doughy' texture to the finished product. They’re filled with a fresh cheese popular in the region, or with vegetables, pork or beef. Then they’re steamed and served with a soup.

MG (Mahatma Gandhi) Marg is Gantok’s main hub and a 20-minute walk from end to end. At the north end of the town look out for local handicrafts at Government Institute of Cottage Industries – woollen jackets, dolls, carpets, handmade paper and carved and painted wooden tables.

In Darjeeling you’ll find many studios and shops in Chowrastha selling curios and crafts like Tibetan textiles and of course there’s no way you can visit without bringing back a sample of the famous black tea.