Rishop Hill Station - It Has A Great View Of Snow Capped Himalayan Mountain Rage

RISHOP HILL STATION

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DARZELLING

Rishop is a tourist village in the Lava – Lolegaon Circuit in Kalimpong sub-division. This used to be an inaccessible village with few households and step farming dependent on monsoon rain till tourists discovered this hidden treasure of Eastern Himalaya.

The main attraction of staying at Rishop is the serene environment and great views of snow capped Himalayan mountain range from here. The surrounding destinations of Lava, Lolegaon, Pedong, Rishi, Aritar are all within close distance and can be visited as part of a day sightseeing tour.

During the initial days, one had to trek about 5 kms from Lava to reach here. Today you can drive to Rishop (9 kms) through a motorable road from Lava. The village is full of small resorts that offer basic rooms and amenities.

Tiffindara View point – Less than 2 kms from your hotel is the hilltop of Tiffindara. The sunrise view from the hill top is a major attraction. Parts of Nathula and Jelepla that connects India with Tibet are visible from here. On a clear day you can see Kanchenjunga range of snow capped mountains in its full glory from here.

Lava – The famous tourist destination of Lava is just 9 kms away. There is a trek route through which the distance is just 5 kms. You can visit the Lava Jamgyong Kongtrul Monastery.

Kolakham – A relatively new destination, this is the hill station just across the hill from Rishop. The aerial distance could hardly be 3 kms but the road from Rishop to Kolakham travel through Lava and the total distance is about 21 kms. The village is adjacent to Neora Valley National Park and the famous Changey falls is about 5 kms further from Kolakham.

Lolegaon – About 34 kms from Rishop, Lolegaon is a picturesque village that can be visited on a day tour from here. You can visit the forest guest house or take a walk amongst the heritage forest with its Canopy walk. There is another sunrise point in Lolegaon known as Jhandidara.

Pedong – 23 Kms from Rishop, Pedong can be part of your day tour itinerary. Here you can take part in adventure activity such as rock climbing, mountain biking and archery. You may drive further downhill to the Bengal Sikkim boarder at Rishi and spend some time besides Rishikhola, a small stream that acts as a boundary between Bengal and Sikkim.

By Air

Nearest airport is Bagdogra. It is a domestic airport under Indian Army. All major air services are available from all over India. Distance between Bagdogra and Siliguri is 13 km. You can find out various vehicles from Siliguri to Rishyap.

By Train

Nearest railway station to Rishyap / Rishop is New Jalpaiguri. After you arrive at New Jalpaiguri or Siliguri, you should follow the road journey to reach at Rishyap / Rishop. New Mal Jn. Station is the nearest, though availability of vehicle is not that proper like NJP or Siliguri.

By Bus

National Highway No.31 between Siliguri and Guwahati passes over Chalsa. From Chalsa to Rishyap / Rishop via Lava have district road. Journey time from Siliguri to Rishyap / Rishop is about 3 hours.

Mirik Hill Station - It Has Rejuvenating Effect

MIRIK

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DARJEELING

Mirik, the hill resort lies in the West Bengal state of India. It is situated fifty-two km away from Siliguri and 55 kms from the nearest Airfield of Bagdogra. It stands at an altitude of 1,768m in the Eastern Himalayas. Mirik is wrapped in the forested hills of the Himalayas. Mirik is surrounded by tea estates, orange orchards and cardamom plantations.

The natural beauty of this beautiful hill resort has a rejuvenating effect on the tired urban soul. All the wild flowers, enchanting lakes and flourishing forests of Cryptomaria Japanica trees make Mirik a paradise on earth, and the Kachunjanga as a backdrop adds immense beauty to the whole scenery.

The most prominent of tourist spots in Mirik is the Sumendu Lake. It is a man made lake enveloped in a forested ridge, and surrounding it is a flower garden and there is also a floating fountain in its center. Though not for swimming, Sumendu is considered ideal for boating and Fishing.

The temple of Singha Devi or the Devi Sthan is on the west bank of the river and you have to take the bridge over the lake to get there, not only is it frequented by the pious but also the nature lovers. Other temples dedicated to Hanuman, Shiva and Kali Mata can also be visited there. Bokar Gompa is another place of religious importance.

A holiday package usually also includes a tour to the Rameetay Dara, which is ideal for watching the spectacular sunset and the sunrise. Deosi Dara is yet another vantage point in Mirik. One can also take a tour to Rai Dhap, which has a small lake that is the source of potable water in Mirik and is also an ideal picnic spot.

The hill station of Mirik is also quite famous for its oranges, you can move through orange orchards either on foot or hired ponies. One can also take a tour to the cardamom and tea plantations, which add even more to the beauty of the hill resort. The tea plantations can also be visited and many conducted tours to the factories are organized from time to time.

A viewpoint from where one can get a sweeping view of the plains and the mountains. Sunrise and sunset seen from this point are memorble sights.

Sumendu Lake at Mirik is a man made lake which attracts tourists in Mirik. The Sumendu Lake is wrapped in forested ridge and a flower garden and has a floating fountain in its center. The Sumendu Lake is ideal for activities like boating and fishing.

There are eight tea gardens in Mirik area. Thurbo T.E., one of the best tea-estates, is only 2 kms from the lake. The factory may be visited with the permission.

 It is a era point in Mirik that must be visited to catch some vistas of the plains, hills and peaks in and around Mirik. 

By Air

The nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport, 55 km from Mirik. 

By Rail 

Nearest major stations are New Jalpaiguri .

By Road

Excellent road network links Mirik with places like Bagdogra, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kurseong.

A Jolly Outing With Kids By Toy Train In Darjeeling

Toy Train Joyride -

 Darjeeling to Ghum & Back

Toy train joy rides operate from Darjeeling Railway Station. It's a 2-hour round trip from Darjeeling up to Ghum and back covering a total distance of 14kms. There are four such round trips in a day, two in the morning half and two in the afternoon. The train stops for 10 minutes at the Batasia Loop. At Batasia the train makes a loop around a wonderful manicured garden. The view of Darjeeling town and the snow peaks of Kanchenjunga from here are unparalleled. The War Memorial built in honor of the Gorkha soldiers who sacrificed their lives is located at the center of the Garden.

Ghum is the highest altitude station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Rail track. Altitude of Ghum is 2225.7 meters (7407 ft). Here the toy train stops for 30 minutes for a visit to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway museum. The DHR Museum is located at the station premises. The highlight here is the oldest toy train engine - The Baby Sivok. The entree fee to the museum is included in the ticket price. DHR sends by post a certificate validating your ride on the toy train so that you can cherish the memories of your ride.

Toy Train Joyride Schedule

Train No.: 52546, Departs: 8am, Returns: 10am, Diesel Engine

Train No.: 52548, Departs: 10:40am, Returns: 12:40pm, Steam Engine

Train No.: 52549, Departs: 13:20pm, Returns: 15:20pm, Steam Engine

Train No.: 52547, Departs: 16:05pm, Returns: 18:05pm, Steam Engine

Update September 2016: Effective 10th September 2016, 3 additional steam engine hauled toy trains are being introduced for joy rides (mostly targeting the high season of Puja). The timings are 8:00 (diesel), 10:30 (steam), 10:40 (steam), 11:00 (diesel), 13:10 (steam), 13:20 (steam), 13:30 (diesel), 16:05 (steam), 16:10 (steam). 

There are usually two first class coaches provided in a steam engine train, while three first class coaches in diesel engine joyride toy train.

TIP: Note that during high season, there is a lot of rush for this ride and you should try to book well in advance. Don't plan to buy the joyride tickets after you reach Darjeeling because you may not get them. Just in case you don't get the joyride tickets, an alternative plan is to buy a ticket on the regular morning toy train operating between Darjeeling and Kurseong, which too goes via Batasia and Ghum. Get off at Ghum and take a shared jeep back to Darjeeling... almost similar experience as the joy ride. However this is a diesel engine hauled train and not steam engine. You can buy tickets online through Indian railway site irctc.co.in.

Toy Train Joyride Fare (Updated September 2016: Fares effective 18th February, 2015)

Diesel Engine Rides: Rs. 630/-. All first class seats.

Steam Engine Rides: Rs. 1,415/-. All first class seats.

NOTE: 

1) Above are round trip fares Darjeeling-Ghum-Darjeeling. 

2) No concession in Darjeeling Toy Train Joy Rides to Children of age 5 or above, neither to senior citizens. No tickets required for children below 5 years. 

3) The first train in the morning at 8am is the diesel engine hauled train while the rest are steam engine trains. The fares of Steam Engine puled trains are higher because they represent the original heritage trains and their maintenance cost is also higher. Fares include admission to the DHR Ghum Museum.

Source: Darjeeling tourism

Kurseong Hill Station – It Has Enjoyable Cool Climate Throughout The Year

KURSEONG HILL STATION

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DARJEELING

Kurseong is a small hill station (and sub-divisional town) situated in Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India. Located at an altitude of 1458 metres (4864 ft), Kurseong is just 30 km from Darjeeling.

It has a pleasant climate throughout the year and the winters are not as severe as Darjeeling's. The local name of Kurseong is "Kharsang" which in the Lepcha language means "Land of White Orchids". Kurseong is about 47 kms from Siliguri and is connected to the city by road and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

The town is based mainly on schools and tourism. The best times to visit Kurseong are between March end and May and between the end of August and October. The Chogyal (Monarch) of Sikkim ceded Kurseong to the British Empire in 1835. Later in 1880, this small hamlet became a tourist destination for the colonial authorities and was a preferred place for sanatoriums where the sick would recuperate.

Many of you may not be familiar with Kurseong and think this might be another small roadside village on the way to Darjeeling. Well many years back it was actually a small hamlet, but over the years its has grown into a bustling township. Today it's a sub division of Darjeeling district. Spread of Kurseong is much more than what it may seem. 

And the spread is beyond the township to lovely tea gardens along the mountain slopes, forests with many different flora & fauna, quaint villages and so on. And expectedly, there are many view points, tea estates, temples & churches, museums, as well as famous historic schools that were setup during the British colonial days.   

You can easily spend two to three days in Kurseong and remain immersed with its attractions. There are plenty of local taxis available near the station and market area all of who will be willing to take you for local sightseeing tours. There are half day and full day local tours depending on what you want to cover. Talk to a couple of local drivers before you finalize one ... the rates vary and some can and do ask for too much. 

Some important places to see in this hill : Eagle Craig ,Dow Hill,Dow Hill Park ,Dow Hill Forest Museum,Dow Hill Forest Rest House ,Dow Hill Girls School, Victoria Boys School at Dow Hill, Dow Hill Water Reservoir ,Giddapahar View Point,Giddapahar Seti Mata Temple , Subhash Chandra Bose Museum ,Ambootia Tea Estate ,Ambootia Shiv Temple ,Makaibari Tea Estate, Castleton Tea Estate,St. Mary's Hill, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Museum 

By Air

The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra about 94-96 kms away from Darjeeling. There are direct flight connections with Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati. Tourists heading for Darjeeling can get direct taxis/cabs to Darjeeling from Bagdogra or one can head towards Siliguri first and get a transport there.

By Train

Apart from Darjeeling Railway Station the two closest railway stations are Siliguri (80 kms) and New Jalpaiguri (88 kms) from Darjeeling. These railway stations have direct railway connections with Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Varanasi and other major cities of India.

By Road

The major access to Darjeeling by road is via Siliguri, which is connected to allthe major cities. Darjeeling is also very well connected to Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and its surrounding hills.

Kalimpong Hill Station - It Is Very Well-Known For Its Wide Range Of Exotic Vegetation, Orchids And Cactus.

KALIMPONG HILL STATION

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WEST BENGAL

Situated on the lower ranges of the Himalayas, Kalimpong offers panoramic vistas of the Teesta Rangit Valley in Sikkim. Kalimpong is situated on the northern edge of West Bengal in East India. It is about 53 km from the hill station of Darjeeling.

Kalimpong is located at an altitude of 4,100ft. Because of its relatively lower altitude compared to Darjeeling or Gangtok, the weather is milder and pleasant for most part of the year. And therefore it suits all tourists who are looking for such pleasant weather combined with magnificent views of Kanchenjunga and other Himalayan snow peaks, sweeping landscapes and lush greenery. 

Numerous view points to get lovely sight of the Kanchenjunga snow peaks, monasteries, temples, tourist complexes, heritage buildings, parks, flower nurseries, heritage schools, charitable institutes and more. 

There are standard local packaged tours available. Take a taxi from the market stand and get set for local sightseeing tours. You can plan east Kalimpong in about 4 hours and west Kalimpong in another 4 hours. On other days make day trips to some lovely places like Lava, Loleygaon and Pedong, enjoy the drive and see the attractions & view points around those places. 

Kalimpong offers a wide range of accommodations. There are several heritage hotels and lodges, all inclusive tourist complexes, luxury hotels & resorts, as well as budget hotels, homestays and guesthouses.

The above link would give a glimpse and my reviews of a select set of such hotels. However use the search box below to find all the good hotels in Kalimpong. You can then sort the list by price, property type etc, go through the amenities, guest reviews & scores and book a hotel at attractive low rate. This service is provided by World's no.1 online hotel booking site.

By Air

The nearest airport is Bagdogra near Siliguri, The taxi fare from the airport to Kalimpong is about Rs 1,500. This airport is connected to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati. International travelers can get connecting flights from Kolkata or Delhi. Both are well connected with many cities in India and abroad.

By Train

The nearest rail is New Jalpaiguri. This is well connected to most of the major cities in India.

By Bus

The Kalimpong city is well connected to other cities in Sikkim and the neighboring states by bus services.

DARJEELING

HILL STATION 

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DARJEELING

Darjeeling, the queen of hills, is not just a huge rage among the tourists but also holds great interest for the filmmakers who love to infuse the lovely backdrop of Darjeeling in their movies.

The word Darjeeling is a combination of two words 'dorje' meaning 'thunderbolt' and 'ling' meaning 'place' hence the word Darjeeling means 'the Land of Thunderbolt'. At a height of 2050 meters, Darjeeling is one of the most visited destinations in the state of West Bengal and Darjeeling tourism is one of the mainstays of the tourism industry in this state.

Darjeeling isn't your typical tourism spot imbibed with same old visiting attractions or shopping streets. Every nook and corner of Darjeeling reflects uniqueness and echoes diversity in all aspects.

 It plays a perfect host to Buddhist monasteries, tea plantations, and the very rare Himalayan Red Panda. This tourism spot draws travelers from all around the globe throughout the year and is one of the favorite hill destinations in the country.

 If you are lucky enough to land up in Darjeeling, don't miss to seize the golden opportunity of digging into its culinary delights, discovering the wonderful steep lanes, witnessing the colorful festivals and lastly, traveling around in a toy train. Find out more on the best time to visit Darjeeling by scrolling down the article.

These months constitute the summer season in Darjeeling which is quite pleasant and not harsh. The maximum temperature is around 25 degree Celsius. Bright sunlight packed with windy air in the evenings make for a great vacation in Darjeeling amidst the picturesque surroundings. This time is also good for sightseeing and other tourist activities.

Summer starts in May and lasts until July. The average temperature during summer varies between 11°C to 19°C. While May remains a popular tourist month in Darjeeling, there are good chances of showers and hails during this time. The Monsoon in Darjeeling starts in June and it starts getting misty quite frequently. So, by June most of the tourists would have left.

By Air

Bagdogra Airport is the nearest air connection which is 96 kilometres away from Darjeeling. Many carriers like Air India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet, Indigo, Go Air run direct flights from Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata to Darjeeling. Delhi and Kolkata airports are well-connected with international cities across

the globe. Now, few international cities like Bangkok and Paro also have direct flights via Druk Air airlines. Once you reach at the airport, you can hire a taxi or share a cab to get to Darjeeling, which will take you around 3 hours.

By Bus

The regular bus service from Siliguri (which is approximately 70 kilometres away) to Darjeeling is quite slow but economical. Similar bus services are also available from neighbouring towns like Kurseong and Kalimpong which is 31 and 50 kilometres away respectively. Even Gangtok city runs daily buses to Darjeeling; however, we suggest taking a shared cab instead.

By Train

The Darjeeling railway station is administered by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). The nearest railway station in Darjeeling is at New Jalpaiguri (62 kilometres from the main town) which connects major Indian cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar and Cochin. The DHR Toy Train service starts at New Jalpaiguri and will get you to Darjeeling at a speed no faster than 30 miles per hour. It takes 7 hours and halts at Batasia Loop from where passengers can take photographic shots of Mt. Kanchenjunga.