Darjeeling from Bangladesh: Tiger Hill, toy train and tea

Darjeeling is close enough to Bangladesh that you can be breathing cool hill air within a day of leaving home, yet it feels like another world: steep lanes, old colonial buildings, tea bushes rolling down every slope and, on a clear morning, Kanchenjunga glowing above the clouds. It rewards an unhurried visit of a few days rather than a rushed stop.

Getting there from Bangladesh

You'll need an Indian visa, and the way you plan to enter matters, so decide your route before you apply.

• By road via a land border. The usual approach is to cross in the north, at Burimari–Changrabandha or Banglabandha–Fulbari, then continue to Siliguri and drive up into the hills. It's a popular, good-value option, often with an overnight bus from Dhaka to the border.
• By air to Bagdogra. Bagdogra is the airport for Siliguri. From Dhaka you'd usually connect through another Indian city, such as Kolkata. From Bagdogra it's a winding, scenic drive of a few hours up to Darjeeling.

For land travel, Indian visas for Bangladeshi passport holders can be tied to specific entry and exit points, and the rules change. Softway Travels checks your visa against your route before you travel.

Tiger Hill sunrise over Kanchenjunga

The classic Darjeeling morning starts in the dark. Jeeps leave town well before dawn for Tiger Hill, where crowds gather to watch the first light touch Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain, before the rest of the range turns gold. On a very clear day you may even glimpse Everest far in the distance.

Wrap up warmly: it's cold at the top even in spring. On the way back, most tours stop at Ghum Monastery and the Batasia Loop.

The toy train

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been climbing these hills since the nineteenth century. Its narrow-gauge 'toy train' zigzags through the town, sometimes running just a few feet from shop fronts and front doors.

The easiest way to ride it is the short joyride between Darjeeling and Ghum, which circles the Batasia Loop with its war memorial and mountain views. Seats are limited and popular in peak season, so book ahead. A steam-hauled service is a real highlight if you can get one.

Tea estates and tasting

Darjeeling tea is grown on estates all around the town, and several welcome visitors. A good visit usually includes:

1. A walk through the tea bushes, where you may see pickers at work during the season.
2. A look at the factory, from withering and rolling to drying and sorting.
3. A tasting of first flush, second flush and other grades, so you can taste the difference for yourself.

If you want the real thing to take home, buy from an estate or a reputable shop in town rather than a roadside stall.

Taste before you buy. The difference between a first flush and an ordinary blend is obvious once you try them side by side.

The Mall and slow evenings

Chowrasta and the Mall are the heart of Darjeeling: a pedestrian square for an evening stroll, people-watching, warm snacks and shopping for woollens and shawls. The old cafés and bakeries nearby are part of the town's charm. Keep at least one evening completely unplanned, and simply wander.

Best months to go

• March to May: pleasant weather, flowers in bloom and good chances of mountain views in the mornings.
• October to early December: usually the clearest skies and the best Kanchenjunga views, with cold nights.
• June to September: the monsoon. Green and quiet, but cloud often hides the mountains, and landslides can disrupt the roads.
• Late December to February: cold, sometimes very cold, but crisp, clear days are possible.

Whenever you go, pack warm layers, comfortable shoes for steep lanes and a light rain jacket.

Softway Travels can plan your Darjeeling holiday, help with the Indian visa and arrange transport from the border or Bagdogra. If you have a few more days, our Sikkim and Darjeeling trip adds Gangtok and the high mountain lakes.