Darjeeling-Tourism.com - A free comprehensive travel guide for Darjeeling & Sikkim.
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ROAD CONDITIONS IN DARJEELING & SIKKIM
In case you are planning a travel to Darjeeling, Kalimpong or Sikkim in the next few days, or you happen to be in the hills already, you can get to know the current road conditions from the following notice issued by the WB Government (DM's office, Kalimpong) today:
IS IT A GOOD TIME TO VISIT DARJEELING & SIKKIM?
Well, you might be aware that 10 days ago a cloudburst over a glacial lake in north Sikkim caused a flood-like situation and it wreaked havoc on several areas of Sikkim as well as lower parts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Many lost their lives, many are missing and thousands have been displaced. Infrastructure and roads in several areas have been washed away. It was a natural disaster, a god's act.
But the good news is... repair and restoration work is being done on a war footing. And despite such a disaster, several parts of Darjeeling (including Darjeeling town), Kalimpong as well as West and South Sikkim (such as Pelling, Ravangla, Temi, Namchi, etc) are still accessible, and they are grossly unaffected.
You only need to know which roads are open and which ones to avoid. Go through the last post on the following link where I have discussed the current situation in detail as well as the road conditions in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim.
Find out the conditions of roads to Darjeeling, Sikkim including Gangtok, Namchi, Pelling, Ravangla etc and Kalimpong.
KALEJ VALLEY & RAINBOW FALLS
Here is another offbeat place near Darjeeling... you can stay there or easily make a day trip from Darjeeling. Kalej Valley is a picturesque valley located about 14kms from Darjeeling town. The valley is famous for its natural beauty and is surrounded by lush green forests, tea gardens, and stunning waterfalls. You can go on nature walks, trekking, and bird watching in the valley. It's also a great place for photography enthusiasts.
Rainbow Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Kalej Valley. The waterfall is named after the colorful rainbows that appear when sunlight falls on the water droplets of the falls. The falls cascade down from a height of approximately 100 feet, creating a mesmerizing sight. The area around the falls is also a great spot for picnics and enjoying the scenic beauty of the valley.
Get full details from the link below:
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_000253.htm
BUS BOOKING TO DARJEELING & DOOARS TO BE ONLINE SOON
There is good news for all budget travellers visiting North Bengal including Darjeeling and Dooars. So far, there has been no online booking system to book NBSTC buses. In order to visit Darjeeling or places in Dooars by bus, one needs to get to the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus in Siliguri and buy the tickets manually. However, NBSTC has now introduced a new website NBSTC.IN which will soon offer online bookings on all its bus routes (it is expected to be fully operational within the next six months).
For details, go through the following link:
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0001a8.htm
GOOM FESTIVAL & NIGHT TOY TRAIN RIDE
The Winter DHR Ghoom Festival is back between 12th November and 4th December 2022. As part of this festival, you can not only enjoy folk performances, art, stand-up comedy and theatrical performances at Ghoom and Darjeeling stations, but for the first time ever, you can experience a night-time joy ride on toy trains. For complete details, go through the 'Updates: November 2022' section of the link below:
A travel blog where you can find latest updates & information about tourism in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars, Shillong and surrounding areas, and know about current scenario, my latest articles and lot more.
NEW TOY TRAIN BETWEEN NJP AND DARJEELING
A newly introduced diesel engine hauled AC Passenger Train will operate between NJP and Darjeeling thrice a week effective September 26, 2022. This is in addition to the existing daily passenger train. This train has one AC Vistadome Coach with 15 seats and an AC Restaurant Car with 8 seats. The train no. 52539 will depart NJP station at 10am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and reach Darjeeling at 6:30pm on the same day. The return train (no. 52538) will start from Darjeeling at 9:10am on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays and reach NJP station at 4:35pm on the same day.
This train has short stoppages at the intermediate stations Siliguri Junction, Sukna, Rongtong, Tindharia, Gayabari, Mahanadi, Kurseong, Tung, Sonada and Ghum.
Read https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_000089.htm for details.
DARJEELING ZOO - THE BEST ZOO IN INDIA
On September 10, 2022, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India released the ranking list of all the Zoos. There are some 130 Zoos in India. Darjeeling Zoo topped the list and has been ranked as the best Zoo in the country. It topped the list across all categories. There are amazing Himalayan high altitude animals in Darjeeling Zoo including Snow and Clouded Leopards, Red Pandas, Tibetan Wolves, Himalayan Black Bears, Yaks, and lot more. So, if you haven't visited Darjeeling Zoo in recent times, then you must make it a part of your tour agenda when you visit Darjeeling next. Go through the following link to know about Darjeeling Zoo and what exactly has made it the number #1 zoo in the country:
On September 10, 2022, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India released the ranking list of all the Zoos. There are some 130 Zoos in India. Darjeeling Zoo topped the list and has been ranked as the best Zoo in the country. It topped the list across all categories. There are amazing Himalayan high-altitude animals in Darjeeling Zoo including Snow and Clouded Leopards, Red Pandas, Tibetan Wolves, Himalayan Black Bears, Yaks, and a lot more. So, if you haven't visited Darjeeling Zoo in recent times, then you must make it a part of your tour agenda when you visit Darjeeling next. Go through the following link to know about Darjeeling Zoo and what exactly has made it the number #1 zoo in the country:
Information about Darjeeling Zoo or Padmaja Naidu Hilamalayan Zoological Park - Animals & pictures, layout, facilities, locations etc.
FINALLY, YOU CAN AGAIN BOOK TOY TRAINS BETWEEN DARJEELING & KURSEONG.
For quite some time now, one could only do an end-to-end booking of the toy train serving NJP to Darjeeling (or the reverse). Options to book short distances had been withdrawn. The sector between Darjeeling to Kurseong was a favourite to tourists, particularly for those who did not want to undertake the long 7-hour journey between NJP and Darjeeling but still wanted to ride the train for a fair distance in the hills. However, an extra coach will now be added at Kurseong and booking between Darjeeling and Kurseong will be soon possible. For details, go through https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0001a8.htm
BAGDOGRA AIRPORT TO REMAIN CLOSED TILL 25TH APRIL 2022
Due to cracks appearing on the runway, emergency repairwork has been undertaken at Bagdogra Airport. So, if you are planning visit Darjeeling or Sikkim during this time, your only option is to take a train or a bus to NJP or Siliguri. The only other option is to take a flight directly to Pakyong located near Gangtok. In order to know all regular options to reach Darjeeling, go through the link below:
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_000010.htm
Complete information about how to reach Darjeeling by air, train/rail, or by road from other places in India and neighboring countries.
TOY TRAIN FARES TO BE REDUCED :-)
Finally, some good sense prevailed within the Indian Railway Authorities, who eventually realized that the toy train fares skyrocketed sometime back and it is prudent to reduce the fares in order to attract more tourists instead of letting the trains run empty.
Go through the following link for details of fare change:
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0001a8.htm
A travel blog where you can find latest updates & information about tourism in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars, Shillong and surrounding areas, and know about current scenario, my latest articles and lot more.
GHUM FESTIVAL BY DHR
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has organized a 3-week long festival known as the GUM FESTIVAL starting from 13th November 2021 and ending on 5th December 2021. The objective of the festival is to promote the DHR Toy Train Rides which holds the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage status and also to showcase the culture and heritage of Darjeeling Hills. The festival will mainly take place at Ghum and Darjeeling stations. It's a great opportunity for all to visit Darjeeling during this period and experience the rich culture and heritage of Darjeeling district.
Go through the following link for more information on Ghum Fest.
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0001a8.htm
A travel blog where you can find latest updates & information about tourism in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars, Shillong and surrounding areas, and know about current scenario, my latest articles and lot more.
COVID-19 RELATED TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS FOR DARJEELING, SIKKIM AND DOOARS
Darjeeling, Sikkim and Dooars have all now imposed stringent Covid related travel requirements. If you are fully vaccinated (i.e. both doses of vaccines taken) then you can show the certificate and proceed. If you are partially or not vaccinated, you must carry a negative RTPCR test report that should be done within 48 hours of arrival in Darjeeling or Dooars, and 72 hours in Sikkim.
For more information, go through https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0001a8.htm
A travel blog where you can find latest updates & information about tourism in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars, Shillong and surrounding areas, and know about current scenario, my latest articles and lot more.
WINDAMERE HOTEL ROLLS BACK CLOSURE
Earlier we reported that the management of Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling had decided to temporarily close down the hotel effective July 5, 2021. This was due to the acute financial crisis arising out of the Covid situation.
Following the lockout decision, the employees of the hotel threatened to launch a hunger strike. However, after intervention and mediation by the Labour Department, the lockout has been called off.
If you want to know more about Hotel Windamere in Darjeeling, go through this link https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_00003d.htm
Review of Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling, which is known as the original heritage hotel of Himalayas reflecting a romantic and true colonial charm.
LANDSLIDE IN DARJEELING
Landslide in Darjeeling during monsoon is a common phenomenon and this year too is not an exception. Due to heavy and continuous rains, a large section (about 40 meters) of the Hill Cart Road (i.e. NH-55) has been washed away due to a landslide. The landslide has taken place near Tindharia which is about 20kms before Kurseong town. There are no casualties reported. It is likely to take a substantial amount of time to repair the damaged section of the highway.
Hill Cart Road is the arterial road that connects Siliguri with Darjeeling. As a result of this landslide, tourists arriving by train at NJP will now need to take a detour via Rohini Road to reach Darjeeling. However, for the flight passengers arriving at Bagdogra Airport, Rohini Road is the usual route for Darjeeling. The Rohini Road eventually meets Hill Cart Road near Kurseong.
Luckily, there are several alternative routes to reach Darjeeling from the lower plains. You can also take the scenic route via Mirik to get to Darjeeling. In order to know all the road routes to Darjeeling from NJP, Siliguri and Bagdogra, go through the following link:
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0000a1.htm
Direction and route information of all the roads leading to Darjeeling from Siliguri, New Jalpaiguri and Bagdogra.
WINDAMERE HOTEL DARJEELING TO CLOSE DOWN TEMPORARILY
Windamere Hotel, undoubtedly one of the best hotels in Darjeeling that has immaculately maintained the authentic colonial aura, will be closing down from July 5, 2021, due to the financial crisis induced by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since December 2019, the hotel has been running at an average occupancy of 30%.
The hotel had paid full salary to the 50 odd staff for the past several months but could disburse only half the salary in the month of May. They will look into re-opening when the situation normalizes and enough bookings are received (particularly from foreign tourists because the hotel always depended heavily on returning foreign visitors).
The property initially started as a boarding house for bachelor English and Scottish tea planters in the 1880s and was later converted into a hotel just before World War II. This hotel is considered a destination by itself by many patrons. It has many memories such as couples meeting for the first and later getting married, old guests bringing their grand children to show where they spent most of their vacation days, etc.
If you want to know more about Hotel Windamere in Darjeeling and what it is all about, go through this link https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_00003d.htm
Just to let you know that Windamere and many other great hotels & resorts, restaurants, bars, stores, and tour operators have been long-time partners of Darjeeling Tourism eCard offering attractive discounts and other facilities. This eCard is exclusively offered through our website. In order to know about this eCard, go through this link https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_000135.htm
Use Darjeeling Card to get great discounts in hotels, restos, tours, treks, adventures, shops, transports etc.
IS IT SAFE TO VISIT DARJEELING NOW?
Darjeeling is going into the election polls on 17th April 2021. The political activities and tensions are clearly mounting. Election results will be declared on 2nd May. And with the looming threats of the Corona Virus around, should you plan a trip to Darjeeling hills now or in the near future? Is it safe to travel to Darjeeling? If not, when will it be safe to visit Darjeeling?
These are some of the questions we are getting from numerous readers of our website. Go through the following forum link, scroll down to the bottom where we have posted answers to several recent questions on the current situation in Darjeeling and discussed how safe it is to travel to Darjeeling now.
https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0000fa.htm
Darjeeling has often been hit with political unrest, strikes, curfews etc. Find out the present status and if it is safe for tourists to travel.
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL GUTTED WITH FIRE
Many of you must have seen or even stayed at Shangri-La hotel in Darjeeling which is only steps away from the Mall (Chowrasta) and on Nehru Road. Yesterday, it was ravaged by fire.
Just for your knowledge, this building was constructed during the British era and a British lady called Rosa Rebecca then owned it. The property changed hands and is now owned by London based Ranjan Lama, a Tibetan.
Almost everything inside has been destroyed by the fire. Three fire tenders took more than 3 hours to get the fire and billowing smoke under control. Luckily, there was no injury. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Go through the following link for more information about the hotel and to know what happened.
Review of Hotel Shangri-La Darjeeling, a boutique hotel providing 2-star amenities and located close to the Mall.
| Monday | 10:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 10:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00 - 19:00 |
| Friday | 10:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00 - 18:00 |
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