Introduction

The name Darjeeling is a composition of 'dorje' meaning 'thunderbolt' and 'ling' meaning 'place' ... 'the Land of Thunderbolt'.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is lovingly called the "Toy Train". The journey to Darjeeling is regarded as among the most spectacular in the world. Travelers are awed by both the scenery through the tea gardens as well as the railway line which is truly an engineering masterpiece and without doubt one of the wonders of the world.

Darjeeling is also very popular for its tea which is branded as one of the best teas in the world.

The town and hill station of Darjeeling lies in northern West Bengal, India. Darjeeling district lies between 26° 31' and 27° 13' north latitude and between 87° 59' and 88° 53' east longitude.

Altitude:
Comprising mainly of mountain terrain, Darjeeling stands at a height of 2134m (7053 ft) on a mountain ridge.

Area:
Darjeeling town covers an area of 11.44 sq. kms.

Population:
About 100,000.

Languages spoken:
English, Nepali, Hindi, Tibetan and Bengali.

Climate:
Almost every year Darjeeling's temperature drops below freezing during the winter season, from November to February. In summer, Darjeeling is delightfully cool with the maximum temperature reaching about 20°C.

Rainfall:
Rain falls mostly during months from June to September. The annual recorded rainfall in Darjeeling is 320 cms.

Clothing:
Light woolen for summer and heavy woolens for winter.

Best months to visit:
March to mid-June and September to mid-December.

Kalimpong

Though not as widely known about as Darjeeling this town is famous for its flower nurseries, quaint European styled cottages and was a bustling commercial centre when the Indo-Tibet border was open. The vestiges of the era can still be felt in its market places.