Darjeeling is a city and a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 2,000 metres (6,700 ft). Darjeeling is noted for its tea industry, its views of Kangchenjunga - the world's third-highest mountain, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Darjeeling is the headquarters of the Darjeeling district which has a partially autonomous status called Gorkhaland Territorial Administration within the state of West Bengal. It is also a popular tourist destination in India.
The recorded history of the town starts from the early 19th century when the colonial administration under the British Raj set up a sanatorium and a military depot in the region. Subsequently, extensive tea plantations were established in the region and tea growers developed hybrids of black tea and created new fermentation techniques. The resultant distinctive Darjeeling tea is internationally recognised and ranks among the most popular black teas in the world. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway connects the town with the plains and has some of the few steam locomotives still in service in India.
Your journey explores next the stunning north-eastern state of Sikkim, otherwise known as 'The Garden State', on account of its spectacular flora and fauna. Sikkim is bordered by Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. Part of the Himalayas, the area has a dramatic landscape that includes India’s highest mountain, 8,586m Kangchenjunga and it is also home to glaciers, alpine meadows and thousands of varieties of wildflowers. The area also boasts of innumerable hilltop Buddhist monasteries such as Pemayangtse, which dates to the early 1700s. Sikkim & Darjeeling and commonly combined for a great travel experience.