Tea tourism

The Jaldhaka River, also known as the Dichu, begins its journey at Bitang/Kupup Lake in Sikkim's Gangtok District, near Jelep La. After its ascent in Sikkim, the river traverses approximately 40 km through Bhutan's Samtse District before crossing into India at Bindu, the final village of North Bengal situated on the Indo-Bhutan frontier. From this point, the river surges southward through a confined, timbered gorge, gaining both breadth and speed as it moves past Jhalong and its iconic power station.

This little cluster in the eastern Dooars foothills marks the precise moment where manicured tea gardens surrender to the untamed Neora Valley wilderness, and the Murti River begins its boulder-hopping dance through the valleys below.

Forget everything you think you know about Darjeeling district. While tourists jostle for selfie spots on Darjeeling's Mall Road and queue for the toy train, barely 50km away lies a hill station that seems to have missed the memo about mass tourism entirely. Welcome to Mirik, where the loudest sound you'll hear is the splash of paddle boats on Sumendu Lake and the whisper of wind through pine forests.

While Darjeeling steals the headlines, Kurseong (locally Kharsang or “The Land of White Orchids”) captures the soul. Perched at 1,458m (4,783ft), this is not a frenetic tourist hub but a misty, colonial-era whisper. It is a town of heritage schools, legendary tea estates, and haunting pine forests that seem plucked from a gothic novel. Come here to escape the commercial crush of the Queen of Hills, walk down fog-laden roads, and ride the Toy Train without the queues.

Perched at 2,042 meters in the Lesser Himalayas, Darjeeling is a hill station that enchants visitors with its colonial charm, terraced tea gardens, and stunning views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak. This former British summer retreat has evolved into one of India's most beloved mountain destinations, where Buddhist monasteries sit alongside Victorian architecture, and the aroma of world-famous tea fills the crisp mountain air.