Darjeeling - Gangtok: Volume II.

 I have always considered myself to be a beach-baby, but with time & travel, I now echo the words of John Muir - “The Mountains are calling and I must go.”

Mountains have magic that cannot be described in words. And it is this magical tug that draws me, once again, to the beautiful giants of rock, snow and mist.

Our journey began with a smooth & uneventful flight from Mumbai to Bagdogra (Siliguri). This time round, Hubby-dearest was keen to hire a self-driven vehicle. Waiting for us in the Bagdogra parking lot was a blue, courtesy Zoom Cars. Completing the required formalities for unlocking the car and starting the ride, we set our GPS to Darjeeling, keeping an eye out for a fuel station.

After an hour of driving through little towns and tea gardens (still no fuel station in sight), we decided to stop for a few snacks and a quick meal. The meal turned out to be some hot, tangy & delicious chowmein & omlette-pav at a local vendor named Ashok Paswan. Me thinks he was quite popular among the locals since his little two-table eatery was quite occupied, with a few people also waiting for some chowmein to-go.

Having had our fill, we drove on in the direction suggested by Ms. GPS, only to realize that the nearest fuel station was an hour away in the opposite direction than the one we were headed. After much annoyance & debate, we found a local policeman who suggested we take the nearest by-road & drive to Kurseong, a town 32kms (12mi) from Darjeeling.

Not knowing any better, we began the drive uphill towards Kurseong. Roads are very narrow, permitting only one vehicle to pass at a time. That, added to some super steep and sharp hairpin turns, made for a very scary ride. Finally, after close to an hour of driving, we arrived at Kurseong. Don’t expect two-way streets anywhere here. There are also no pavements. The narrow road is made even narrower by the train tracks that run through the town (Kurseong is connected to Siliguri by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway).

Stopping by the way to let others pass has become an accepted norm for both vehicles and pedestrians, of which there are plenty of both. Kurseong is a crowded, little town, more so because of the many tourists who visit ever so frequently, but it’s still super pretty! Especially the cottages. If only I could have slowed down or stopped by the side of the road, I’d have had a field day with my camera.

Getting back to what we were looking for - the fuel station. Located just around a sharp, up-hill turn, we found what has to be the tiniest fuel station we’ve ever seen! Managed to step out of the car for a few minutes for a much needed stretch and a brief looksee. From what little I could gather, Kurseong looks a lot like Darjeeling with its toy-town houses and streets lined with toy-town shops & busy little markets.

Moving along, Ms. GPS once again pointed us in the direction of Darjeeling, connected to Kurseong by Hill Cart Road (now Tenzing Norgay Road) opened in 1861. It’s quite a scenic and enjoyable ride, slowed only by the frequent ‘pause to let the other pass’ system.

Clouds began to float by, the temperature began to drop & the sun began its descent behind the glorious mountains. As we neared Darjeeling we hit some more traffic – local share-cabs stopping at frequent intervals to allow passengers to board/alight. Finally, after missing a turn and finding another, we arrived at our destination.

The Summit Swiss Hotel, Darjeeling.

This colonial style hotel, a 4 minute walk from the Darjeeling Railway station, offers beautiful views of the valley and of the Himalayan Mountain range, especially of Kanchendzonga – the highest peak in India. The hotel is located on Gandhi Road, so it’s close to the happening spots of town, yet, it’s set apart from the noise and crowds.

The room was quite pretty and cozy, but we did have to call in housekeeping to change the sheets and fix a little leak in the bathroom. Once that was done, though, we found the room to be really nice. What was most appreciated was the heater & electric blankets.

Having asked specifically for a room that offers a view of Kanchendzonga, I rushed to the window to see-what-I-could-see. I saw nothing. It was just 6pm, but the sun had long set and all I could see beyond the window were the lights of the town below. Being rather tired after the long drive, we decided to spend our first night in, stepping out only to dine at the in-house restaurant.

Let me say right here that the meals and the service at Summit Swiss are really good. The staff is courteous and very helpful.

Waking up 3am for a drink of water, I decided to glance outside the window. There, rising above the darkness, like a pale ghost, was Kanchendzonga. After a while of enjoying the silence & the view, I crawled back into bed only to wake up again two hours later. Still in my pajamas, I threw on a scarf, grabbed my camera and hurried out to the wooden bench below the window. It was freezing, but strangely it felt pleasant. In a few minutes, the sun began to rise and Kanchendzonga began to take on a cloak of gold. The sight lasted for a few minutes before the mountain was shrouded in clouds.

Since I was already up, I quickly got dressed and decided to take a walk. 7am, I found, is rather early in Darjeeling. Streets are blissfully empty and it makes for quite a pleasant walk, especially in winter. After a short walk, I found a wee tea stall that served piping hot chai and fresh puris & potato curry. 

Our Darjeeling Experience…

Darjeeling is super quaint & absolutely pretty. Chances of parking by the road are few to none, so it’s a better option to hire a local cab, private or, if you’re open to it, shared. There is public parking available near Darjeeling station & outside Ghum station, but they’re pretty small and getting a spot is almost impossible. I’d suggest being open to a lot of walking if you want to explore all that Darjeeling has to offer. Take a day or two to explore the most frequented tourist spots – the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the Padmaja Naidu Zoo, and the monasteries at Ghum etc. Book a joyride on the iconic blue toy-train that chugs along past busy streets and pretty houses.

Spend the next few days exploring Darjeeling on foot. It’s great fun to walk through the narrow, often crowded lanes that wind uphill & downhill. Local markets and colourful bazaars lining either side of the lanes offer much to the tourists & locals, at great prices.  Shop like the locals and eat like the locals, grab a bit of some delicious phaley, thukpa and sel-roti. Spend some time sitting in a tea-garden, enjoying the calm & stillness that surrounds you.

You can always enjoy a piping-hot chai at any of the local tea-shops. A wholesome meal of rice, dal, and meat/vegetable is also a great option to try. It’s very filling, but light and delicious. You can drop in at any of the little eateries along Hill Cart Road and the bustling Chowk Bazaar.

Be sure to explore the famous Mall Road, as well. This stretch of pedestrian-only street, leading to Chow-Rasta (equivalent of a town square) and the Mall Market, hosts plenty of excellent eateries and cafes and stores selling Darjeeling tea, local handloom & handicraft items and other knick-knacks.

One of the best places to enjoy lunch is Kunga. Serving lip-smacking and pocket-happy Tibetan fare, this little restaurant is almost always packed, with patrons lining up outside, eagerly awaiting their turn. Trust me, it’s worth the wait. Their portions are generous and the fare is flavourful and freshly prepared. Their chowmein, thukpa and momos are most popular. I tried their Tibetan tea, but was loathe to sip it because it tastes and smells really odd. I guess it’s an acquired taste – you either love it or hate it. I’d go with the latter.

For great ambience, a continental spread and delicious baked goodies, head to Glenary’s. A multi-levelled establishment, stepping into Glenary’s is like stepping into a whole new world of flavour and tantalizing fragrances. It’s quite an experience, and one that we repeated quite frequently.

Although there are plenty of quaint cafes scattered around, we discovered the best coffees at Himalaya Café. A great place to sit by yourself or with friends, watching the goings-ons in the street below the large windows. The baristas here really know their coffee and serve up the best coffee experience. What got my attention were the many diaries in which other patrons and coffee lovers are encouraged to leave behind a little of themselves in messages, poems, doodles and scribbles.  

Off to Gangtok

There are busses, private cabs & shared taxis that ply between Darjeeling & Gangtok. It’s a comfortable four hour ride, most often with a 20 minute stop along the way for a hot meal & chai. It's a scenic drive alongside the beautiful River Teesta, past lush green tea-gardens and towering forests. You get a wonderful view of Kanchendzonga along the way as well.

Go easy on your gears (stay on first/second) on the downhill drive towards the Teesta Bridge. We didn’t, and by the time we got downhill to Teesta Bazaar, our brakes were almost busted and we had to make an hour-long stop, allowing for enough cooling time. We spent the time admiring the Teesta river and the market place.

Once you cross the Teesta Bridge, roads are pretty bad & for a large part of the way there’s a cloud of dust obstructing the view. At frequent intervals traffic is slowed down on account of the road works, but drive carefully as these parts are famous for landslides. Once you enter Sikkim, however, roads begin to improve and driving is smooth and quite enjoyable. If you need a break from all the driving, make a stop at Oasis. It’s right by the wayside and offers a nice view of the River Teesta.

Our Gangtok Experience

To begin with, we had a spat at the accommodation we had pre-booked. The Mist Tree, Gangtok, had advertised great location, good service and parking availability. On arrival we found that the hotel was at the junction of a very busy main road, had absolutely no parking facility and the staff were downright rude, and lacked courtesy.  

We immediately made a reservation at Hotel Norling, that’s located a few minutes away. Being a fairly new establishment the place is spotless, well maintained and the small staff of employees is helpful & courteous. Meals are also hot and quite tasty. The only drawback at the time of our stay was the absence of a heater in the room, but the pros far outweigh the cons, and that makes the Hotel Norling a good choice for a stay in Gangtok. 

Being set away from Gangtok main, the hotel offers a quiet and restful stay, which is much heeded after a day of exploring. Views from the room are soothing and it’s quite close to Ganesh Tok, Hanuman Tok & the Enchey Monastery. We also visited Tashi Viewpoint, from where, if it’s not too cloudy, you get a beautiful view of Kanchendzonga, that appears much closer than it did at Darjeeling.

If you enjoy shopping and crowds of tourists, you’d be happy spending your day along the famous MG Road, with its many shops, cafes and restaurants. We, however, spent our day exploring the other sights of Gangtok such as the Do Drul Chorten, the Museum of Tibetology, and the beautifully serene Enchey Monastery.

For a late lunch, we made our way to MG Road. Of all the restaurants to choose from, we simply loved The Dragon Wok. Service is good, ambience is good & the food is even better. Their Pina Colada is deliciously creamy and the Sushi platter is yum!

Lunch was followed by coffee and The Coffee Shop. This one is seems to be a popular choice for most people, and the tables by the large windows are most in demand. As you sip on your coffee (or beverage of choice), you can enjoy the sight of locals and tourists walking across MG Road, busy shops and restaurants and local businesses across the street.  A great place to end the day.

Visiting Nathu-la pass is something I missed doing the first time I visited Gangtok. Since only government approved vehicles are permitted, it’s required that you book your trip at least a day or two in advance, submit your photographs & required documents & await your permit.

We booked a private vehicle that picked us up from our hotel. It’s a long drive to Nathu-la, and it helps having a friendly, chatty driver, like Pempa, our driver, who had a really fantastic playlist of music to keep us entertained along the way.

We drove past Tsongmo Lake, stopping at a distance to click a few photographs. It was nothing like I’d seen online – no snow & no frozen lake – just rugged mountains and a regular looking lake. Pempa said that the lake transforms into wonderland during the winter months, post-Christmas.

Driving on, we stopped at a wayside eatery for some chai, served hot by a cheerful, round-faces woman named Rachhi. The only other table was occupied by a couple from Bangalore, who, like us, were sipping on hot tea and Maggi noodles.

As we made our way ahead, we could feel the temperature dropping. Out came the beanie and gloves. For the last few kilometers, we had to switch cars and get into a shared vehicle that dropped us at the entrance to Nathu-la Pass.  Now, the road to Nathu-la is one of the highest motorable roads in the world. It is a mountain pass that co-joins India & China along the Indo-Tibetan border 14450 ft. above sea level. Since 2006, it has served as an official Border Personnel Meeting Point & is one of the three open trading posts between India & China.

Located on the old Silk Route, the temperature here remains low for most part of the year, dropping down to -25 degrees Celsius in winter. It gets all snow covered and the air gets even thinner than it normally is.

There are quite a few stairs to navigate in order to reach the border point. Many visitors finding the climb difficult on account of the thin air and the cold, are advised to sit a while & catch their breath before moving on. Cameras, phones and other recording devices are strictly prohibited here.

The visit to Nathu-la also includes a visit to Baba-Mandir, a memorial and temple honouring the Indian army soldier, folk hero & saint, Baba Harbajan Singh.

Retracing our route, Pempa began our journey back towards Gangtok main, stopping once again, at Himalayan Cafeteria for lunch which was hot chowmein & vegetable accompanied by freshly baked Tibetan flat bread. 

It was mid-afternoon by the time we had our lunch & the temperature had dropped further. Clouds hung lower and floated by, transforming the landscape drastically. This was most evident at Tsongmo Lake, now shrouded by dense clouds, rendering the lake & surrounding mountains almost invisible. It was beautiful! Too beautiful to describe in words, really. What an experience!

We head back to Siliguri

Driving back to Siliguri is a long and tiresome journey, largely because of the very, very bad roads. Once you get to Siliguri & hit traffic, roads get better & wider.

For just one night, we stayed at The Loft, providing spacious and very decent accommodation not very far from Bagdogra Airport.  The in-house restaurant serves up really good food. Just what we needed before our flight back to Mumbai.