Darjeeling Journals

Tea in Darjeeling

An October 2000 trip to Darjeeling by Pereon

Quote: Darjeeling is held as the world's greatest tea, but it is also a place where the wonderful tea is grown along the souhern slopes of the Himalaya around a town built by the English during the Days of Empire in India. It is a rather remote place which can only be reached by flying from Delhi to a nowhere airport called "Bagdogra" and then by what is known as the "toy train" up the mountain side, or as we did it, by jeep. The road is steep and narrow, the ride and the scenery exhilarating! Along the way we stopped at the Mackai Barrie Tea Plantation to learn how the special "Darjeeling" tea is grown, picked, processed in the "old" way used in the days of the English Raj. We were taught how tea is "tasted" by the owner of the plantation, himself, so we could discern the differences in the various grades of Darjeeling. Tea tasting is in itself an art. Then we drank the wonderful silver tip Darjeeling with our host, the silver tip is just the bud at the tip of the stem,which turns slivery when dried...mana of heaven. Pereon

Tea in Darjeeling

Overview

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The tea plantations are just one of the attractions around Darjeeling.

There are several wonderful Buddhist monasteries, one of which, Goom, can be reached by the 'toy train,' which is a narrow gauge steam train. As the train runs only once a day, be sure to make arrangements to take a bus or taxi back to Darjeeling as the train is headed down the mountain.

Darjeeling has a wonderful zoo with Siberian tigers, snow leopards, Himalayan bears, rare deer, rare birds. Also, adjoining the zoo is the Mountaineering Institute which has a museum that includes all the route maps, equipment, photos, journals, etc., of all the expeditions that have climbed in the Himalaya, most especially Everest.

Our hotel, the Mayfair, was lovely, perched on the mountainside just a short walk from 'the Mall,' the town center of Darjeeling, and directly across the road from the governor's residence. You can sip tea in the lovely gardens, watch the sunrise from any of the several balconies, and have a freshly laid fire in the hearth in your room every night. Then if you are really into sunrises you can join the hundreds of others who journey to Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise over the Himalayan peaks--- that is, if they are visible as you are at an altitude where you are literally in the clouds.

Quick Tips:

Best time to visit Darjeeling is in October or April, May. It is always cool, but can get too cold beyond mid-November. Take a light jacket, but it is shirt sleeve weather in the daytime. Be sure to book everything ahead and check your reservations just before leaving home and again from Delhi. Best to have a hotel in Delhi for a day or two before going on to Darjeeling to rid yourself of jetlag! But Delhi is a great place, so that couple of days is not a hardship!!! The Taj Hotel or the Oberoi (we have stayed at both) are really first rate. Be sure to take a good pair of walking shoes, and maybe hiking boots...I took both. Jeans and long or short sleeved shirts...no shorts or tank tops. The Indians are a modest people and can be offended by skimpy clothing.

Best Way To Get Around:

Try to arrange a jeep and driver if possible to drive from the airport at Bagdogra and to take you to the sites. Most travel agencies can advise you of such agencies that have drivers and jeep or car availability. Read Less

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The Mayfair

Hotel

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The Mayfair was built in the 1930's and is a somewhat rustic, but charming English style boarding house hotel. It's location is just a short walk from the center of Darjeeling which is a plaza on the street known as the Mall. The Hotel is terraced down the hillside from the street with charming gardens along its terraces. The rooms all have fireplaces and coal is brought every evening and a fire lit if requested. The rooms are large and well appointed with English style furniture. Most have a lovely view of the Darjeeling valley, plus outside balconeys on each floor and sitting areas on the terraces. There is a library and parlor as well for visiting or games. The hotel has a most definite Engl...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 6, 2000

The Mayfair
The Mall
Darjeeling, India
(354) 56376

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The Mayfair Hotel

Restaurant

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We were in a group of 12 but all meals were served buffet style. Breakfast was a choice or even a mixture of Indian and English, very interesting. Lunch and Dinner were mostly Indian although the chef did Continental with an Indian twist, very unusual and delicious. If you like Indian food this was a good place in Darjeeling to have good Indian food in buffet style, so what you were choosing was explained by one of the waiters who served so you would know what you were eating and how spicy it might be. With Indian food that is particularly important to many Western travelers. All was very freshly prepared and appetizing usually with a soup course served at table before going to the buffet ta...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 6, 2000

The Mayfair Hotel
The Mall
Darjeeling, India
(11) 65376

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Windamere Hotel

Hotel | "Windermere Hotel"

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One of the afternoons we were in Darjeeling we walked from our hotel, the Mayfair, just a block or two along the Mall to the Windermere, which sets on a hill, quite a climb from the street up the hill side known as Observatory Hill. The Windermere is an old hotel built by a Maharaja in the 1930's in Colonial style and furnished with English furniture reminiscent of a slightly shabby but charming resort hotel along the English coast somewhere. The front of the hotel has a veranda with rockers; the back has a patio with tables and umbrellas overlooking the valley opposite Darjeeling. Lovely views. We had tea and sat in the parlor while part of our group of 12 occupied the patio outside. The win...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 6, 2000

Windamere Hotel
Observatory Hill
Darjeeling, India 734 101
0354 2254041