Kurseong

This scenic village around 19 miles (30 kilometers) south of Darjeeling sits among verdant tea plantations and thick forests and is a glorious escape from the tumult of urban India. It's a marvelous place to breathe fresh country air while taking an unhurried walk.

How to Get There
The quaint "Toy Train" stops at Kurseong en route to Darjeeling and is highly recommended. You can also reach Kurseong by bus from various neighboring towns, although these services are infrequent. Share-jeeps are an efficient and inexpensive way to get here, and these also operate from neighboring centers.

How to Get Around
Walking is the most enjoyable way of getting around, but there are also share-jeeps available.

Attractions
Kurseong's main attraction is its pristine scenery, making it superlative walking territory. A recommended day-long, 11-mile (18-kilometer) hike is from the village of Kurseong to Mirik, which traverses orange groves and tea estates. The views of the Himalaya from Mirik are well worth the slog. If you're not up to this trek, take the much gentler 1.5-mile (two-kilometer) round-trip walk to Eagle's Crag.

Places to Stay and Eat
There are just a few places to stay in Kurseong, with more options in Mirik. Each of these villages have chai and snack stalls, but the best places to eat are in the hotels.

In Kurseong there's the lovely Kurseong Tourist Lodge which has pleasing mid-range rooms—the more expensive ones come with private balconies. The rooms are decorated in a homey fashion and have nice wooden touches. This lodge also has a first-rate restaurant. Hill Cart Road, Kurseong village; tel. +91 (0)354 234 4409.

In Mirik is the Orange Country Retreat, comprising a dozen two-story hilltop cottages. The retreat is more pricey than Mirik's other lodgings but still a good value. The cottages have tremendous views of the countryside and mountains. Mirik village.

For More Information
Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council Tourism Office Jawahar Road West, Darjeeling; tel. +91 (0)354 225 4879.
Kurseong, Sikkim, Information
Mirik, Sikkim, Information