Darjeeling Holidays

For many, Darjeeling means one thing: tea. The steep hills and valleys of this former colonial station in the Himalayan foothills are grooved with thick bushes laden with emerald leaves. Known as the Queen of the Hills, Darjeeling’s fertile fields supply 25 percent of India with its national drink. Here, women in rubber wellies adept in balancing wicker baskets on their backs endlessly patrol the plantations, plucking their precious cargo. You can taste steaming varieties of Darjeeling brew, known as the Champagne of Tea, at Harrods supplier, Happy Valley Tea Estate.

Meanwhile, men furiously shovel coal into the Himalayan Railway steam train, a UNESCO-listed gem. Passengers snap photos while the blue engine screams its way along dramatic mountain roads, pausing at Ghoom Buddhist Monastery where colourful prayer flags flap in the breeze. Darjeeling itself features a maze of bazaars manned by locals whose ancestors hail from Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet and sits in the shadow of the world’s third-highest mountain, Kangchenjunga. Sunrise from the top of Tiger Hill even provides views of majestic Everest on a clear day.

Whether you come to sip tea, ride steam trains or marvel at the mountainous scenery, let our India experts put together your dream Darjeeling tour.