Darjeeling is the legendary British hill station perched in the foothills of the Himalayas. Located in the northern extreme of the Indian state of West Bengal, Darjeeling is just east of Nepal, just south of Sikkim, and a bit west and south of Bhutan. It is most famous for its once magnificent tea estates. Despite a steady and inexorable decline since independence, roughly a half century ago, these estates still produce a substantial portion of the world's tea.

For rail enthusiasts, however, Darjeeling is better known for its "Toy Train." This famous narrow gauge steam railway plies its way from Siliguri in the plains below up to Ghoom and Darjeeling in the hills. For more information you can visit the site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway at http://www.dhrs.org.

Blessed with a cool and bracing climate, and a panoramic view of the Himalayas, the world renowned hill resort of Darjeeling is a welcome respite during the hot summer months.

Situated at 2134 m above sea level, Darjeeling was acquired by the British from the Raja of Sikkim as a gift around a hundred and fifty years ago, and developed it as a rest and recreational center for their troops. Today the town retains many of the legacies of the British Government.

Darjeeling's population of about 100,000 is made up of people of many races and religions. Gorkhas, Bhutias, Lepchas, Sherpas. Yolmos and migrants from the plains have all made Darjeeling their home, and everyone lives in perfect harmony; at the shrine at Observatory Hill, you'll find Hindus and Buddhists offering prayers alongside each other. The official language is Gorkhali (Nepali), but Hindi and Bengali are also spoken, and almost everyone understands and speaks a bit of English.

Population: 100,000 STD Code: 0354 Area: 11.44 Sq. Km (4.4 Sq miles) Elevation: 7,000 ft. or 2,134 meters

Climate: SUMMER:  Min: 8.5 degrees C  Max: 20 degrees C

Annual Rainfall: 320 cm (126 inches)

Best Tourist Season: April to Mid-June; Mid September to November.

Best Mountain Views: Mid Sept. - Mid Dec.

Recommended Clothing: Light woollens and tropicals in summer (umbrellas and raincoats are useful) and heavy woollen in winter.

Language Spoken: English, Nepali, Hindi Bengali and Tibetan

Adventure: Trekking, white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking and rock climbing.

Banks : ANZ Grindlays Bank, State Bank of India can exchange foreign currencies besides some major hotels and currency dealers in town.

Other Banks in town : Allahabad Bank, Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, Union Bank, of India United Bank of India, UCO Bank , U. B. Khetriya Gramin Bank , Vijaya Bank.