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MEET AN EXPERT
Our co-founder Jay Tindall is a regular visitor to India, where he loves staying in the palace hotels of Rajasthan. His favourite experience? The amazing Kumbh Mela festival.
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In addition to its tea, which sometimes grows on precipitous hillsides, Darjeeling is also well-known for the Toy Train, a narrow-gauge railway formally known as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and beautiful summer estates once home to the British colonial elite. Because of its location, Darjeeling is populated by a variety of hill tribes and Himalayan peoples, among them Nepalese Gurkhas, Tibetans, Anglo-Indians, and Sherpas.
In addition to its tea, which sometimes grows on precipitous hillsides, Darjeeling is also well-known for the Toy Train, a narrow-gauge railway formally known as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and beautiful summer estates once home to the British colonial elite. Because of its location, Darjeeling is populated by a variety of hill tribes and Himalayan peoples, among them Nepalese Gurkhas, Tibetans, Anglo-Indians, and Sherpas.
Drive through the Simbong Forest to the River Rung Dung and into the Badamtam Forest. Walk along the forest path, following the River Rungeet. On the way, your guide will help you identify the birds, butterflies, occasional animals, and the rich plant life to be found in the forest.
Have a private tour of the Ghoom Monastery, built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso. On occasion, Remote Lands can arrange for visitors to have tea with senior resident monks, who can offer a special blessing. There are several hand-written Buddhist manuscripts here, which were compiled in volumes, carefully wrapped in cloth and stacked beside the main altar. The structure itself is a fine example of Himalayan architecture, with its exquisitely colored exterior and slanted roofs.
Tour the tea plantations at Glenburn Tea Estate, which will include a walk through the neat rows of tea, a tour of the factory and lunch. You will be met by a tea expert and manager of the property, who will assist you with selecting a special blend of tea tailored to your personal tastes.
Visit Hayden Hall, a non-profit organization that has been helping families break the cycle of poverty since its founding in 1969. Hayden Hall focuses on empowering women to achieve self-sufficiency through a variety of methods, from vocational training to providing small savings and loan plans.
Cross the Manjitar Suspension Footbridge, which spans the River Rungeet into the old royal kingdom of Sikkim. This impressive structure was built by the British in 1902 after the original cane bridge was washed away by the floods of 1899. Measuring about 200 feet (61 meters) across and at least 100 feet (30 meters) above the river, crossing this footbridge is an adventure in itself.
Cross the bridge into Sikkim and wander around Manjitar Village, stop for a cup of tea in one of the village dhaabas (tea shops), and visit the local Shiv Temple.
Stop at the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center, which was established in 1959, and meet the Tibetan people as they go about their business of knitting sweaters, woollens and other interesting crafts.
Take a ride on the charming Toy Train, so-called because it is the world’s narrowest gauge railway at only two feet wide. A UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1881, the Toy Train travels to the world’s highest train station at 7,400 feet (2,256 meters) and is one of the world’s most curious railway wonders.
by Financial Times 
by Departures 
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