Do's and Dont's
Do's
- Loss or theft of any important travel related documents may be reported to the nearest Government of West Bengal Tourist Office / Police Station / Government of India Tourist Office etc
- For any emergency medical assistance contact hotel or accredited hospital / nursing homes
- It is recommended that tourists follow local tradition / custom guidelines while visiting religious places
- Money exchange facilities are available in select banks in Siliguri and Kolkata. Touts are best avoided
- During summers light woolens and during winters medium to heavy woolen clothes are advisable
- While purchasing packaged drinking water look for the ISI mark. This is a government endorsed quality seal
Don'ts
- Refuse food / drinks offered by unknown people
- Foreign tourists are not allowed to take Indian Currency back home as export of the same is strictly banned
- Alcohol is not permitted at least six hour prior to the river trip. People suffering from epilepsy, weak heart condition or any other serious aliment are discouraged from rafting.
Topography and Climate
Darjeeling hill areas have different and distinctive climatic zones.
Temperature (Darjeeling Town) :
Maximum temperature- 14.9 Degree Celsius
Minimum temperature- 8.9 Degree Celsius
Best time to visit:
March to mid-June and from October to December
Important Information
Foreign Tourists-
Foreigners are required to carry their passport as it has to be produced while signing the "Assumption of Risk and Release" bond and also before crossing the Teesta Bridge.
Vital Statistics
| Area | 3,149 Square Km. |
| Altitude (Darjeeling Town) | 6710 Feet. |
| Important Roads | Siliguri-Mirik -Ghum -60 kms. Sevak-Teesta Bridge -Kalimpong 60 kms. Teesta Bazar to Darjeeling -25 kms. Sukna- Pankhabari-Kurseong -25 kms. Siliguri Darjeeling NH 55 -76 kms. |
| Clothing required | Light woolens and tropicals in summer (umbrellas and raincoats are useful) and heavy woolens in winter. |
| Language spoken | Hindi, Gorkha, Bengali, Nepali, Tibetan and English. |
| Nearest Railway Station | Darjeeling (Meter Gauge) & NJP (Broad Gauge) |
| Nearest Airport | Bagdogra |
The nearest major railhead is the New Jalpaiguri station. Several long distance express trains operate from here to other cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow and Guwahati. Some of the popular express trains are the Darjeeling Mail, New Jalpaiguri Express, Kamrup Express, Teesta Torsa and Kanchenjunga express. Bombay Tourists can also reach Darjeeling by the famous Toy Train run by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
A number of buses operate between Siliguri and Darjeeling. Darjeeling is also connected to Kalimpong, Kurseong and Gangtok by roadways. Apart from buses, tourists can also hire taxis, private cars, jeeps or land rovers. It takes almost 4 hours to reach Darjeeling by road.
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