Darjeeling

A Major part of the drive from  Gangtok to Darjeeling is along the Teesta and provides a opportunity for River rafting. Not for nothing is traveling equated to spiritual experience,. I am sacred of water and river rafting is something I would not imagine to do in my dream, but then had to give in to the wishes of the family and yes it was a life time experience and by the time I reached the shore I wanted more.

Enroute are many such tea gardens

The best  at Darjeeling apart from the train (we could not take this, did not book the tickets early) is Tiger hills. One as to be up at 2.30 AM to reach Tiger hill by 4 AM to catch the first rays of the sun on Kanchenjunga. I have seen some spectacular pictures of sunrise, but this being  a cloudy day this is all we could manage/

The Batista loop, The Small train make a round of this location




Some attraction here - The Japanese Pagoda, the Buddha Temple., The Darjeeling Zoo and the Mountaineering Institute  are all worth a visit

An enterprising Bear

And a watchful Red Panda