Back in the day, the weather conditions made Darjeeling the ideal summer getaway for the British. It was also a military depot and a sanatorium. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway built in 1879 from Siliguri to Darjeeling, is actually a World Heritage ‘Site’. The scenic beauty of the lesser Himalayas, lush green tea plantations and British styled architecture can transport you to a different time and place altogether. The highlight however is a spectacular sunrise and the sight of Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks slowly emerging in shades of pink, gold and orange.