Darjeeling

Darjeeling is the classic Himalayan hill station: tea gardens spilling down steep slopes, a little steam train winding through the bazaar and, on a clear morning, the snow-covered Kanchenjunga massif glowing pink at sunrise. Founded as a summer retreat in the British era, it still has its Mall Road, old bakeries and Gothic churches, along with Tibetan monasteries and a strong Gorkha and Lepcha culture.

Our five-night package pairs the hills with Kolkata. In Darjeeling you rise early for the Tiger Hill sunrise over Kanchenjunga, stop at the Ghoom Monastery and the Batasia Loop war memorial, ride the UNESCO-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train, and visit Happy Valley Tea Estate to see how the famous first and second flush teas are made. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Padmaja Naidu Zoo, home to red pandas and snow leopards, are a short walk apart. A day trip takes you to Mirik, a lake town surrounded by orange orchards and tea gardens.

The trip then drops to the plains for Kolkata, India's former capital and its cultural heart. Here you see the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, the Dakshineswar Kali Temple on the Hooghly and the old colonial streets of the city centre, and eat your way through some of India's best street food and sweets. It is a gentle trip that suits families, seniors and couples alike. Travellers from Hyderabad fly into Bagdogra for the hills and out of Kolkata at the end, so there is no backtracking. Pack warm layers for Darjeeling and light cotton for Kolkata, and leave room in your bag for tea and sweets.