- Details
- Written by Anchal B Chaudhary
Kurseong
Kurseong is a small, quiet hill-station located in the Darjeeling district of the Indian state of west Bengal.
Situated between Darjeeling and Siliguri, Kurseong serves as the southern terminus for steam-powered toy trains of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
If one is looking for a calm, peaceful holiday in the hills, away from the hustle-bustle of the cities, Kurseong is a good option.
Kurseong is a quiet alternative to the much commercialised neighbour Darjeeling and sees a pleasant and salubrious climate throughout the year.
Kurseong is blessed with immense natural beauty which has lured many high-profile people, like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Mark Twain, to visit and stay and inspired works of many authors, painters and poets like Rabindranath Tagore and Atul Prasad Sen.
The name of this little hill-station was derived from a Lepcha word ‘kurson-rip’ which means white orchids and makes reference to these pretty little flowers prolific in this area.
Kurseong is dotted with several quaint little churches, museums and a few old Hindu temples and surrounded by vast expanses of lush green Tea Estates where a few world-renowned and most expensive teas are manufactured.
Tea gardens not only add to the beauty of Kurseong but have also placed it as an important tea manufacturer and exporter on the international map.
Kurseong is also home to a number of reputed schools like Dow Hill, Victoria and Goethals.
In Kurseong one can simply sit back, relax and soak in the heavenly views or one can go for leisurely walks around exploring the town, take a toy train ride or go trekking on one of the various trekking trails.
What To Buy in Kurseong
Tea
Local handicrafts
Must Try
‘Thupkas’ and local fermented drinks ‘chaang’ and ‘tonba’
What To Pack For Kurseong
Summers: Light Woollens
Winters: Heavy Woollens
… and a good sturdy pair of walking shoes
Kurseong Fast Facts
Best Season to Visit: Oct to Jun
Distance From Darjeeling: 32 Km
Distance From Siliguri: 51 Km
Height: 4864 Ft
STD code: 0354
How To Reach Kurseong
By Air: Nearest airport is Bagdogra (60 Km or 2hrs)
By Rail: Nearest Major Rail Head is New Jalpaiguri Junction (96 Km or 3hrs), which is well connected with major cities of the country.
By Road: Kurseong is well-connected by buses to the cities around like Darjeeling, Siliguri etc.
If one is driving up to Kurseong, there are two routes. One either takes Hill Cart Road (NH 55) from Siliguri (50 Km) via which one shall take about 2.5hrs to reach, or Pandhbari Road can be taken which is the shorter route but involves steep climb. It will take about two hours to reach via Pandhbari Road.
Around Kurseong
Mirik (10 Km)
Darjeeling (32 Km)
