Sikkim - For many years Sikkim was regarded as one of the last Himalayan “Shangri-las” because of its remoteness, spectacular mountain terrain, varied flora and fauna and ancient Buddhist monateries. It was easy to visit and even now you need a permit to enter, though this is easy to obtain. All the same, access to the northern and eastern parts of Sikkim along the Tibetan border remain restricted and trekking to the base of Kanchenjunga has to be organized through recognized travel agency.
Darjeeling - Amongst the hill station of India, Darjeeling Nestling in the grandeur and beauty of towering snow-capped mountains; with the mighty Kanchenjunga (King of the Mountains) dominating the somber, snowy sentinels, lies a jewel of a town -- elegant, sophisticated and incredibly beautiful; the name of Tibetan origin means where Indra's thunderbolt or scepter rested, (Dodi-thunder bolt, Ling-place). The sceptre of Indra is believed to have fallen at a place where now stands the Observatory Hill. In Sanskrit, the name, derived from the world 'Durjay Ling', means 'Siva of invincible prowess, who rules the Himalayas'. The official name of the town is Darjeeling.
Straddling a ridge in the Darjeeling–Sikkim Himalaya and surrounded by tea plantations on all sides, Darjeeling has been a popular hill station since the British established it as a rest and recreation centre for their troops in the mid 19th century. The industrious Brits, not averse at mixing a little business with pleasure, recognised the quality of the soil and the mild climate were ideal for tea cultivation, and the forested hill slopes were soon denuded of their cover and planted with this most lucrative revenue earner.
