Once part of an independent Sikkim, handed over to the British after their war with Nepal. Famous for it's tea and it's toy train, now a world heritage sight. Adored by locals and loved by tourists and travellers alike. It's easy to see why when from our hostel window the mighty Kanchenjunga reigns over this hilltop town that is Darjeeling.

The blue sky for us meant one thing that day. Paragliding. We hike to the take off point, strap in, and run at full speed off the precipice of a cliff. The wind taking the parachute high off the ground. We glide through the air over Darjeeling and it's world famous tea fields. Soaring low in the valleys and drifting high in the clouds, the omnipresent Himalayas sculpt the landscape around us. We land on the unconventional grounds of a football pitch in the middle of town. After our adrenaline filled afternoon and chilling with our paragliding instructor we meander the cobblestone streets.
We spend 3 days in Darjeeling enjoying the scenery, the architecture and the bazaars, We took a ride on the steam run toy train up to Ghoom, the second highest railway station in the world, walked around the happy valley tea plantation and even spent an evening in a good old fashioned pub.
With our Sikkim permit granted we take the 4x4 out of Darjeeling and head to Gangtok.