Visit Kurseong for a lifetime experience, Kurseong is a subdivision of Darjeeling district. It was handed over to the British by the King of Sikkim in 1835. It was a small village then. However Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train service was extended to Kurseong in August 1880. Then Kurseong gained importance and became the Head Quarter of the subdivision.
Kurseong is a place worth a vacation for tourists. White orchids grow in abundance in this area. The place is aptly called Kurseong which means ‘The place of white orchids”. The area is also full of beautiful tea gardens, and year-round vegetation on the hill slopes. You also get magnificent views of Mt. Kanchenjunga, Kabru and Jannu. The whistling sound of the steam engine can be heard giving overall a very romantic feeling.
Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Laureate and poet composed several of his poems in Kurseong. The great disciple of Swami Vivekananda, Sister Nivedita settled down here. In 1885, Mark Twain also spent some time in the place. The British confined Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1936 at Kurseong. The bungalow is now a well known Museum with many original furniture and other belongings of Netaji.
Location of Kurseong & How to visit Kurseong
Kurseong is located on National Highway NH 55 (I.e. Hill Cart Road) in Darjeeling district. It originates from Siliguri and goes all the way to Darjeeling. It’s about midway to Darjeeling. 4,864 ft is the altitude of Kurseong.
From Siliguri, the distance to Kurseong is 51kms. The distance is about 57 km From New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station, and about 60kms from Bagdogra airport Kurseong. Matigara and Rohini is the usual route from Bagdogra. The public transports would usually take From NJP and Siliguri, to the Hill Cart Road. To reach Kurseong from both Bagdogra and NJP it takes about 2 hours. Kurseong is about 33 km from Darjeeling and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to reach.
Weather and best time to visit Kurseong
Due to low altitude, Kurseong’s temperature remains the same for most parts of the year. The average temperature varies in January from about 10°C and goes up to an average of about 20°C in August and again falls to an average of 10°C in December. The warmest month is August usually, when the maximum temperature can touch about 25°C. while Minimum temperature can fall to about 5°C making January the coldest month.
Monsoon is when the rainfall is at an average of 896mm, heaviest in July. while the driest time with virtually no rainfall in December. Between March to Mid June and September to December is the best time to visit Kurseong. You will need light woollens, during summer (April to September) and you will need heavy woollens (particularly for nights and early mornings) during winter (December to February).
Also read: Best time to visit Darjeeling
Sites & Sightseeing Tours
Kurseong is a great place to visit, there are numerous things to do, has several great viewpoints offering spectacular views of the landscapes, tea gardens and the snow peaks. There are some great heritage schools to visit. You can visit some nice museums, tea estates & factories, temples and even interior villages to know the life and culture of the locals. Most taxi drivers provide half and full-day tours.
Suggested read: Hill Stations Near Kolkata For Weekend Getaway
Where to stay in Kurseong
There are several nice hotels, lodges and even homestays in Kurseong. Many hotels are located in the main market area. The Kurseong Tourist Lodge is around 1km from the market towards Darjeeling run by the state tourism department.
Places to eat
Kurseong has only very few proper restaurants which are near the main taxi stand close to the station. The Kurseong tourist lodge runs a nice multi-cuisine restaurant with a bar. However, on alleyways, there are also a few small-budget eateries located and serve nice local Nepali food.
Shops & Market Area in Kurseong
Nobody comes to Kurseong for shopping. However, from the Railway station, the main market area starts and stretches along both sides of the Hill Cart Road. There are all sorts of small to medium shops including clothing, bags, stationery and essentials. There are several alleyways that lead to the extended market at an elevated level If you are walking from the station towards the Tourist Lodge. This is where you will find many stores selling dress materials and all types of household stuff. The local folks run the Kay Deez store. If you are looking specifically for local food products of Darjeeling hills that you like to carry back home.
Kurseong is a great destination and a destination that can give you the local feel with its sleepy town and one with a great vibrant natural surrounding. On the whole, Kurseong is just like Darjeeling but it needs people to visit it sometimes and discover its quiet and pleasant solitude. Oh now that you might be interested to plan a vacation to Kurseong, Visit Pickyourtrail and find out the International tour packages for you and your family, Check some of the best Darjeeling holiday packages and book your tropical getaway now. Install the best travel app from Play Store and IOS.