Later in the evening, we arrive in the Indian capital, a treasure trove of ancient culture and history with remnants of lost empires. At Barog, about halfway back down the mountain, we transfer to our private cars to continue the journey to Kalka and the connection to our fast ‘Shatabdi’ train to Delhi. The return journey offers a different perspective on the landscape through pine forests and past charming Victorian-style railway stations. This morning we bid adieu to the queen of the hills and transfer to the station to board our private carriages on the train back down the mountain. Overnight: Cochrane Place, Kurseong (B, L, D) Later you can indulge in the luxurious surroundings over dinner at the hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure either at Cochrane Place or wander out into Kurseong and take in the spectacular views and wafting aromas of the region’s most famous product – tea. Inspired by the Railways, its rooms have been named after the famous railway sectors and spices native to the Indian subcontinent. In the afternoon we arrive and check in at the charming boutique hotel, Cochrane Place, which is the restored former colonial home and is dripping with the essence of the Raj. This area isn’t called the Land of the White Orchids for nothing. We then take a short coach ride from Tindharia to Kurseong through some very picturesque countryside. At Tindharia you have the chance to visit the loco shed and explore some of the fascinating histories of this region and its amazing railway. Later in the morning, we board our private chartered train on the World Heritage-listed Himalayan Mountain Railway, parts of which are steam-hauled. The Darjeeling Mail pulls into Siliguri, nestled in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, where you are transferred to the Sarovar Portico Hotel for breakfast and a chance to freshen up. Spend the night in your first-class (or second-class) sleeping carriage a truly authentic Indian experience. This train’s name harks back to the colonial days and is now the pride of the modern Indian rail system. In the afternoon we soak up the atmosphere of this bustling city on a tour through the streets and in the evening, after dinner in the city, we board the legendary Darjeeling Mail Train. We will explore this visual, aural, and olfactory riot, from the wrestlers who exercise on its soft clay to the boatmen who ferry people across, from the flower-sellers to the boys who throw magnets and retrieve coin offerings from its bed, from the Howrah Bridge to the cremation Ghats. We will also visit the Hooghly River which is integral to the very identity of Bengal. Paul’s Cathedral, the Victoria Memorial Museum, and the Indian Museum before joining the pilgrims at the famous Kalighat Temple, where followers of many faiths gather each day to pray to the Mother Goddess Kali. After a buffet breakfast at the hotel enjoy a guided tour of Kolkata visiting St.
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