In the local dialect, "Apani Dhani" means "Our Hamlet", an affectionate name given to the place by Ramesh C. Jangid, founder of the ecolodge and a pioneer of a form of militant tourism in India, especially in Rajasthan and his own native region of Nawalgarh.  

Get off the beaten track in India with a stay at Apani Dhani Ecolodge

For a lot of travelers in India, New Delhi is the capital of everything that they need to get away from as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the town has some wonderful secrets that I would like to share with you.

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Darjeeling, perched in the Himalayas, offers you another glimpse of India. Here, everything seems different: the faces, the customs, and appearances. It's almost as if we were in another country.

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Located in the highlands, Darjeeling is surrounded by tea plantations, grapefruit trees, and other crops. The Himalayas are a corner of the world that is truly magnificent, swallowed up by clouds, with the sky revealing itself from time to time.. Upon entering the heavily populated city, the streets were full of people. The residents, very different from those in Rajasthan, seem to be less steeped with the weight of traditions. What stood out to me was also the cold and humidity, because we were there during the monsoon on our <a href="/india/">trip to India</a>. During this time of year, expect to wear clothes that never get dry. Darjeeling is also a city on the rise! Of course, it's in the mountains! So despite the weather freezing your skin, you'll find a way to warm up by climbing hills! The air here is also healthier, a real breath of fresh air after experiencing Rajasthan's heat.  Finding ourselves lost in the treetops, clouds, and fog, we wandered into the botanical garden, among some huge trees. I had a rather dreamlike feeling about it. Nonetheless, by going there in August, the sky isn't very clear and the Himalayan foothills are not often seen.

Darjeeling, perched in the Himalayas, offers you another glimpse of India. Here, everything seems different: the faces, the customs, and appearances. It's almost as if we were in another country.

Darjeeling, just the name makes us dream of exotic, oriental travels... Visitors are drawn here not just for the tea plantations but also to experience being in the Himalayas. But what we don't really expect is the remarkable, cultural shock. Nestled between Bhutan and Nepal, Darjeeling and its surrounding region is populated by people who come from a diverse range of origins. Buddhism is as prominent as Hinduism, which creates an interesting melting pot...you may ask yourself if you're actually in India! Moreover, a lot of people will tell you that Darjeeling is a 'bowl of pure air...' And they're not just talking but its clean, mountain air but also an ambience that seems far removed from the chaotic buzz of the rest of the country. It's true that getting there by bus/train/jeep takes time, but you should plan to visit Darjeeling when you<a href="/india/">travel to India</a> and enjoy its (I'm talking figuratively here) mild climate. As for what to do, well, visiting the plantations and enjoying tea time are a must, as is waking up early to see the sun rise above the lofty Kangchenjunga 8,600 meter peak. When the sky is clear, the view is breathtaking. Equally spectacular is the view of the Himalayas from Observatory Hill at the top of the town. And those of you who like hiking will appreciate the scenic trails (but at the risk of repeating myself, make sure the weather's good). There's a choice of beautiful routes, whether its the Sikkim trail or along the Nepalese border.

Perched high in the Himalayas, this is a former British, mountain station in West Bengal. It's also the town known for its legendary 'champion of teas'.

Though any big tea drinker can tell you that Darjeeling is the standard by which other teas are judged, few people know what this remote region actually looks like. When I went there on my <a href="/india/">trip do India</a>, I intially traveled by shared jeep to reach Darjeeling from the city of Siliguri. But rather than going directly to the terminus in this antique resort in the foothills of the Himalayas, my two friends and I chose instead to get out at Makaibari train station. This little village, located a few kilometers below Darjeeling, is actually the location of the oldest organically certified tea factory in the region. After a highly interesting guided tour of the plantations and factory at the Makaibari Tea Estate, we enjoyed the opportunity to stay with a local family in the village. With this wonderful and human experience having inspired us to learn even more about the habits and customs of these lands, which at one time belonged to the British East India Company, we next climbed aboard the charming steam train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. On this legendary railway, which is inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage, you don't travel at more than 20 kilometers per hour. This does, however, give you ample opportunity to admire the scenery! With the Himalayan Mountains as the backdrop, we passed through numerous tea plantations before arriving at the steep slopes of the former summer residence of the Viceroy of India. Located at an altitude of almost 2100 meters, Darjeeling is an ideal place for trekking and serves as the departure point for many routes The town also offers amazing panoramic views of the summit of Kangchenjunga. Mainly populated by people from communities originating from Sikkim, Tibet or neighboring Nepal, Darjeeling has everything you would expect from a Himalayan town. Buddhist philosophy plays an important role here, and many of the temples and monasteries can today be visited. In particular, be sure not to miss the sacred site at the top of Observatory Hill, which is covered in prayer flags, as well as the Tibetan monastery of Ghoom. Finally, when in Darjeeling consider paying a visit to the talented weavers of the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre, who make fabulous rugs as well as other textile creations.

Darjeeling, which has long been home to the most famous tea plantations in the world, is located in the Indian state of West Bengal, on the border with Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal.

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