From the vast West Bengal Plains of India and the sacred Hooghly (Ganges) River to the heights of Darjeeling

For more than 150 years, the delightful Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has climbed the 2000m from the vast Bengali plains to the tea plantations of the lower Himalayas. Dubbed the ‘Toy Train’ or ‘Tea Train’ by its many admirers, the little locomotive was listed by UNESCO in 1999 and is lovingly maintained and run by both dedicated volunteers and India Railways staff. [ email me ]



The vast network of the Ganges is more than just a river. Some declare it is part of the cradle of civilization with archeological records dating back to 2000BC. The Hooghly River peels off the main body near Farakka and continues into downtown Kolkata, passing under the famous Howrah Bridge. Cruise its length on the brand new RV Rajmahal, part of the world’s new wave of luxury river vessels. [image gallery]