Balanced on a steep mountain ridge and encircled by lush tea plantations, during the British occupation Darjeeling was India’s most glamourous destination. Today, the hill station retains both its colonial air and popularity and is still a wonderfully cosmopolitan and lively place to be. Being high in the foothills of an epic mountain range, Darjeeling’s biggest boon is its Himalayan vistas - in fact, it’s watched over by Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain. Whether you are strolling along the Mall, the street at the heart of the town, or venturing into the surrounding hills to trek or visit old monasteries, here, the rugged peaks of the Himalaya are always in view.