Nearly as beautiful as its more famous neighbour-- Darjeeling-- 50 kilometres away but without the crowded feel. Verdant hills encircle a huge, artificial lake that happens to be the town's main attraction. A 3.5 kilometres path runs around the lake, ideally suited for a leisurely walk or a pony ride. The landscaped garden on the lakeside is pleasant too. From the top of the hill having the Swiss cottages, you can get a stunning view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga.

The town itself is fringed by tea estate, orange orchards, cardamom plantations. There is not much by way of sightseeing except for the Buddhist monastery perched on a hillock at the southern end of the main road. With permission, you can visit the tea estates and orange orchards. Although most people treat Mirik as a day's excursion from Darjeeling, to fully realize the tranquility of the place, a couple of day's stay is recommended.

BASICS

STD Code: 0354.

Rail: New Jalpaiguri railstation or NJP as it is more popularly known, about 60 kilometres away, is the nearest railhead.
Road: Major distances:
Darjeeling-- 50 kilometres
Siliguri-- 50 kilometres
Mirik can be approached easily by bus from Siliguri which in turn is connected to Calcutta, Guwahati etc. by road. There are also direct buses to Mirik from Darjeeling and Kurseong.

Best time: Mirik is pleasant round the year except for the monsoon period, July to September. Nights in winter can be quite cold. February/March is the best time.

Accommodation: The tourist lodges run by the local administration Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council or DGHC, are by far the best. The private hotels are Ok.
DGHC Mirik Tourist Lodge (Tel: 42237), DGHC Swiss Cottages (Tel: 43270), Hotel Jajdeet (Tel: 43359), Lodge Ashirvad (Tel: 43272), Lodge Panchashil (Tel: 43284), Hotel Mhelung (Tel: 43300).

Local transport: Not quite necessary unless you are travelling to and from the hill top Swiss Cottages. In case you are staying at the cottages it is better to have your own transport.

Contact: DGHC Mirik Tourist Lodge (Tel: 42237) can provide local information.