Siliguri, India

Site Description

Take advantage of a wonderful opportunity to develop lasting friendships with our Indian brethren and experience their unforgettable culture for 8 days in the Terai region of the eastern Himalayas.  This region is famous for its tea.

The new Feast site this year will be located in Siliguri known as the Gateway of Northeast India.  Siliguri is located in northern West Bengal within a few hours drive of Nepal and Bhutan.  

The climate is subtropical and the average temperature during the Feast will be 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Siliguri is approximately 2-3 hours by car from Darjeeling.  In the 19th century Darjeeling served as a summer retreat for the British officials.  It has an average elevation of more than 6000 feet and is famous for its tea and railway – the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (nicknamed the Toy Train) designated as a World Heritage Site in 1999.  The railway is a narrow (2 feet) gauge railway built in 1879-1881.  

There are also a number of tea plantations and wildlife parks located near Siliguri.  

The location of the Feast will be the Loyola Pastoral Centre.  Services will be held at the center each day.  Our Indian brethren will be housed at the center.  Foreign guests can make their own accommodation arrangements at a number of hotels located in the city of Siliguri.  Some possible choices are Courtyard by Marriott, Lemon Tree, Mayfair Tea Resort and Ramada Encore.

Services will be in English and will be translated into the Bengali language.  The expected attendance is approximately 25-35 people.  

International guests can arrive in Siliguri at the Bagdogra International Airport.  

India has many wonderful sites for tourism and excursions, which one can visit before or after the Feast.  Tours can be arranged without much difficulty.

For additional information please contact David Baker by email at david.baker@cogwa.org or call (336) 340-3598.

David Baker David Baker