Tinchuley

Tinchuley or Tinchule is a mountain village near Darjeeling. It is a tourist destination attracting off-beat nature lovers.

Tinchuley was started as an eco-tourism initiative with active support from WWF during the 1990s. As part of the initiative, homestays as well as other sustainable projects such as organic farming started. Tourism in the area grew many times over the decades and today Tinchuley has a remarkable number of homestays, lodges, and resorts in and around.

The major attraction of Tinchuley is the calm and peaceful surroundings; you may go for a walk amidst the pine and oak trees which are in abundance in the area. There is hardly any traffic on the road and you may spend the entire day just roaming in the countryside blissfully; heedless of your city woes.

How to Reach Tinchuley

You may reach Tinchuley through a number of different routes. The most common road connects Tinchuley with Darjeeling. As you travel from Darjeeling towards Teesta through Jorbanglow, you will be travelling through Peshok Road. Just about 8 km before you reach Teesta Bazar, take a right turn from the 11th mile, also known as the Lopchu Bazar area. From this turning, Tinchuley is just 4 km away. This route is the easiest if you are coming from Darjeeling, the distance is about 25 km.

You can also take the right turn at the 6th-mile bazaar on Peshok Road. This is a few kilometres before the 11th mile, take this road to reach Takdah and from Takdah take the left road to reach Tinchuley a few kilometres ahead. The total distance from Darjeeling to Tinchuley through this route is about 30 km.

There is also a steep road that reaches Tinchuley from Teesta Bazar. You will be passing through Chegra Busty, Takling Village and Kolbang to reach Tinchuley. The distance through this road is very short but the road is quite steep.

Another option is to travel via the 27th mile on the Bengal Sikkim Highway and take a left turn near the NHPC Teesta Low Dam project. This route travels through Teesta Valley Tea Estate and Rangli Rangliot Tea Estate before meeting the Darjeeling – 6th-mile road at Peshok.

So many options might seem confusing to the uninitiated, also take into consideration that road condition, rather than the distance, plays a more critical role in selecting your travel plan in this region. So we highly recommend consulting our helpdesk experts at HUMRO TOURS who are well aware of the latest road conditions in the area.

We also recommend taking a knowledgeable local driver, such as available with HUMRO TOURS, before venturing into this area as the road may be confusing and even dangerous and self-driving by people who have experience only in driving in the plains is not recommended.

Things to See

The sunrise point is an excellent place to view sunrise in the morning. Also, this hilltop provides a fantastic view of the East Himalayan mountain range. Next to the viewpoint is the Tinchuley Monastery which is also worth a visit.

A couple of kilometres towards the Peshok road and you will reach Gumbadara, The viewpoint provides a very wide view of the river Teesta from above, above the viewpoint is Gumbadara rock and cave, it's a natural cave with a narrow entrance and the rock is ideal for climbers to practice on.

Tinchuley should not be considered a single destination, the whole area is quite popular for tourists and there are several tourist places within a few kilometres that can be visited based here. Takdah cantonment (3 km) and Rangli-Rangliot tea garden are just a few minutes away. All the sightseeing in this area can be covered from here easily.

A couple of km downhill drive from Tinchuley will take you to the Mangwa area. The Chota Mangwa and Bara Mangwa hills, which have grown in popularity in their own right are again a few minutes away.

Lamahatta, a relatively new tourist destination that has come up on the Peshok road, is again just about 8 km away from here.

Where to Stay

Homestay is the preferred accommodation in and around Tinchuley as there is no hotel or resort here. Till about a decade back, the options for accommodation here were very limited. But In recent years, many homestays and home lodges have come up in the vicinity. Also since Tinchuley is a continuation of the Lamahatta – Gumbadara – Baramangwa - Takdah belt, you may also consider staying at any of these other places and enjoy a tour of Tinchuley. The Home Stay division of HUMRO TOURS, known as Humro Home, is constantly in touch with the best homestays in the area. Contact our helpdesk by submitting the form on this page and we will serve your exact travel needs.

Weather

The weather at Tinchuley is pleasant during most of the year. The altitude of the place is about 5,500 ft. The weather does not get too cold during the winter (of course you would require heavy woollens though) and during the summer months, Tinchuley does not lose its cool. The rainy season may observe heavy downpours and lasts between July and September