Tired of slogging it out in the city? This quaint and remote stay in the lap of nature is getaway goals.
The Birdsong Home is in a serene location two kms away from Mirik town (near the Nepal border, halfway between Siliguri and Darjeeling) with gorgeous studio apartments and wooden deck verandahs with stunning views.
It has all the right ingredients to rejuvenate worn out urban visitors. First off, the place is awesome! You will never want to leave the cosy, sun-filled, all-wooden apartments with huge glass-panelled windows. Did we mention the lovely balconies where you can plonk down with a cup of coffee or tea and a book, sketch or notepad? Or just enjoy the stunning views and the sunrises and sunsets. The Birdsong retreat overlooks Darjeeling district ranges, and in case you want to have your meal outside, they have an outdoor seating as well where you can enjoy a 180-degree view of the Himalayan foothills.
The food here is delicious with most ingredients sourced from their terraced garden, planted with organic vegetables, orange trees and flowering plants. They do the occasional yoga retreat, you can check and see if they have one coming up.
For Kanchenjunga views, head up to Rameetay Dara viewpoint or the helipad beside Swiss Cottage.
Mirik lake is a 2-km walk {or rent a vehicle for about INR 150 each way}. Take a picnic basket to the lake though be warned, it tends to get quite crowded in season. The Birdsong people will provide a packed lunch for you to enjoy by the riverside. Birdsong does guided excursion to the artificial lake in Mirik and then to the nearby Bokar Gompa monastery to see the evening prayers. You can take a ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Toy Train. It’s a narrow-gauge railway based on zig zag and loop-line technology built between 1879 and 1881, with a Unesco heritage status. The staff at Birdsong suggest you travel from Ghoom to Kurseong, have lunch at an outdoor restaurant and then return to the Birdsong by evening.
In case you want to stay connected to the city life, they have free WiFi and TV in rooms. They have several stay options and rates differ for each: from a terrace apartment with two bedrooms, a TV area with a bed as well as a sofa bed; a deck apartment with two bedrooms, and a sofa bed in the open plan lounge. The open plan living rooms in both apartments are connected to a kitchen, TV area and the second bathroom.