Haze in Darjeeling

Hi all,

I am just back from a 7-day holiday in the Darjeeling hills and wanted to report that i couldnt enjoy a single sighting of the Kanchenjunga peaks, due to a permanent cloud/haze which seems to have enveloped the region. I did darjeeling-Gangtok-Kalimpong, but found that thick haze impaired visibility on all days of my trip, and I could only see till the outlines of the adjoining hills with very little detail inside. There was no rain, just a thick haze and overcast skies.

Prior to my trip I had scoured the internet for advice on the best time to visit for clear views of the Kanchenjunga, but only found vague hints that March-May and Sept-Dec are the best times to visit.

So if you are planning a visit there soon and want to view the peak, do check out the local weather conditions ! Also, can someone share whats the best time of the year to get a guaranteed clear view of the Kanchenjunga ?

Haze in Darjeeling

There are no guarantees, but generally I find the visibility at its best in Oct-Nov.

Haze in Darjeeling

My past two visits have been in December. The first in 2003 Kanchenjunga was visible for about three days, in 2005 it was visible for a whole week,with blue skies adding to the spectacle. It really is a hit and miss affair as brave1 has pointed out!

Even in my schooldays, and I was there 9 months of the year, you could never be certain of the views from one day to the next!! Generally speaking I would go for the Oct/Dec period. Hope that helps!

Tony