A lazy stay at the Baasbari Farms, Bijanbari, Darjeeling

Have you ever fallen in love with a place after seeing just pictures? Well, I had. When I saw the pictures of a balcony of a room that my friends had stayed in at Bijanbari, I couldn’t help but fall hopelessly in love. I knew I had to visit the place soon. A trip to Kalimpong was set for a weekend in February. On a rather boring work day I rather impulsively decided to squeeze in two days at Bijanbari and accordingly rescheduled my tickets for the very next day.

Where: Bijanbari is a lazy village in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, about 30 kms away from the Darjeeling. From NJP one has to go up to Darjeeling, and then go downwards for around an hour to reach. There’s another shorter route too, but I wanted a quick pit-stop at Glenarys, and thus chose this. For a person like me who has motion sickness, this last stretch of journey isn’t the best. Innumerable sharp turns on that dangerously steep roads left me dizzy as a coot. But trust me when I say this, all that was absolutely worth what the destination offered.

The Property: The Baasbari Farms

Instagram link: https://instagram.com/baasbari_farms?igshid=gn7049a84l8d

Website: https://www.baasbarifarms.com/

Contact: +91 9932240537 (Mr. Dipesh)

They have one bamboo cottage, where we stayed. They are planning to add a few more soon, and also have some tent rooms.

The minimal use of plastic in the entire property is noteworthy. The interiors are aesthetically done, but the show stopper is definitely the large balcony which offered a breathtaking view of the slopes around.

Things to Do:
– Laze around, chill and ogle at the beauty around.
– Eat the hearty food cooked in their rather homely kitchen.
– Many undertake hiking activities to the nearby stream, but no points for guessing that I skipped it.
– BBQ and bonfires can be arranged in winter

I spend hours just sitting in the balcony, taking in the sun and the sounds, having copious amounts of tea, sleeping nd reading.

The People:
The people running the place are extremely helpful and friendly. They always have a smile on their faces and will make sure every guest is well taken care of.
We had a bonfire and bbq evening, with Govind singing happy songs and tossing up amazingly tasty food simultaneously. The adda with Dipesh and Nikesh continued well into the night, with barbequed chicken, momos and some wine.

Note:
– Book in advance because cottages are limited
– Food at Baansbari Farms is very good, but you might want to carry snacks/booze as the nearest shops require quite some walking through a rocky road
– The tent rooms are perfect for bird watchers

Let me know if you have any questions 😌