You might be familiar with Darjeeling but would you know of Rato Tato Donut, famous for its fried donuts that hit the spot when paired with hot chai? Or Chinese Aunty, the unassuming wooden cabin that serves homemade Chinese sausages? Walking past Keventer’s, did you ever notice a traditional Nepali restaurant called Mohan Eatery a level below? AskHimalaya swears by their thalis.
AskHimalaya is a travel site floated by GenZ Darjeelingers. “Tourists now don’t want to do touristy things. A lot of those coming to Darjeeling want to go beyond the Mall and iconic eateries and experience what they call the hidden gems,” says Tenzee Lhawang Bhutia.
Quick to sniff out the trend, this 24-year-old and his friend Saharsh Thapa launched the website fitted with an AI chatbot for a guide. The two have named the chatbot AskDarj and crafted the tagline — “a local in your pocket”. Nearly a year into the launch, they have been joined by two others, Satyanand Thapa and Sudama Chhetri.
Bhola’s Alu Shop
Tenzee, who has been running a backpackers hostel for the last three years, says, “Our office is in my hostel now.” Saharsh, who is a data scientist, has had to quit his full-time corporate job. “It’s not that we disregard the popular, touristy places,” says Tenzee. “They are popular for a reason, right? But at AskHimalaya, we want to give you all the options.”
Tenzee adds, “Initially, about 2,000 people were using our chatbot. Now the number has doubled. We have added new service-based features to our website, based on the data mined from what people have been asking us.” Through the website, you can now book a scooty, a cab or a guide for a hiking trip in and around Darjeeling.
Tenzee says, “There were delivery personnel and appbikers who would strike deals with tourists, mostly solo travellers and take them sightseeing. It was an informal practice. We standardised this. We found scooty riders, trained them not only to find the safest and shortest routes, but also how to guide tourists. So now, if you book a scooty service from our website, you will get one within 30 minutes at your location.”
This is not all; they are starting a cab service from Darjeeling to Siliguri station and Bagdogra airport, and back. AskDarj picked up on this supply gap. Says Tenzee, “People want comfortable, timely and affordable rides, especially when they have an early morning flight.” The team expects this service to be a hit not just among tourists but also the residents of Darjeeling.
The Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre
Speaking of residents, they have had a hand in building the AskHimalaya database. Tenzee says, “We are building the database solely on information collected from Darjeeling residents, especially those who work in the tourism industry.” Saharsh adds, “People can send us their recommendations for a food spot or a spot with a view. Only after verifying those, we add them to our system.”
If they are giving you a hike trail, their map will show you where to start, where to rest up and where to sojourn for a quick snack on your way back. One such is the Love Road — a forest trail 10 minutes downhill from Chowrasta that snakes around the main town. Then again, on the way to Chitrey Tea Garden, stands a series of unnamed tea stalls. AskDarj’s advice: go to the 13th stall, and enjoy your tea in the back sitting area for the best view of Kanchenjunga.
When it comes to their hometown, the founders are ready to take on even giants. Their Instagram page cheekily reminds, “It’s not Google, it’s Darjeeling”. Basically to say they have the place at their fingertips.
The chatbot can converse in about 50 languages and is sporty enough to catch onto GenZ slangs and replies while maintaining a similar tone. So if you say, “Hey girl! suggest some killer spots in and around Darjeeling main town for a chill evening”, it replies, “Love this energy” and proceeds to share a list.
Tenzee adds, “We want AskHimalaya to be a platform where all Darjeeling-grown tourist businesses can promote themselves.”
Their next stop — Kalimpong and then, Gangtok. Saharsh says, “Eventually, we want to develop similar platforms for all Tier-2 towns under a broader AskHimalaya framework.”