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Darjeeling, the enchanting town, also
known as the “Queen of Hills” lies nestled in the grandeur
of the snow-capped mountains and lush green tea gardens. A
holiday resort during the British rule, this town still
exudes its past grandeur, charm and majesty, attracting a
lot of visitors. Tucked away in the Himalayas, south of the
state of Sikkim, Darjeeling at an altitude of almost 7000ft
is situated in West Bengal, sharing its border with Sikkim
in the north, Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east.
Darjeeling derives its name from the local Tibetan name
‘Dorjee-ling’, meaning ‘Place of the Thunderbolt’. |
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Kalimpong is a small sleepy hill resort
at an altitude of about 4000 ft and is cradled on a saddle
between the Durpin Hill and Deolo Hill. Kalimpong meaning
‘Fort of the King’s Minister’ was once the hub of the trade
of India with Tibet, but now attracts a lot of visitors
looking for a quiet holiday. |
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Darjeeling internationally acclaimed as
one of the best hill resorts is also a paradise for trekkers
and adventure seekers. Trekking in Darjeeling is an
experience which no lover of nature should miss. It takes
one to places where nature is yet in her premival majesty.
It brings one face to face with sublime grandeur of the
Himalayas. |
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The region abounds in rhododendrons,
magnolias, primulas, orchids and ferns of numerous
varieties. About six hundred different species of birds
inhabit the green forest on the slopes of the mountains. |
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 Dhoom
Gompa, Darjeeling
About 8 kms from Darjeeling is the Dhoom Gompa. Here a very
beautiful statue of the Maitrayie Buddha is established. The
Monastery has also preserved some of the rare handwritten
Buddhist manuscripts. |
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 The
Mall
The Mall is Darjeeling's popular commercial street. It is
lined with Tibetans selling hand-knitted sweaters and
souvenir shops chock-full of Himalayan artifacts and both
real and imitation antiques. Photo shops carry
turn-of-the-century photos as well as specialising in
hand-painted black and white prints with glowing oil
colours. The Mall leads to Chaurasta, a square, which
doubles as a bandstand, a pony riding arena for children and
a haven for lovers. |
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 Chowrasta
The Chowrasta, meaning crossroad, is a hive of commercial
activity. The Mall Road originates and culminates at the
Chowrasta. This is the heart of Victorian Darjeeling. Here
hotels, restaurants and shops brush against each other. The
shops and stalls are a veritable paradise for souvenir
collectors. The Bhutanese sellers display their wares.
Woollen garments, tribal ornaments, Thankas, rosaries, brass
statuettes and Gorkha daggers are kept on display for sale.
Foreign goods are also available in some shops. Local
handicrafts are much in demand. |
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Obeservatory Hill
The oldest site in Darjeeling is Observatory Hill, known
locally as “Makal-Babu-Ko-Thaan”. According to legend, a Red
Hat Buddhist Monastery called Dorje Ling, or 'place of the
Thunderbolt', stood at this very spot. The Nepalis destroyed
it in the 19th century. The Shivas and Buddhists share the
temple that stands there today. |
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 Himalayan
Mountaineering Institute
A spot not to be missed is the Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute created by the late Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who
conquered Mt Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953.
A display of equipment used on the climb is one of the
highlights. A zoological garden nearby has an assortment of
wildlife such as yaks, Siberian tigers and red pandas who
call the region their home. |
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 Darjeeling
Rangeet Valley Passenger Ropeway
At North Point about 3-km from the town, this is the first
passenger ropeway in India. For reservation of ropeway seats
please contact - officer in-charge, Darjeeling Rangeet
Valley Ropeway Station, North Point, Darjeeling. Regular
share taxi service is available from Market Motor and Taxi
Stand is to the Ropeway Station. |
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 Tibetan
Refuge Camp
The area in and around Darjeeling is a treasure chest of
interesting destinations. The Tibetan Refugee self-help
scheme produces traditional artifacts, jewellery and carpets
for tourist consumption. |
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 Lloyd's
Botanical Garden
Lloyd's Botanical Garden displays a fine collection of
Himalayan fauna for those with an interest, and for punters
there is horseracing at Lebong, the smallest and highest
racecourse in the world. |
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 Tiger
Hill
Situated at an altitude of 2,590m (8,482 ft.) and 13-km from
the town, this spot has earned international fame for the
magnificent view of the sunrise over "Kanchenjunga" and the
great Eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount Everest, the
world's highest peak, is visible from here. |
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 Phalut
& Sandakphu
A week's smallest-trip of Phalut and Sandakphu will get one
within reach of the high peaks; for the onlooker it affords
a more spectacular panorama than at Tiger Hill. Giant
flowering Rhododendron trees, a pointillism of reds pinks
and whites Dwarfs comprise of the en route trail. On
attaining heights of over 3,048m, one is surrounded by
skeletal trees devoid of leaves and branches, which are
especially eerie when the clouds roll in and envelop the
area. |
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Pashupati
Further afield, in Pashupati on the Nepal border, one can
purchase foreign goods at reasonable prices, view wildlife
such as the endangered one-horned Rhino, Deer, Gaur, and
wild boar while seated atop an Elephant's back at Jaldapara
Game Park; learn of the Lepcha legend at the confluence of
the Teesta and Ranjeet Rivers; relive Kalimpong's past glory
as a trading post by visiting the market filled with
traditional Tibetan medicine, spices, musk, wool and silk;
or for the truly adventurous-hire some ponies and a crew and
take to the hills. |
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 Kurseong
Kurseong is mid-way between Siliguri and Darjeeling. The way
from Darjeeling to Kurseong is generally open through out
the year. So, the toy train is not coming to Siliguri then
one can come up to Kurseong. This place is equally beautiful
and is full of natural splendour. |
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 Mirik
Mirik is 52-km from Siliguri and 55-km from the nearest
Airfield of Bagdogra. Mirik is being developed as a new hill
station in the mountains. Tea estates, orange orchards and
cardamom plantations surround Mirik. It has all the
facilities to fulfill the needs of a tourist. |
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 Batasia
Loop, Darjeeling
This railway loop is an interesting example of engineering.
At this loop the toy train takes a very unique turn. This
loop is just five kilometer from the main town of
Darjeeling. This place also has a very good market where you
can buy the purses, bags and other decorative items made by
the local women at very reasonable price. |
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Natural History Museum, Darjeeling
A great place to be at, for all those who have great
interest in knowing about the history.The museum has a
collection of over 4300 specimen . Established in 1903, this
natural history museum packs in its folds a rich collection
of fauna found in the Himalayas and in Bengal. Among the
attractions are included the estuarine crocodiles. This
unique museum also has a good collection of butterflies. The
mineral forms of various stones are displayed in a very
attractive manner in the museum. |
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 Kanchenjunga
View, Darjeeling
From Darjeeling one can have the best, uninterrupted view of
the worlds third highest peak. Bhan Bhakta Sarani provides
one of the enthralling views of these snow capped peaks. The
Chowrasta also gives you a good sight to the Kanchenjunga
peak. |
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 Darjeeling
Zoological Gardens
The zoo is situated two kms form the main town. This
zoological garden of Darjeeling houses some of the rare
species of animals and birds. This is the only zoo in India
having the Siberian Tigers. Apart from these the rare Red
Panda is also there. The Snow Leopards, Great Grey Birds,
Snow Yaks are some the animals which are attracting tourist
in great numbers. |
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Observatory Hills
This point provides one of the breathtaking views of
Kanchenjunga peaks. This place is also very sacred for the
Hindus and the Buddhists as there are temples and
monasteries at this place. The Kali temple is decorated with
the colorful flags. Be aware of the monkey groups as some
them are very aggressive. |
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 Bhutia
Busty Monasteries
Founded in 1879, this monastery follows the Vajrayana school
of both Kargyud and Nijingmapa order, known as red hat. |
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Samten Choling Monasteries
This Monasteries belongs to the Gelukpa sect of Vajrayana
Buddhism, also known as the yellow hat. This is the seat of
ven. Dromo Geshe rinpoche, the second. A 26 ft. tall stupa
has been built recently in memory of Lama Anagarika Govinda,
a great scholar from Germany well known for his book on
Buddhism. |
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