Darjeeling Overview
Darjeeling, known as the Queen of hills is a city situated in West Bengal and is at the foothills of the Himalayas. This spectacular hill station is arguably the most popular tourist destination in North-East India and is famous for its mesmerizing sight of Mount Kanchenjunga, numerous tea gardens and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway which is a UNESCO certified heritage site. Darjeeling is situated at about 2,042m from sea level and is a beautiful destination to spend your vacation.
The History
The name 'Darjeeling' is derived from two Tibetan words. 'Dorje' means Thunderbolt and 'ling' means land. So, it is called 'The land of Thunderbolts'. In the around early 1800s, the British carved out Darjeeling from Sikkim to form a sanitarium for them. By 1857, Darjeeling was making progress in its development. The Nepalese workers came there to work at the tea plantations.
Places to visit in Darjeeling
Darjeeling is not just about tea gardens and toy trains. It has many scenic locations to offer to the tourists that include several gardens, the oldest mountaineering institute in India, a zoo and many such places that will make you fall in love with this place.
Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill is situated at the highest point of Darjeeling and is standing at a height of about 2590m from sea level. It is about 10kms from the town. Tiger Hill offers a mesmerizing view of sunrise of the Mount Kanchenjunga.
Sandakphu Peak
Sandakphu Peak is the highest point in West Bengal. It is a great place for nature's lovers and enthusiasts. Sandakphu Peak offers adventure activities like Trekking as well. This trekking route goes through lush green forests. The trekking experience would be one of a kind.
Darjeeling Zoo
Darjeeling Zoo, also known as the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is one of the most popular places to visit in Darjeeling. The zoo houses a wide range of rare species such as red panda, Siberian tigers etc. This place is also popular for its successful snow leopard breeding program.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) is adjacent to the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. It is the oldest mountaineering institute in India and is the first choice name of mountaineering enthusiasts.
Batasia Loop
Batasia Loop is around 5kms from Darjeeling town and as the name suggests it is the place the toy train takes a full 360-degree turn. The passengers witness a mesmerizing view of Mount Kanchenjunga snow peaks and beautiful flower gardens, streams and falls.
Japanese Peace Pagoda
This place is one of the most popular places in Darjeeling. Japanese Peace Pagoda stands for peace and tranquillity. It was made under the supervision of Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fuji.
Happy Valley Tea Estate
This place is around 3kms from Darjeeling town. The tea estate is spread over approximately 435 acres. If the visitors come during the peak season, they witness the tea plucking from the garden.
Dali Monastery
The visitors will find the Dali Monastery on the way between Ghoom and Darjeeling. It is situated at about 2130 metres from sea level. You can join the lamas inside to listen to their chants or enjoy the weather and the scenic beauties outside.
How to Reach Darjeeling
The nearest airport is the Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri which is about 88kms from Darjeeling. The airport is connected with most of the major cities across the country with numerous flights across companies. From here, you can hire a taxi directly to Darjeeling or come to Siliguri main bus terminal (Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminal) and from here hire a bus or cab service that will take you to your destination.
If you are coming via railways, once you are at the New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station, you can hire a cab service that will directly take you to Darjeeling.
