Destination Darjeeling

About the place

The district is unique to India and to travelers from all over the universe. View of Mount Kanchendzonga and Mount Everest are particularly inspiring from all the highest points particularly Darjeeling town and Sandakphu. The name Darjeeling is thought to be a derived from 'Dorjee-ling' means the land of Lightning or the land of thunderbolt. Just the opposite is the plains of Darjeeling district with Sanctuary and National parks,plain forest with diversified flora and fauna and the backdrop of the snow summit Himalayas. Singalila national park, Neora valley and the Mahananda wildlife sanctuary are some of the most inspiring wildlife center. Internationally famous for many reasons, one is tea the only major industry continues to regulate the economy of the area and the country as well secondly the hotspot of tourism known as the Queen of Hill Station thirdly the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, fourthly the origin of the famous expedition of tensing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary and the list goes on.Darjeeling can be reached by the 80-km long Darjeeling Himalayan Railway popularly known as the Toy Train.


  • Attractions Places
  • Transport
  • Culture
  • History

  • Batasia Loop

    Located 5km from Darjeeling Town and just below Ghoom, Batasia Loop as the name suggests, is a loop or a spiral of a narrow gauge railway track where the Toy Train negotiates a sudden sharp descent from Ghoom. It's a wonderful viewing place with manicured gardens, streams and falls, from where you can get a wide range view of the Darjeeling's landscape, Kanchenjunga and the other Eastern Himalayan peaks.

  • Darjeeling Ropeway

    This is one way you can be part of special diverse offerings from the nature and all in one place. From the ropeway of Darjeeling which is also known as the Rangeet Valley Passenger Cable Car, you can have mind blowing view of the valley below, see the spread of lush tea gardens, dense forests, mountain streams in their full flow, waterfalls, and the awesome snow peaks at the background. Get off at a lower station and enjoy the tea estates, walk through the tea gardens, or just relax and enjoy the view around. It's hard to find all these together in one place.

  • Tiger Hill

    Located at the highest point in Darjeeling area, Tiger Hill is best known for the dazzling sunrise view of the Kanchenjunga and the snow covered peaks of the entire eastern Himalayan range. On a clear day you can even see the mount Everest from here. Tiger Hill is located 11km from the Darjeeling Town and takes about 40 minutes to reach by car.

  • Darjeeling Mall (Chowrasta)

    The Chowrasta or the Mall is the town center in Darjeeling. This is a lovely little flat area, a public square where four roads meet. This public place is where you would like to lounge & bake in the sun, sit and watch the wonderful views of the mountain range and see many locals and tourists hanging around. One side of the mall is lined with pine trees through which you get wonderful mountain vistas, the other side is lined with lovely boutique shops of different kinds. And all around the mall, you have benches to sit and relax.

  • Japanese Temple & Peace Pagoda

    About 10 minutes by car, you will reach a wonderful area that is symbolic of peace and tranquility. Located in the Jalapahar hill, the Japanese Temple is built in traditional Japanese style where you can join the prayers and feel the spiritual peace amongst humming and chants. Close to it is the Peace Pagoda where there are four large avatars of Lord Buddha. The view from the top is magnificent. You can see the snow peak range from here including the Kanchenjunga.

  • Bengal Natural History Museum

    What started as a modest effort in 1903 to display butterflies and birds of the Darjeeling district, has grown to house a large collections of mammals, birds & nests with eggs, reptiles & fishes and even insects of wide varieties. The displays are actually specimens of real creatures that had been captured, stuffed and preserved. The Bengal Natural History Museum can be reached by few minutes walk from the Chowrasta Mall.

  • Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center

    This center was established on October 2nd, 1959 for rehabilitation of Tibetans who followed Dalai Lama and escaped their homeland during the period of mayhem. In order to sustain living, they adopted the principle of self help. The center is located on a hill top that can be approached from the Lebong Cart Road. You can see Tibetan men and women making exquisite hand crafted items like woolen carpets, shawls, carved wooden crafts, leather items and more.

  • Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) and the amazing Darjeeling Zoo

    HMI is a destination by itself and a said to be a pilgrimage for all climbing enthusiasts of the world. It was established in honor of Tenzing Norgay after he and Sir Edmund Hillary climbed the Everest in 1953. It has a well stocked museum with mountaineering displays and many expedition artifacts, a boarding school for mountaineering students, houses for the trainers, a restaurant, a souvenir shop and more. HMI is located on Jawahar Road or the Birch Hill that can be accessed from the Mall Road and Lebong Cart Road. One can actually walk down Mall road & then Jawahar road to reach HMI.

  • Observatory Hill and Mahakal Temple

    Rising from behind the Mall, Observatory Hill is an ideal place to get a 360 degree view of Darjeeling and the peaks surrounding it. The Mahakal Temple, the central temple of Darjeeling of all faiths is located on top of the hill where the original Dorjeling Buddhist Monastery once stood.

  • Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

    Known for its famous Red Panda and Snow Leopard breeding program, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is spread in an area of 67.56 acres. The zoo is located at an average elevation of 2,134 meters above sea level and is the largest high altitude zoos in India. Some of the rare and endangered species in the zoo are snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan Salamanders, Tibetan wolf, Himalayan mountain goat and Siberian tigers.

  • Mirik

    It is situated at an elevation of 1495 meters / 4904 feet is a picturesque tourist spot nestled in the serene hills of the district of Darjeeling in West Bengal, India. It is one of the favorite tourist destinations due to its pleasant climate, breathtaking natural beauty and easy accessibility. Life in Mirik is slow paced yet very much alive and vibrant due to the options available here. It offers soothing effect to tired minds and is ideal for leisure holiday. Main attraction is the Sumendu Lake.

  • Kurseong

    There is some of the finest tea estate of India known for quality Orthodox tea. Terraced tea gardens, orchid nurseries, and hill slopes are best explored either on foot or by the Toy Train which runs from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. Sister Nivedita the great disciple of Swami Vivekananda made Kurseong her home. Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore and the great composer Atul Prasad Sen composed some of their famous works in Kurseong. Fazul Haque, the Prime Minister of undivided Bengal also stayed here. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was interned by the colonial Government for a couple of months in 1936 in a house at Giddhapahar near Kurseong town.

  • Kalimpong

    Its gorgeous natural settings are designed for a laid back leisure holiday. Since the early 20’s this pretty township was a pivotal hub for adventure buffs, for the lure of eastern Himalaya’s potent attraction. Kalimpong is known for its old trading route known as the Historic Silk Route, surrounded by the ancient forest of fir and oak. There are places like Lolaygaon, Lava, Rishyap, Pedong, Reshi, Raliekhola etc. Traveler can catch the Kanchendzonga views and verdant vistas sweeping down to the Teesta orge drained by the river Rangeet.

Airport

The lone and major airport of the district is Bagdogra airport (IXB).Sikkim helipad is also close but has only chopper service. Bagdogra airport is accessible from all the tourist hot spot of Darjeeling and is within a couple of hours drive. Bagdogra airport has direct and regular flight to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati and Chennai. There are vehicles available outside the airport to travel to any of the tourist center.


Rail Way

Network of Indian railways exist in Darjeeling district but the jewel in the crown is Darjeeling Himalayan Heritage Railway.This UNESCO declared train is a delight to ride.Many a movie has been screened in this train.The ride is mesmerizing and the route is second to none. This train route initiates and terminates at New Jalpaiguri Station which is linked to the rest of India with lots of trains.


Road

The network of roads are good and all the spots have two or more route.The reasons may be many but the main reasons are firstly approach from any tourist location and secondly diversion necessary for landslides which are frequent in monsoons. Darjeeling or Kalimpong for example can be approached from Siliguri, Pelling, Dooars and Gangtok via different routes.

The culture of Darjeeling is diverse and includes a variety of indigenous practices and festivals as mentioned above. Many of the Nepali Hindus, as well as the various Buddhist and other ethnic groups such as the Lepchas, Bhutias, Kiranti Limbus, Tibetans, Yolmos, Gurungs and Tamangs, have their own distinct languages and cultures and yet share a largely harmonious co-existence. Colonial architecture characterizes many buildings in Darjeeling, exemplified by several mock Tudor residences, Gothic churches, the Raj Bhawan, Planters' Club and various educational institutions. Buddhist monasteries showcase the pagoda style architecture. Darjeeling is regarded as a centre of music and a niche for musicians and music admirers. Singing and playing musical instruments are common pastimes among the resident population, who take pride in the traditions and role of music in cultural life.[69] Darjeeling also has a Peace Pagoda built in 1992 by the Japanese Buddhist organisation Nipponzan Myohoji.

The history of Darjeeling is intertwined with that of Sikkim, Nepal, British India, and Bhutan. Until the early 19th century, the hilly area around Darjeeling was controlled by the Kingdom of Sikkim[5] with the settlement consisting of a few villages of the Lepcha and Kirati people.[6] The Chogyal of Sikkim had been engaged in successful warfare against the Gorkhas of Nepal. From 1780, the Gorkhas made several attempts to capture the entire region of Darjeeling. By the beginning of the 19th century, they had overrun Sikkim as far eastward as the Teesta River and had conquered and annexed the Terai. In the meantime, the British were engaged in preventing the Gorkhas from over-running the whole of the northern frontier. The Anglo-Gorkha war broke out in 1814, which resulted in the defeat of the Gorkhas and subsequently led to the signing of the Sugauli Treaty in 1815.