Darjeeling

Most of the Tourists who visit Sikkim also include Darjeeling in their itinerary. Darjeeling is a

town in India's West Bengal state, in the Himalayan foothills. Nestled among the rolling mountains with the glistening Mt Kanchenjunga towering over the azure sky, Darjeeling fondly called "Queen of the Hills", provides a perfect gateway for those seeking to be in harmony with nature.
Weary souls looking to rejuvenate the mind and body can plan a short trip of two to three days in Darjeeling, spending time scuttling between tea gardens, enjoying a one hour joy ride in the famed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and taking those leisurely walks around the Mall. Within three days you can also visit the various places of tourist interest and spend time picking up local artifacts from the numerous curio shops dotting this hill resort. Places of tourist interest are:

Tiger Hill
Situated at an altitude of 2590 meters (8482 ft.) and 13 kilometers from the town, this spot has earned international fame for the magnificent view of the sunrise over the "Kanchanjunga" and the great eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, is visible from here. The hesitant rays of the early morning sun paint these peaks in pale gold.

Batasia Loop and the War Memorial

The Batasia loop situated almost 5 km away from the town is a gigantic railway loop where the Toy Train makes a 360 Degree turn. It was basically built to make it possible for the Toy Train to cut the deep ascend. Strategically located the Batasia Loop offers a panoramic view of the Kanchanjunga Range.A War Memorial constructed in the memory of the brave sons of the soil who laid down their lives in the different wars since the independence of the nation adds to its attraction. There is also a well furbished market where visitors can buy locally made purses, bags and other decorative items.

Ava Art Gallery
Situated about 4 km from the Market Square and on the National Highway, Ava.Art Gallery was established in 1965 by the Late. Bhopal Rao Sett and Ava Devi. It is the only Art Gallery of its kind in the Hills. A collection of 60 pieces of art work in water, oil and thread paintings are displayed in the Gallery. Visitors can travel on foot to get to the Gallery or simply hire a taxi. Entrance fees are not charged.

Chowrasta and Mall
Chowrasta, a wide promenade atop a ridge lined with shops and restaurants is taken to be the heart of the town. Here people gather to chat, spend time basking in the sun or just to snatch a moment of peace. The Brabourne Park is attached to the Chowrasta and now features a musical fountain. This place is an open place and free from vehicular movements from where one can watch the scenic beauty of the mountain range and take charm of walking at the Darjeeling Mall. Chowrasta is the central place of the Mall Road.

Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park
Situated 10 km from town, Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park has now developed into a very attractive picnic spot with natural water falls. The park offers boating facilities and is endowed with great scenic beauty. Ample eateries are available for visitors to indulge in local delicacies and one can even buy souvenirs. No fees are charged for taking photographs. Visitors are however, required to make arrangements for transportation. A two way travel arrangement is advisable.

Peace Pagoda
The Japanese Peace Pagoda was established by Nipponzan Myohoji, a Japanese Buddhist order. Situated on the slopes of the Jalapahar Hill the pagoda can be reached by foot or on taxi. The pagoda is the highest free structure in the town. It also showcases the four avatars of the Buddha.

Botanical Garden
It is the oldest Botanical Garden named as Lloyd Botanical Garden with varieties of flora and is famous for two living fossils. It is located just below the Eden Sanatorium(Saheed Durga Mall District Hospital) on an open slope covering an area of about 40 acres. Lloyd Botanical Garden is open seven days a week. There are no entrance fees. A camera, a small note book for a botany enthusiast and a couple of hours to spare, is a must.

Nightingale Park or Srubbery Park
It is about 2-5 kms from Darjeeling Railway Station and walkable from the Chowrasta. It is a beautiful park with a package of cultural programmes performed daily during the tourist season and its opening time is 4.00 p.m. and closing time is 8.00 p.m. The park has recently been extensively re-developed, and now comprises of a giant Statue of Lord Shiva, a temple, and provisions for live-interactive entertainment. The best time to visit the park is in the evenings. Entrance fee is charged and nominal charges for photography may also be required to be made by the visitor.

Darjeeling-Rangit Valley Passenger Cable Car

Darjeeling-Rangit Valley Passenger Cable Car is popularly known as the Ropeway. It is about 3 km north of the town and situated at what is known as the North Point. The Ropeway is India's oldest passenger ropeway and connects Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar at the bottom of the valley. The present ropeway has been extensively modernized and visitors can now safely travel over the clouds to witness the aerial view of the lush green tea gardens below.

Senchal Lake
A scenic place near Tiger Hill. This place has popularly come up as a picnic spot among the tourists. The lake supplies drinking water to Darjeeling Town.

Observatory Hill & Mahakal Temple
Also known to the locals as the "Holy Hill", it is just a few minutes walk from the Chowrasta and is situated on the highest ridge of the town. The Mahakal temple atop the hill is a revered place for the locals and visitors will be surprised to find a Hindu priest and a Buddhist monk sharing a common altar.

Dhirdham Temple
Dhirdham temple is modelled on the lines of the famous Pashupatinath temple of Kathmandu and was built in 1939. It is a minute's walk from the Darjeeling Railway Station.

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Go to our Travel Site Happy Valley Tea Garden

Happy Valley tea garden is located just a kilometer away from the main town and is situated along 18 Lebong Cart Road (very near to the District Magistrate's Office) and offers tourist a refreshing ambience far from the otherwise noisy town. One can soak in the ambience of the tea garden and take a walk through the carpeted garden. You can take a pony from the Chowrasta or merely walk down the hill to reach the factory. The garden is presently closed but the residents are running it through a cooperative.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Established on the 14th of August, 1958, the zoo was dedicated to the memory of Padmaja Naidu,

former Governor of West Bengal on the 21st November, 1975. Considered as one of the best zoos in the country, it is the only centre that breeds the Tibetan Wolf in captivity. Breeding programmes for the endangered red panda, snow leopard and the siberian tiger are also carried out at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. The zoo is open on all days except on Thursdays and other national holidays.

Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery(Dali Monastery)
This monastery is situated at Dali, about 4 kms away from Darjeeling town. This is one of the most famous monasteries belonging to the Kargyupa sect. The pioneer of this monastery was Thuksay Rimpoche, who died in 1983 and his incarnate is reported to have been born in 1986 at Ladakh. This monastery is the headquarters of Drukchen Rimpoche XII, the supreme head of the Kargyupa lineage.

The Mag-Dhog Yolmowa Buddhist Monastery(Aloobari Monastery)

Situated on the Old Military Road commonly known as the Aloobari road, the Mag-Dhog Yolmowa Buddhist Monastery was founded by its, Ven. Sangay Lama, the head priest who originally hailed from Nepal. The construction of the monastery, coincided with the beginning of the First World War in 1914. The monastery was therefore named Mag-Dhog or warding off the war and is dedicated to the cause of world peace. The statues of Lord Buddha depicting different forms and the statue of Padma Sambhave at this religious place are stunning. The painting on the wall are said to be done with the help of herbs and are an amazing work of art. Other interesting features of the monastery are the valuaable ancient scriptures lying inside the monastery.

Ghoom Monastery

Built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso, this ancient monastery is said to have been blessed by the renowned Tomo Geshe Rimpoche of Tibet. The specialty of this monastery is that it contains the statue of the 'Future Coming Buddha' known as Maitreye Buddha. The Monastery has also preserved some of the rare handwritten Buddhist manuscripts. You could visit the monastery on your return journey to Darjeeling from Tiger Hill.

Tashi Dargyalingh Monastery or the Tamang Ghumba
The Tamangs are a sub community of the Gorkha/Nepali and mostly belongs to the Nyingmapa sect. Established in 1926 this is one of the oldest monasteries of the community.

Paragliding in Darjeeling

Paragliding is one of the most thrilling adventure activities that you can indulge in. One of the recent additions to numerous adventure sports in India, paragliding makes that dream of soaring high in the sky come true. This is the closest you can get to flying like a bird. And imagine you are flying with the Himalayan mountains in the backdrop. As you look below, you will see the rows of local houses like tiny dots on the mountain landscapes, and if look along the horizon, you will get marvelous views of Kanchenjunga snow peaks and even Everest, and all that from the sky. There are two routes for the glide in Darjeeling, one from Saint Pauls to Lebong and other from Tukvar Tea Garden to Jaumney. The entire flight takes about 15 minutes although may extend to maximum of about 30 minutes depending on wind & weather conditions.

Paragliding is also offered in Kalimpong which is about 2 hours from Darjeeling. In Kalimpong the common take off point is from the Dello Hills. There are two types of flights offered - Medium (for about 15 minutes) and High (for about 30 minutes). Although the take off point is same for both, the landing points are different. For Medium flight the landing point is at Homes Garden near the school Dr. Graham's Home, while for High flight the landing point is at Relli River ground further down.