India > Hill Stations > West Bangal > Darjeeling

DARJEELING

Darjeeling- the name is derived from the Tibetan word ‘Dorje’ which means the precious stone or ecclesiastical sceptre, which is emblematic of the thunderbolt of Indra, and ‘ling’ - a place, hence the land of the thunderbolt. The sceptre of Indra is believed to have fallen at a place where now stands the Observatory Hill.

Darjeeling beckons thousands today for a respite from the bustle of the madding crowd. The traveller - whether a tourist or a trekker, an ornithologist or a photographer, a botanist or an artist- will find in Darjeeling an experience which will remain etched in ones memory - forever.

Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. The flaming red rhododendrons, the sparkling white magnolias, the miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir-all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as THE QUEEN OF HILL STATIONS.

Darjeeling conjures visions of serenity, of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour. A land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas.

PLACES OF INTEREST

TIGER HILL

Situated at an altitude of 2590 m and 13 km from the town, this spot has earned international fame for the magnificient view of the sunrise over and the great Eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak , is visible from here.

MALL ROAD

The Mall road originates and culminates at the Chowrasta which is the hub of Darjeeling town. One can take a leisurely walk around a perfect setting.

THE SHRUBBERY

This beautiful garden is situated on the Jawahar Parbat behind Raj Bhawan. One gets a magnificient view of Kanchenjunga and Singla Valley from here.

BATASIA LOOP & WAR MEMORIAL

Batasia loop is 5 km from Darjeeling, this Railway Loop is a marvelous feat of engineering.

The War Memorial is constructed in the memory of the brave sons of Darjeeling who died inaction since 1947.

PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK

Adjacent to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, it is a high altitude wildlife park and a home for Siberian tigers, Himalayan Black bear and the Red Panda. The Snow Leopard breeding centre is a major attraction.

YIGA CHOLING BUDDHIST MONASTERY

This Monastery situated about 8 km from the town, at Ghoom enshrines an image of the Maitreyee Buddha (the coming Buddha). This monastery was constructed in 1875 and belongs to the Yellow sect.

HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE

Situated on Jawarhar Parbat about 2 km from Chowrasta, this unique institution trains mountaineers. The institute was founded in 1954 after the historic conquest of Everest in 1953. The Everest Museum is one of the main attractions here.

KARGYUD MONASTERY

Popularly known as Dali Monastery it is 5 km from the town. This monastery belongs to the Gelugpa Sect and the Drukchen Rimpoche resides here.

DARJEELING RANGEET VALLEY PASSENGER ROPEWAY

Situated at North Point about 3 km from the town this is the first passenger ropeway in India. A ride on this cable car over the lush green tea gardens provides an unforgettable experience.

PEACE PAGODA

The Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist temple, Charlimont started in 1972. In 1992 the Japanese Peace pagoda was inaugurated. It commands an excellent view of the town and the Himalayan range.

BHUTIA BUSTY MONASTERY

Originally built as branch of Phodong Monastery of Sikkim, it is situated at C. R. Das Road and is 15 min walk from the Mall. It belongs to Nygmpa (Red Sect).

DHIRDHAM TEMPLE

Situated below the Railway Station, it is built on the style of the famous "Pashupatinath" temple of Kathmandu (Nepal).

LLOYDS BOTANICAL GARDEN

A colourful garden situated just below the Market Motor stand contains a representative collection of Himalayan plants, flowers, orchids etc.

DARJEELING TOY TRAIN

The fascinating narrow gauge ‘Toy Train’ still operates on the original steam engines and the loops and zigzags along the route are feats of engineering. (A joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom is advisable).

EXCURSION & PICNIC SPOTS

RIANG : Situated amidst idylic surroundings it is approximately 2 hours drive from Darjeeling.

TRIBENI : 35 km away from Darjeeling it is a magnificent picnic spot situated at the conflence of the Teesta and the Rangeet.

JOREPOKHARI : 18 km from Darjeeling it is surrounded by the evergreen forest.

ROCK GARDEN, BARBOTAY : Approximately 15 km from Darjeeling, the Rock garden is a very special attraction. The Chunu falls cascading over the boulders provides a breathtaking view.

OBSERVATORY HILL : Offers a fine view of the twin peaks of Mt. Khangchendzongna. There is a Mahakaal temple of Lord Shiva and a Buddhist Shrine here at the place from which the town derives its name "Dorje - Ling" or the place of the thunderbolt.

RANGIT VALLEY ROPEWAY India's first passenger rope way at North Point, 3 km from town. The 30 minute joyride down the mountainside by the cable car is quite an experience. It has been extensively repaired and upgraded recently.

LEBONG RACE COURSE : 8 km from town, is the smallest, and amongst the highest race courses in the world. Although there is no horse racing any more, it is a nice place for a walk.

LAL KOTHIAfter renovation and landscaping, this impressive building has been turned into the Council House of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. It has an excellent view of the mountains and the town.

DARJEELING GYMKHANA CLUB : Has indoor games and other facilities. Visitors may become temporary members.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM A few minutes walk from Chowrasta, has a collection of preserved butterflies, moths, reptiles and birds from all over with a focus on the Himalayas.

HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE : Located on Jawahar Parbat, about 2 km from Chowrasta,this institute was established in 1954 to commemorate the ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953 by Darjeeling's 'son' Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary. The Everest Museum here displays memorabilia of the 1953 Everest Expedition.

STEP ASIDE : A few minutes walk from Chowrasta, is the house where the great Indian Patriot, Deshbandhu C.R. Das, passed away in 1925.

PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK : Near the HMI, is a home for the endangered snow leopard, yaks, Himalayan black bears, pandas, Siberian tigers, deer and other animals and birds. It is also a very successful breeding center for snow leopards and red pandas.

TEA GARDENS

Tea drinkers the world over must constantly bless the memory of the person who decided around 1840 that the climate of the Darjeeling region was very conducive to the growth of tea. Huge forest areas were cleared and tea was planted. Chinese experts were called in to teach the art of tea making and thousands of Nepalese were hired to work in the tea gardens. Darjeeling tea has such a premium value in the Western markets that it considered to be one of the finest teas in the world especially when it came to aroma and delicacy of taste. Soon named the "Champagne of the East", not only has tea formed the backbone of the economy in the region, but 'Darjeeling' and 'excellent tea' have become synonymous. Out of over seventy tea gardens in the area, Happy Valley Tea Estate is the nearest to Darjeeling town and a view of its gardens is included in most of the sightseeing tours. Makaibari and Castleton Tea estates are near Kurseong. The produce of Castleton has been getting the highest price in the world for the last few years with prices of over Rs 8000 per kg. The famous Lopchu Tea Estate lies between Darjeeling and Teesta. Not only buying and drinking tea is a must for visitors, it is also strongly advised that they take special 'Tea Garden tours' covering exotically named gardens such as Marybong, Chongtong, etc.

GETTING THERE

AIR : The nearest airport Bagdogra is 90 km from Darjeeling. Journey time - about 3 hour. There are a number of flights from Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.

RAIL : The two closest railway stations are Siliguri (77 km) and New Jalpaiguri (88 km) from Darjeeling. These railway stations have direct railway connections with Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati and other major cities of India.

ROAD : Darjeeling is connected by Road with Gangtok, Siliguri and from there to practically all the major cities of India.

Distance from Darjeeling

Gangtok - 120 km

Guwahati - 590 km

Kolkata - 666 km

Delhi - 1389 km

Kathmandu - 677 km