Darjeeling

At an altitude of 2,134 mtrs above sea level, Darjeeling is a major tea producing centre. This hill station impresses the visitors by the unending tea gardens, marvelous mountains, charming rivers and lush forests. It also offers breathtaking sight of Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt Everest. Being situated in the foot hills of the Himalayas, Darjeeling has rich flora wealth comprising of fir, pine and birch trees. Adventure seekers can be seen enjoying river rafting, mountaineering and trekking here. The Senchal Lake, Tiger Hill, Ghoom Buddhist Monastery, Dhirdham Temple and Natural History Musuem are some of the attractions of this place. Six to seven hours of journey from Siliguri to Darjeeling by Toy train is a real fun for the visitors in this hill stations.

Getting There

By Air : The airport is located at Bagdogra about 96 kms away from Darjeeling.

By Rail : The nearest railway station to Darjeeling is New Jalpaiguri( 88 kms).

By Road : Darjeeling is well connected by excellent network of road with Siliguri, Kalimpong Gangtok etc.

Related Accommodations

Darjeeling has a wide range of hotel options according to the visitor's budget and needs. One can pick from the heritage and deluxe hotels to less expansive budget hotels.

Ask for Hotel

Did You Know?

• Darjeeling is also known as " The Land of Thunderbolts".
• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a World Heritage Site and it is one of the few engines in India which still is in working condition.
• Several Hindi films like - Aradhana, Main Hoon Na and Kanchenjunga have been shot in Darjeeling.

Attractions

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

It was established in 1954 by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. It was built after the conquest of Mt Everest on the Jawahar Parvat. Inside the institute one can see Everest Museum, having rich collection of mountaineering equipments and specimens of Himalayan flora and fauna. The institute also runs short and advance mountaineering and adventure courses.

Tiger Hill

It is at a height of 2,590 mtrs and is 13 kms from Darjeeling. The site is famed for the breathtaking view of the sunrise over Mt Kanchenjunga. Visitors can also see the Mt Everest, world's highest mountain and other eastern Himalayan peaks from here.

Zoological Gardens

It is home to some rare species of birds and animals. The Siberian Tigers are the main highlight of this zoo. Besides this the Red Panda, Snow Leopards, Snow Yaks, Great Grey Birds are also seen here.

Takdah

It is situated 26 kms away from Darjeeling and has several preety nurseries. It is known for the diverse species of orchids and Himalayan plants and produces best-flavoured tea of the world.

Location

This hill station is also called the 'Queen of the Himalayas' and is located in the Shivalik Hills in the state of West Bengal.

Best Time to Visit

Tourists must pay visit to this lovely hill station between April and June or September and November as the weather during these months are pleasant and mountains are also clearly visible.