Darjeeling City Travel Guide
- West Bengal
General Information Of
Darjeeling
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Area 10.57 sq. km
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Population 73,062
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Altitude 2,134 m above sea
level
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Languages Bengali, Nepali,
Hindi, and English
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Best time to visit
March-May and September-November
STD Code 0354
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Introduction to city Darjeeling
- In West Bengal
For witnessing the sheer magnificence of mountains, unsullied
and pristine, nothing compares with a visit to the famous hill
station of Darjeeling in West Bengal. Even as you drive up the
curvaceous roads or take the famous toy train to your
destination, you will be awestruck by the resplendence of
nature. From the humid plains, you suddenly fill your tired
lungs with fresh mountain air. Gurgling streams rush past and in
springtime, the ranges are flaming with rhododendrons. The
ethnic population is friendly and the influence of Buddhism
is strong. Past the Batasia loop, past the Ghoom Buddhist
monastery, past the lush tea gardens, you finally arrive in a
quaint town with slanting red roofs among the recent upsurge of
concrete, peeping at you from behind lofty pines.
Like many other hill stations, Darjeeling rose into prominence
during the British Raj when it was developed as a major rest and
recreation centre. Until the 19th century, Darjeeling (derived
from Dorje Ling, meaning the place of the thunderbolt) was part
of Sikkim. In 1817, Sikkim conceded the rights to use the place
as a health sanitarium to the British after they helped to
settle a rather disastrous dispute between Sikkim and Nepal. The
imprint of the English on Darjeeling is indelible and can be
seen in its gardens, tea estates, hotels and lifestyle.
Sightseeing : Places to visit in
destination - Darjeeling
Darjeeling offers all that is precious in nature—the hush of the
hills, the green depth of the forest and the majesty of the
mountains. It is a tradition while visiting Darjeeling to go to
the Tiger Hill before daybreak to see the first rays of
the sun strike the mountains. Another tradition is to spend a
few hours everyday taking in the air at the Chowrasta
(crossroads), the promenade at the centre of the town. The
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is a paradise for
trekkers. You can, if you wish, go on short or long treks,
depending on your stamina and enthusiasm. The Tibetan
Self-Help Centre has a range of carpets for sale in their
showroom, woven with dexterity on the premises by refugees who
fled their land with the Dalai Lama. Take a look, if not a pick.
Also remember to visit the
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
and in case it is the /’season/’ and you are an untested racing
freak, go to India/’s stupendous race-course in Lebong,
nestled high in the mountains. Other places to see include the
Darjeeling Zoo which houses tigers, bears, wolves and the
rare snow leopards and the Botanical Gardens with its
collection of alpine plants, orchids and ferns. In addition,
Darjeeling is famous for its flavoured tea all over the world.
The brew is often compared to champagne and the tea gardens that
dot the slopes are witness to this mammoth industry.
Darjeeling Sightseeing :
Places to visit in destination Darjeeling
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Places to visit in the city Darjeeling |
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OBSERVATORY HILL -
Darjeeling
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Strolling up the Mall, past the quaint Tibetan market, you
arrive at the Observatory Hill, the popular meeting place
for tourists as well as residents. It is a major tourist
spot of Darjeeling, not only for its religious importance
but also for the picturesque views the place offers. The
view of the magnificent Mt. Kanchenjunga and the entire
landscape below is a site worth seeing. |
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HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING
INSTITUTE - Darjeeling
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Located about two kilometres from the marketplace is the
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, which was established
after the conquest of the Everest in 1954 by the then
Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. The institute
has an interesting Everest Museum and also offers some
mountaineering and adventure courses. Situated on the
Jawahar Parvat, the institute is famous for its unique
collection of mountaineering equipment and findings. |
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GHOOM MONASTERY -
Darjeeling
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No visit to Darjeeling is complete without a visit to
Ghoom, which is six kilometres away from the main town.
The hillock is dominated by the famous Yiga Choeling
Monastery and a 4.5-metre tall image of the Maitreya
Buddha. Ghoom is at an altitude of about 2,407 metres, and
offers a pectacular view of the Valley. |
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TIGER HILL - Darjeeling
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A strategic point to watch the spectacular sunrise is
Tiger Hill, located at an altitude of 2,590 metres above
sea level. It offers a magnificent view of the rising sun
over the snow-capped Mt. Kanchenjunga and other great
Eastern Himalayan peaks. You can also witness some of the
high Himalayan peaks from here on a clear day. |
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LEBONG RACE COURSE -
Darjeeling
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The Lebong Race Course, one of the world/’s highest race
courses, was laid out in 1885 as a parade ground. Situated
at a distance of about 8 km from the main town, the
complete lap of the race course is only 480 yards long. |
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BHUTIA BUSTI - Darjeeling
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Situated at the backdrop of the Kanchenjunga near
Chowrasta on C.R. Das Road, this colourful monastery is an
important attraction of Darjeeling. Originally a branch of
the Nygmapa sect/’s Phodang Monastery in Sikkim, it was
transferred to Darjeeling in 1879. The shrine was formerly
situated on the Observatory Hill. There is an old library
of Buddhist texts upstairs. |
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DHIRDHAM TEMPLE -
Darjeeling
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The Dhirdham Temple is situated near the railway station
and is accessible either by a lazy walk or a jeep. The
temple is similar in its architecture to the famous
Pashupatinath Temple of Kathmandu in Nepal. |
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TEA GARDENS - Darjeeling
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While in Darjeeling get to know some little-known details
of the cuppa that cheers by visiting the tea gardens that
dot the valley. In fact, the Darjeeling tea has attained
for itself a name and a flavour that can neither be
matched nor duplicated. There was a time when Darjeeling
tea was a brew against which all other brands of tea used
to be graded. Even today, connoisseurs fondly refer to it
as the /’champagne of teas/’
. Out of over seventy tea gardens in the entire area, the
Happy Valley Tea Estate is the nearest one to Darjeeling.
Some tour operators provide packages that take you on
special /’Tea Garden Tours/’ covering some exotically
named gardens |
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Excursions : Places nearby city
- Darjeeling
Once you are through with the sightseeing inside Darjeeling
town, it/’s the time to proceed to see the sites nearby. The
journey itself is a thrilling experience with high-altitude
mountains roads on one side and cloud-covered valley on the
other. You can take short trips to Mirik, land of oranges, and
the charming city of
Kalimpong,
famous for its orchids and curio shops. In the same area is
Kurseong from where you can get a panoramic view of the
Gangetic delta from Eagle/’s Crag. Some other nearby places that
can be visited from Darjeeling include Takdah, Sandakphu,
and Siliguri.
Darjeeling Excursion :
Places nearby Darjeeling - West Bengal
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Places to visit nearby destination - Darjeeling |
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Kurseong
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Kurseong is a peaceful hill station surrounded by some
beautiful tea gardens. Situated at an altitude of 1,458
metres, the pollution-free climate and pleasing atmosphere
of Kurseong make it an ideal resort to beat the summer/’s
heat. The Makaibari Tea Estate and Forest Museum on Dow
Hills are its main attractions. It also makes a mid-trip
halting place between Siliguri on the plains and
Darjeeling hills. |
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Mirik
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Set in idyllic surroundings Mirik, 49 km Darjeeling, is a
place for those seeking peace and tranquility. Perched at
an altitude of 1,967 metres above sea level, the climate
here is cool and temperate. The Sumendu Lake at the bottom
of Mirik Spur is the most dominating feature reflecting
the magnificence of the eastern Himalayas. You can ride in
the colourful boats or cross the lake over an artistic
bridge that leads you to a charming path through forests
on the other side. Fishing is a popular pastime here.
Mirik is almost completely surrounded by some of the best
tea gardens of the region. It is also the largest producer
of oranges in West Bengal. The orchards are on a spur two
kilometres from Mirik. |
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Sandakphu
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Sandakphu, 58 km from Darjeeling, is the only vantage
point from where one can see four of the five highest
peaks of the world, namely, Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga,
Makalu and Lhotse. Popularly known as the /”trekkers/’
paradise,/” Sandakphu offers you an opportunity of
trekking among the virgin forests and vales of the
Himalayas with magnolias, rhododendrons, primulas, and
other alpine flowers lining the way. |
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Takdah
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Situated at a distance of 26 km from Darjeeling, the
Takdah valley is famous for the beautiful nurseries that
preserve some of the rare species of orchids and plants of
Himalayan origin. Takdah also produces some of the best-flavoured
tea of the world. |
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