An
Overview :
Situated at an height of 2134 meters above sea level, Darjeeling is one of
the most visited hill station of eastern India. A picturesque backdrop of
the mighty Himalayan range with a pleasant climate make it a popular hill
resorts of India. Darjeeling is a favorite rest and recreation spot for
British, who came here to escape from the hot of the plain areas. It was
during the British rule that it developed as a pleasant hill resort. It also
offers several adventurous trekking routes with attractive surroundings. The
hill station is also known for its fragrant teas and its tea plantations are
worth visiting. There are also some finest Buddhist monasteries attracting
tourists from all parts of India.
Darjeeling is also known for its famous steam run Toy Train that connects
it with Siliguri. A Journey on the Toy Train will offers some of the
spectacular views of the snowcapped mountain peaks of Himalayan range.
Climate of Darjeeling :
Darjeeling experiences a pleasant weather throughout the year but the ideal
time to visit the hill station is from February to May and September to
November. Its average temperature during winters varies between 2 to 10
degrees C and the maximum summer temperature can only go up to 15 degrees C.
But the region receives heavy rainfall throughout the year.
Tourist Attractions of Darjeeling :
» Tiger Hill - It is the highest point in
Darjeeling and offers panoramic views of the might Kanchenjunga range and
the peaks of Everest. The hill is also a sacred place for Hindus as there is
a Kali Temple nearby.
» Bhutia Busty Gompa - Located on the backdrop of
the Kanchenjunga range, this is one of the most popular monasteries in
Darjeeling. It also has a library inside, which has a collection of
religious texts including a copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
»
Ghoom Monastery - Also known as Yogachoeling Gompa, it is located at a
distance of 8km from the town. It also has an image of Maitreya Buddha.
Photography is allowed inside the monastery.
» Botanical Garden - The garden has a wide
collection of Himalayan plants, flowers and orchids. The Green Houses are
also worth visiting.
» Zoological Park - More correctly known as Padmaja
Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, it was established in the year 1958. It was
established with an aim to conserve and preserve the varied Himalayan fauna.
The zoo houses some rare species including the Siberian tigers, red panda
and Tibetan wolf, Himalayan black bears and yaks.
» Tibetan Refuge Centre - It is the place where a
large number of Tibetan migrated here in the year 1959 due to the annexation
of Tibet by China. Its craft workshops produce pure Ladakhi wool items,
carpets and interesting woodcarving products.
» Gymkhana Club - This ball house offers various
game facilities such as tennis, table tennis, billiards, squash and
badminton.
Accommodation in Darjeeling :
There are a dearth of hotels and inns of all categories are available
throughout the hill station. These offer excellent accommodation options
with friendly services. Some of the popular resorts are : the Mayfair Hill
Resort, Hotel New Eligin, Hotel Sinclairs, Hotel Cedar Inn and many other.
These hotels offers spellbinding mountain vistas.
Getting to Darjeeling :
» By Air - The nearest airport is at Bagodra(90km)
and is connected to Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati by flights of Indian
Airlines or some other private airlines.
» By Rail - New Jalpaiguri is the most convenient
rail head and is connected Delhi, Patna, Kolkata(Calcutta) by various
express trains. From Jalpaiguri one can take the mini Toy Train to reach
Darjeeling and this offers an enthralling experience.
» By Road - It can also be easily accessible by
road and is connected to Siliguri, Calcutta, Patna, Phuntshoelling by
regular bus service.
