The
Queen of the Himalayas
Darjeeling is a hill resort in the eastern state of West Bengal in India.
Situated to the north of the state, Darjeeling owes' its richness to its
natural beauty, its clean refreshing mountain air and above all, the smiling
and cheerful people. Known for its natural grandeur, Darjeeling's best gift
to its' guests is the sunup of a new day. Amidst the chilling wind with
darkness and damp, the sun worshipers head towards the Tiger Hill, to
capture the first glimpse of the prismatic rising sun.
The Mount Everest, the Kanchanjunga and several other well known mountain
peaks are the most common sights of Darjeeling. Bounded by snow covered
mountain ranges with few well known peaks and a highest peak of the world,
Darjeeling is also well known for its tea gardens. Darjeeling is one of the
most sought after destinations for the people who are interested in extreme
adventure sports, like,
trekking,
mountaineering,
river rafting and lots more.
Some important links are : Gangtok, Guwahati, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Delhi.
Indulge in Trekking
Darjeeling is also a veritable paradise for trekkers and adventure seekers.
Trekking in Darjeeling is an experience which no lover of nature should
miss. It takes one to places from where one can feel the proximity of the
stars and is still in its premival majesty. It brings one face to face with
the snow-capped mountains with the sublime grandeur of the Himalayas. The
region abounds in rhododendrons, magnolias, primulas, orchids and ferns of
numerous varieties. About six hundred species of birds inhabit the emerald
green forests on the slopes of the mountains.
Mountaineering
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) was
founded in Darjeeling with the personal initiative of Late Pandit Jawahar
Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. The Institute was established
on 4th November 1954, which was then the hub center of all mountaineering
activity in India. There is enough scope of mountaineering in Darjeeling.
The Institute encourage and promote the science and art of mountaineering
among - a) Its members, including honorary, associate and life members and
outsiders
River
Rafting
White Water Rafting is an Adventure Hill Sport, which is relatively new in
the Darjeeling Hills having introduced in 1991. Since then the sport has
gained immense popularity all over the region. Sport for fun and adventure
at the river Teesta and Rangeet are organised for the people with such
interest.
Jungle Safaris
Darjeeling has well packed rich possibilities for Jungle Safari. Elephant
Safaris are oragnised to wade through the jungles at -
» Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
» Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
» Gorumara
Darjeeling, which is internationally acclaimed as one of the best hill
stations in the world, is covered with pine trees, rhododendrons, magnolias,
primulas and orchids. With houses hugging the hill side are various places
to visit, which are of great interest.
Chowrastha:
Chowrastha is the heart of the town where every visitor is seen taking a
stroll and relaxing their weary heads.
Natural History Museum:
Near to Chowrastha is the Museum of Natural History, containing a
representative and comprehensive collection of the fauna of the region.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park:
This is the only Zoo in the world to breed Tibetan Wolf in Captivity and
the first South Asian Zoo to breed Snow Leopard and Siberian Tiger. Padmaja
Naidu Himalayan Zoo is a unique zoo in the country.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute:
The Institute is the landmark in Darjeeling and an important center of
tourist attraction.
Observatory Hill:
The Hill feature above Chowrastha and a few minutes walk from the Mall
Road, on which the Sacred Mahakal temple rests. Mahakal is considered as the
incarnation of Lord Shiva. Adjacent to Mahakal temple is a Buddhist Shrine,
manifesting the complete harmony that exists between Hinduism and Buddhism.
Location : On the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, in the
state of West Bengal.
Languages : Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, and English
Climate : Pleasant through out the year, but chilling in winters.
Best time to visit : March-May and September-November
Indulge in : Trekking, mountaineering and other adventure sports.
Speciality : Sun Rise, Darjeeling Tea.
Getting There
By Air: The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra
about 94-96 kms away from Darjeeling. There are direct flight connections
with Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati. Tourists heading for Darjeeling can get
direct taxis/cabs to Darjeeling from Bagdogra or one can head towards
Siliguri first and get a transport there.
By Train: The closest Railway Station is New Jalpaiguri
(NJP) about 88 kms away from Darjeeling. It has direct railway connections
with Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati, Varanasi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and
other major cities of India. From there one can avail a taxi directly to
Darjeeling or take an auto-rickshaw or rickshaw upto Siliguri and thus
proceed to Darjeeling by getting a taxi.
By Road : Darjeeling is connected to Sikkim, Nepal,
Bhutan and all of its surrounding hills. The major access to Darjeeling is
via Siliguri which is connected to all the major cities.
Related Storie(s)
Kullu-Manali – Tryst With
Heaven - By Tajdar Ahmed
Darjeeling – A
Beautiful Hill Station-By Abdullah Sanwar Borah
Chasing The Himalayan
Dream- By Priya Singh
Offbeat Hill Stations In
India- By Trisha Bhattacharjee
