Honeymoon in Darjeeling, famous for its lovely natural surroundings and of
course, tea. Lush slopes, tea gardens and blue skies together offer an
extremely beautiful scenery. Sunrise of Darjeeling has provided inspiration
to romantic verses in the hearts of many a poet. Lovely surroundings of
Darjeeling can spellbound anyone. So start preparing for Darjeeling. The
lovely hill station is awaiting you.
Outside the monsoon, the views over the mountains to the snowy peaks of
Kanchenjunga are magnificent. Darjeeling is a fascinating place where you
can see Buddhist monasteries, visit a tea plantation, go for a ride on the
chairlift, spend days hunting for bargains in colorful markets and
handicraft shops, or go trekking to high-altitude spots for closer views of
Kanchenjunga.
What
to See
Tiger Hill:
Tallest spot in the region (2,590 m) is Tiger Hill, 11 km off Darjeeling.
The hill offers lovely dawn views over Kanchenjunga and other eastern
Himalayan peaks. In its neighborhood is Senchal Lake located at the height
of 2,448m. It supplies the town with water. It is a region of scenic beauty
and popular as a picnic spot with Indian vacation-seekers.
Kanchenjunga Views:
At 8,598m, Kanchenjunga is the world's third highest mountain. From
Darjeeling, you can have the best view of Kanchenjunga from Bhan Bhakta
Sarani.
Observatory Hill:
Above the Windamere Hotel, Observatory Hill vintage point is sacred to both
Hindus and Buddhists. There's a Kali shrine here and the multi-coloured
prayer flags double as trapezes for simians. These monkeys can be aggressive
too. So be careful.
Bhutia Busty Gompa:
This colorful monastery is located near Chowrasta, with Kanchenjunga
providing a spectacular backdrop.
Ghoom Gompa:
Full name of Ghoom Gompa is Yogachoeling Gompa. It is among the most
important monasteries in Darjeeling and is about 8 km south of town. It is
near the train station of Ghoom. It hosts an idol of Maitreya Buddha (the
coming Buddha).
Mall Road:
The Mall road originates and ends at the Chowrasta which is the centre of
Darjeeling town. One can stroll leisurely on the mall road enjoying
picturesque scenic view.
The
Toy Train
No tour to Darjeeling is complete without a ride in the toy train. The
train chugs through the hilly terrain with its gentle 'chhuk chhuk".
The train meanders through the tea gardens, runs over the rushing streams,
moves through the lush sal forests, huge bamboo groves, silk cotton trees,
and plenty of other scenarios. Travelling in the train you can watch the
beauty of Darjeeling in all its splendour.
Shopping
Darjeeling tea has been acclaimed all over the world. Aromatic tea gives
the tourists deep sense of pleasure. Breathe deep the aroma of Darjeeling
tea while passing through a garden. Tourists prefer carrying home the curios
and carpets from here. You can shop for curios and carpets on Chowrasta and
Nehru road. You can also purchase items like thangkas, brass statues,
religious objects, jewelery, wood carvings and woven fabrics which you can
keep in your home as souvenirs.
How
to Reach
Air
Bagdogra, nearest airport to Darjeeling, is about 94-96km away. Direct
flights operate for Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati. You can hire taxis/cabs
for Siliguri or Darjeeling. Various modes of transport are available from
Siliguri.
Rail
New Jalpaiguri (NJP), 88km from Darjeeling, serves as the railway station.
From NJP train are available for Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Varanasi,
Bangalore and Chennai. Taxis ply between NJP and Darjeeling. Alternatively
you can also go to Siliguri, 10km away, and then take any mode of
transportation for Darjeeling.
| Town |
Distance |
| Delhi |
1389km |
| Kolkata |
759km |
| Guwahati |
590km |
Road
Darjeeling can be accessed via Siliguri which in linked to all major Indian
towns.
