Darjeeling Best Place to Visit in India

Darjeeling a beautiful hill station

When I was young I used to

complete my home assignments as fast as possible
just to convince my parents to take me to Darjeeling.
Darjeeling is a dream destination for me and it is the
most beautiful place where I always wish to spend
some memorable time with my loved ones. Darjeeling
literally means “abode of god” is an ideal getaway for
me and every tourist. Enveloped in captivating
natural beauty, panoramic view, View of the mighty
Kanchenjunga, enjoying the picturesque Joy ride,
excellent weather, scented pines and golden brew or
the very famous Darjeeling tea, Darjeeling has been
given the tag of the “Queen of the Hills”.

Darjeeling is a charming town which has
an ethereal beauty and its Victorian charm can lure
all. The best part is the Darjeeling Toy Train (The
Darjeeling Himalayan Railways) that chugs along the
narrow railway lines. Darjeeling is also known as The
jewel in the British Crown.

Darjeeling has a lot to offers to the tourists who are
nature lovers. Now-a-days people use Darjeeling as a
base to visit different off beat destinations. Let’s now

look into some of the must see places in Darjeeling as
well as some of the off beat destinations from
Darjeeling.

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Places to visit in as well as from Darjeeling-

1.TIGER HILL

Watching the sunrise on the horizon from Tiger
Hill, Darjeeling, leaves a memory with me that
lasts forever. Along with the beautiful orange hue
of the rising sun, we witness a panoramic picture
of the majestic Kanchenjunga.

Tiger Hill is
around 11 Km away from Darjeeling and is at an
altitude of 8482 feet above sea level. The
surrounding areas are natural forest reserves.
An observatory deck is under construction on the
hilltop in order to accommodate the innumerable
tourists that come visiting in peak seasons.

The
viewing time is around 4 in the morning. It is a
usual sight to spot mufflers, scarves, woolen
caps, monkey caps, heavy jackets and shivering
humans thronged together, waiting patiently for
the sun to let out its first rays. As the sun slowly
emerges from the horizon, the view is to die for.
The mountain ranges are at a riot of colors while
the sun paints the canvas. Photographers will be
on cloud nine with the kind of pictures that they
will be able to capture. The splendid views will
more than make up for your early morning
struggle with sleep and the chill.

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2.TOY TRAIN

India’s narrow-gauge steam railways are the
stuff of legend, and the bottle-blue Darjeeling Toy
Train is the nation’s lead engine. The ride from
the Bengal plains to Darjeeling travels past
emerald-green tea plantations and precariously
balanced, tin-roofed townships, while clouds
tumble down the looming massif of Mount
Kanchenjunga. Sure, steam engines are now only
used for a small section of the route, and most
people rumble into Darjeeling by diesel power,
but this iconic mountain journey still serves up
memories of the Raj. It covers a distance of
55miles and takes 7-8 hours to complete its
journey.

3.BATASIA LOOP

Around 5 Km away from Darjeeling, Batasia Loop

is a circular railway track around a well-
landscaped garden. The garden covers an area

of 50,000 sq ft and is dotted with several plants
bearing flowers. It is situated at the base of
Ghoom station.

The Darjeeling toy train runs on
this track on a loop and this is how the place got
its name. It is indeed a mesmerizing view and a
prime tourist location in Darjeeling. There is a
historical fact behind this place.

The Batasia loop
was specifically built to serve as a gentler slope
for the toy train to descend slowly after reaching

Ghoom station. Earlier, the descent was 100 feet
and was too steep for the toy train to cover
comfortably. The Batasia Loop, thus, serves as a
means to end. It is a place of tourist interest
because of the incredible view of Mt.
Kanchenjunga and other Himalayan ranges from
the garden. It is also a spectacular sight to see
the toy train emerging through billowing clouds
and take the gentle curves of the terrain.
4.HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE AND
DARJEELING ZOO
HMI is a lot of things at the same time. It is a
museum, home to a boarding school, the
Himalayan Zoological Park as well as a shop for
souvenirs. The museum is stacked with
mountaineering gears and artifacts needed for
expedition purposes. The museum was built as a
tribute to two renowned mountain climbers,
Tenzing Norway and Sir Edmund Hillary, who had
climbed the Everest in 1953. The boarding school
caters to students who wish to study
mountaineering. The zoo is popularly known as
the Darjeeling Zoo. It occupies around 68 acres
of land and is home to several endangered
species. We spotted a Siberian tiger prowling
around and a snow leopard napping peacefully.
The ever-elusive red panda is also a common

sight. We also found different species of bright
and beautiful birds.

5.SANDAKPHU TREK

In Darjeeling resides one of the most beautiful
trekking range of West Bengal, known as,
Sandakphu Trek which is often highlighted in the
world’s major expeditions and one of the most
enthralling treks of West Bengal. Sitting at the
height of 11,929 ft, Sandakphu Peak is also the
highest peak of West Bengal separated by the
Terai region. With a backdrop of Mountain
Kanchenjunga, we witnessed the array of some
of the world’s highest peaks in the wide view,
ranging from Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga,
Lhotse, Makalu. The clusters of these four
massive mountains together take the pattern of
Sleeping Buddha, naturally. The trail runs in and
out of India and its one of the friendly neighbors,
Nepal. As this trek takes place in eastern
Himalayas of India, this trail is lesser-known and
thus, lesser-picked and thus is one of the best
offbeat alpine treks.

6.TINCHULEY
At a distance of about 32 km from Darjeeling,
Tinchuley is an offbeat hamlet situated close to
the West Bengal-Sikkim border. With an altitude
of 5550 ft, the name of the place derives from the
words ‘tin’ and ‘chula’, which translates as ‘three

ovens’ because the trio of hills constituting the
hill station resembles mud ovens. Amazingly, the
geographical diversity of the village is not
exhausted by this: the rivers Teesta and Ranjeet
also intersect quite close to it. All of this
contributes to Tinchuley’s abundant natural
beauty. In Tinchuley, we engaged in rock
climbing, trekking, sightseeing, all against a
scenic green backdrop that seemed like
something out of a film set.

7.KURSEONG
Kurseong is also known as the Land of White
Orchids. The destination is near to Darjeeling but
less populated, which eventually means natural
beauty is much more alive there. Kurseong has a
plethora of tourists spots such as the Eagle’s
Craig, Ambhotia Shiva Temple, DowHill Park,
Buddhist Gompa, and the Jagdish Mandir.
Perched on the Siliguri-Darjeeling highway,
Kurseong is a quiet hill station. Kurseong enjoys
milder and pleasant weather most times of the
year. During the monsoon season the rain-gods
are more than generous as the town receives
non-stop rains for days.

8.DOOARS

The Dooars is situated at the foothills of the
Eastern Himalaya mountain range. It is a
magnificent region full of green hills and valley,

jungle, rivers and tea plantations. The origin of
the name comes from the Bengali word “Duar”
which means door or gateway.

This vast region
acts as a doorway to major Himalayan Wildlife
habitats. It also functions as the gateway to the
hills in India and Bhutan. It is the home of many
exotic species and rich in the exquisite natural
beauty. Major rivers like Teesta, Jaldhaka, Murti,
Torsa etc. flow through this nitrate-rich valley.
Dooars is a region full of diversity. With its huge
area, the landscape, weather and beauty
changes frequently from one place to the other.
Dooars tourism highlights and takes pride in the
majestic mountains, various flora and fauna, tea
gardens, perennial and lively springs, sandy river
shores and the wide patches of grassland. There
are several colonial-era heritage buildings in this
area, especially near the tea-gardens. Winter
temperature falls rapidly here, and the summer is
soothing.

9.MIRIK
Mirik is a pleasant vacationer spot settled in the
tranquil slopes of Darjeeling area in West Bengal,
India. It is the base camp of Mirik subdivision.
The name Mirik originates from the Lepcha words
Mir-Yok signifying “put consumed by flame”. Mirik
has turned into a well known traveler goal for its
atmosphere, common excellence and simple

availability. The focal point of all fascination is
Sumendu Lake, encompassed by a garden
named Savitri Pushpaudyan on one side and pine
trees on the other, connected together by an

angling footbridge called Indreni Pool. A 3.5-km-
long street encompasses the lake and is utilized

for strolls with the perspective of Kangchenjunga
on the far skyline. Sailing on the interesting
shikaras and steed riding are accessible.

10. LOLEGAON
    Located at an altitude of 2350 metres, Lava is a
    quaint little hamlet which is located in the
    Kalimpong district of West Bengal. This sleepy
    and calm village falls on the trade route of Bhutan
    and is adorned with pine forests and coniferous
    trees. Lava Lolegaon is a piece of heaven
    surrounded by the cold misty clouds of the
    mountains. The exotic and rustic Lepcha village
    folded in the mountains of the Himalayas left me
    smitten by its beauty and charm. Lolegaon is only
    24kms away from Lava. Located at an altitude of
    1675 metres, this Lepcha village is known for its
    scenic beauty. The glorious view of the majestic
    Kanchenjunga through the misty clouds makes it
    the perfect place for relaxing and planning your
    next vacation. We were fortunate enough and
    also the weather permitted us to view the
    magnificent snow-clad peak of the Mt. Everest.

The magnificent beauty of Darjeeling is beyond
description! Also, tea was first introduced in
Darjeeling in the mid-19th century by the British, and
the sprawling tea estates, clubs and bungalows are
reminiscent of that grand era. Stroll through miles of
rolling tea gardens, strike up a conversation with the
garden workers and discover how deftly they pluck
the tea leaves.

Darjeeling is a wonderful city in India. A memorable
train ride along the charismatic Himalayan, tea
gardens, catching the sunrise at Tiger Hill,
mesmerizing temples, and more are waiting for you
here. Darjeeling is a wonderful place for a vacation. It
offers many options to you.

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