The name Darjeeling is a composition of 'dorje' meaning 'thunderbolt' and 'ling' meaning 'place' ... 'the Land of Thunderbolt'.. Darjeeling the dream land of the East, it has been a popular hill station since the British period. The tourist flow to Darjeeling city has been increasing day by day. Due to the proximity with three international borders, Darjeeling is strategically very important.
Darjeeling is surrounded by snow-caped mountains and if weather is clear then the Kanchenjunga peak can be seen. Darjeeling is a fascinating tourism place rich in natural beauty and surrounded by the Buddhist monasteries. Its beauty surpasses any other hill station of India.
Darjeeling has some of the famous tea plantations in the country, which produce the World famous Darjeeling Tea. Due to its natural beauty Darjeeling is called queens of hill stations. This place is also a trekkers paradise as there are many famous trekking route for the adventure loving people.
For rail enthusiasts, however, Darjeeling is better known for its Toy Train. The Darjeeling toy train coming from Siliguri is some thing which is liked by the elders and the children equally. The real fun in coming to Darjeeling is on the toy train.
Darjeeling toy train takes six to seven hours to cover a distance of 82 kms and the slow speed gives you enough time to watch and appreciate the natural beauty.
Some Tourist Spots in Darjeeling
Tiger Hill
Tiger hills is the highest point in the area which provides the most exotic view of the Kanchenjunga peaks
Dhoom Gompa
About 8 kms from Darjeeling is the Dhoom Gompa. Here a very beautiful statue of the Maitrayie Buddha is established
Batasia Loop
This railway loop is an interesting example of engineering. At this loop the toy train takes a very unique turn. This loop is just five kilometer from the main town of Darjeeling.
Natural History Museum
The museum has a collection of over 4300 specimen . Established in 1903, this natural history museum packs in its folds a rich collection of fauna found in the Himalayas and in Bengal.
Senchal Lake
A scenic place near the tiger hills. This place has popularly come up as a picnic spot among the tourists. The lake supplies drinking water to the town of Darjeeling.
Kanchenjunga View
From Darjeeling one can have the best, uninterrupted view of the worlds third highest peak.
Zoological Gardens
The zoo is situated two kms form the main town. This zoological garden houses some of the rare species of animals and birds. This is only zoo in India having the Siberian Tigers. Apart from these you can find rare Red Panda here.
Observatory Hills
This point provides one of the breathtaking views of Kanchenjunga peaks. This place is also very sacred for the Hindus and the Buddhists as there are temples and the monasteries at this place
Bhutia Busty Gompa
With the back drop of the Kanchenjunga range stands a monastery called the Bhutia Busty Gompa. This monastery was shifted from the observatory hills to the present place
Snow Leopard Breeding Programme
Nowadays the zoologists and the environmental scientists are trying to protect the endangered species by breeding them in captivity.
Botanical Gardens
This place is worth a visit for its exotic and exclusive collection of a variety of Himalayan plants, flowers and orchids. This place is near the taxi stand. The gardens also has a green house.
Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center
In 1959 was established a center for the refuges who had fled Tibet with the Dalai Lama after the Chinese invasion. This self help center has been developed as workshop for the manufacture of handicrafts
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute & Museums
The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is on the West Jawahar road. The institute runs courses for training mountaineers as well as has the very good collection of mountaineering equipments which have been used in various mountaineering expeditions and other wise.
Passenger Ropeway
Another tourist attraction in Darjeeling has been the ropeway. This was the first ropeway in India. It connects the North point (7000 ft) to the Singla Bazaar (800 ft). The rope covers a distance of 8 kms in 45 minutes
Chowrasta
This one of the important shopping places in Darjeeling . Here the Nehru Road and the Mall Road Intersect each other.
Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park
Rock garden as the name suggests, is a garden fully made out of rock. It is a marvel of present day architecture. Situated at a distance of about approximately 12 kilometers away from Darjeeling town and winding its way through the narrow and enthralling hilly terrain, it is a place worth a visit. Ganga Maya park situated 2 kilometers away from rock garden has a small lake at its helm, with boating facilities where one can enjoy the serene cool atmosphere of the place.
Tea Gardens/Estates
There are many nearby tea gardens in and around Darjeeling. Where one can find the nautral beauty of tea plantations as well as the traditional orthodox form of tea manufacturing
