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Darjeeling

Darjeeling: Escape into Mt Kanchenjunga

The cumbersome and hasty urban life can take a toll on you. How about escaping into the enchanting hills of Darjeeling once in a while?

Darjeeling is a beautiful hill station with many tea gardens on the slopes of rolling hills, spreading their refreshing aroma and dazzling snow peaks of Kanchenjunga overlooking the hill town. The greenery of the place is pleasing with youthful orchids, pines & rhododendrons, perched on the slopes of rolling hills, and slow chugging Toy Train ride giving memories for a lifetime. The British architecture of Darjeeling takes to you to another era in time, narrating the tale of the bygone era of the colonial masters.

Geography of Darjeeling

Nestled amidst the enthralling north East Himalayas is the beguiling town of Darjeeling. The magnificent hill station is the pride of West Bengal and is situated at an altitude of 6,710 ft in Lesser Himalayas. The mesmerising place is spread across the area of 3149 sq Km and has several UNESCO heritage sites that attract travellers from across the globe. The districts of Darjeeling share its boundaries with mountain countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

Darjeeling

Best time to visit Darjeeling

Darjeeling is your one-stop destination at any time of the year. The ethereal tea plantation, vivid landscapes, eternal weather and the slopes make it one of the most popular tourist destinations for global as well as local travellers.

For a summer traveller looking for chilling in the mountains, the months of April to June are best as the temperature hovers between 14°C and 8° C. For winter lovers, the months of December to January are perfect for an ideal vacation as the temperature can be as low as 1°C. The best months for sight-seeing is from September to November.

If you are an adrenaline junkie, then the favourable months for your trip to Darjeeling are February to June. Monsoon isn't a good time to travel here, because Darjeeling experiences heavy rain showers which at times lead to frequent landslides.

How to reach Darjeeling?

Darjeeling is a popular tourist destination for West Bengal, thus it has good connectivity to rest of the world. So made up your mind about a trip to Darjeeling?

  • By air - The nearest airport is Bagdogra airport which is just 3hours drive away. The airport is well-connected to all major cities in India.
  • By rail - Train has an old connection with Darjeeling. The nearest railway station is NewJalpaiguri. One can board the famous Darjeeling train from Sealdah or other express trains to reach here. Once you arrive at New Jalpaiguri railway station, board the famous Toy Train which chugs its way up to reaching Darjeeling.
  • By road - One can enjoy the scenic road trip to Darjeeling by boarding a luxury bus, private taxi or private buses run overnight from Calcutta to Siliguri.
  • Places to visit in Darjeeling

    The hilly town has a lot of lush beauty and places to take pride in. Tourists from across the globe come here in thousands to get a glimpse of the magic of the mighty Himalayas.

    Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and zoo -

    The institute is one of its kind. The museum here displays several mountaineering gears and expedition artefacts. The place was established by Tenzing Norgay after he conquered Mt Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary on 29th May 1953. The institute and the zoological garden is spread in the area of about 68 acres and is the abode for many endangered species of animals like the snow leopard, red panda, goral (mountain goat), Siberian tiger, Tibetan Wolf and a variety of birds.

    The Mall and Chowrasta -

    Here comes the heart of Darjeeling. The place is the beautiful camouflage of pristine nature mingled with boutique, shops, restaurants, eateries and the Tibetans selling hand-Knitted cardigans. Chowrasta marks the beginning and end of The Mall Road. Chowarsta has many shops selling souvenirs like tribal ornaments, rosaries, woollen garments, Gorkha daggers and brass statuettes making it a paradise for the shopping lovers and souvenir collectors.

    Tiger Hill -

    One surely cannot miss this paradise on Earth situated at an altitude of 2,590m, the place is the highest point in the region. This is one of the only two points in India where offer the delightful view of the entire panorama between Mount Everest and Kanchendzonga along with other peaks like the Kabru, Rathong and Kokhtang on a sunny morning. Tourists can enjoy trekking here.

    Our visit to Darjeeling doesn't end here. Nature resides here in its most pristine form. Visit here with friends, family and your loved ones to relish life.