Nestling in the grandeur and beauty of towering snow-capped mountains; with the mighty Kanchenjunga (King of the Mountains) dominating the somber, snowy sentinels, lies a jewel of a town -- elegant, sophisticated and incredibly beautiful; the name of Tibetan origin means where Indra's thunderbolt or scepter rested, (Dodi-thunder bolt, Ling-place). In Sanskrit, the name, derived from the world 'Durjay Ling', means 'Siva of invincible prowess, who rules the Himalayas'. The official name of the town is DARJEELING.
Darjeeling has known many masters: Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, and the British East India Company. Its longest links have been with Sikkim who ruled the area between the present borders of Sikkim and the plains of Bengal , including Darjeeling and Kalimpong till the beginning of the 18th century. The cozy drawing room of the Windamere Hotel has been the setting of a royal romance: local belle Hook Cook met her future husband, the then king of Sikkim.
Sightseeing
TigerHill:-
The highest spot in the area at 2590m, Tiger Hill is near Ghoom, about 11km from Darjeeling. The hill is famous for its magnificent dawn views over Kanchenjunga and other eastern Himalayan peaks. On a clear day even Mount Everest visible.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park :- This zoo was established in 1958 with the objectives of study, conservation and preservation of Himalayan fauna. The animals are well cared for by dedicated keepers. To protect and breed the dwindling stocks of wild animals, to educate the public and instill in them a sense of the worth of these wonderful creatures, it is necessary to keep them in pseudo-natural habitats. The zoo houses India's only collection of Siberian tigers and some rare species, such as the red panda and the Tibetan wolf.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) & Museums :- Entered through the zoo, on Jawahar Rd West about two km from the town, the HMI runs courses to train mountaineers, and maintains a couple of interesting museums. The Mountaineering Museum contains a collection of historic mountaineering equipment, specimens of Himalayan flora and fauna and a relief model of the Himalaya
Tibetan Refugee Centre A 20 to 30 minutes walk from Chowrasta through leafy glades and tea plantations, brings you down to the Tibetan Refugee Centre. Established in 1959, the centre comprises a home for the aged, and orphanage, school, hospital and craft workshops that produce carpets of pure ladakhi wool, woodcarving, leather work and wool items. The weaving and dyeing shops and the wood carving shop are particularly interesting.
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How To Reach
Local Transport:
Bus services between Darjeeling and Siliguri are frequent. Private taxis, landrovers are also available. From Siliguri by bus/taxi/trekker to Darjeeling (80 km), about 4 hours.
By Rail
You can take the famous toy train, which is a meter gauge train operating over breath taking scenery. The journey takes approximately 8 hours.
By Road
Darjeeling is connected to Siliguri the main city in the plains by the Tenzing Norgay Road (formerly Hill Cart Road)
Photo Gallery
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