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 Darjeeling the 'Queen of Hills', is arguably the most popular
tourist destination in northeast India. Situated at an altitude of 2134m, Darjeeling,
with its exquisite scenic beauty, attracts travelers of varied interest. Darjeeling
is the Abode of Lord Shiva and offers spectacular views of Kanchenjunga and the
hospitality of colorful Himalayan people. Darjeeling and all her tea plantations
lie under the shadow of this snowy Himalayan giant. Darjeeling is just 78 km from
Siliguri (the major rail and road head) and is well connected
by Bus & jeep.
Darjeeling town (population 83,000 and elevation 2,134 m) is located on a spur with
houses hugging the hillside. The places to visit are Chowrasta, a wide promenade
atop a ridge lined with shops and restaurants; Mall Road, starting and finishing
at Chowrasta, for a leisurely stroll amidst peaceful surroundings and splendid views;
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park which has the Siberian tiger, Himalayan
black bear, red panda, snow leopard and many other animal and bird species, and
the nearby snow leopard breeding center and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,
a training center for
 mountaineers which also houses the Everest
museum' Natural History Museum, with its fine display of Himalaya wildlife; Observatory
Hill which has Hindu and Buddhist Shrines; Dhirdham, a pagoda style Hindu temple;
Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center, a major center for the production of Tibetan carpets,
woodwork and leather goods; the Buddhist monasteries of Bhutia Busty, Thupten Sangag
Choling(Dali) and Yiga-Choling (Ghoom); Batasia Loop, a marvelous feat of railway
engineering; Tiger Hill for its renowned sunrise view over Khangchendzonga and the
eastern Himalaya; Japanese Peace Pagoda, established by the Japanese Buddhist order,
Nipponzan Myohoji; and Lloyd's Botanical Garden which has a varied collection of
Himalayan flora.
Visitors can also take a ride in the Darjeeling-Rangit valley passenger cable car
or hop on the toy train which wheezes and winds all the way from Siliguri to Darjeeling
town via Kurseong.
 Toy Train: A visit to Darjeeling is incomplete
without a ride in the toy-train of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). The miniature
train of Darjeeling, given heritage status by UNESCO, covers the distance of 88
km between New Jalpaiguri station and Darjeeling.
Tiger Hill: Standing at a height of 2590m, Tiger Hill is 11 km from Darjeeling.
The place is famous for its magnificent view of Kanchenjunga, Mt. Everest and other
eastern Himalayan peaks especially at the time of sunrise.
Zoological Park: About 2 km. from the Darjeeling town, this zoo houses a
wide collection of high-altitude birds and animals, India's only collection of Siberian
tigers and some rare species such as the red panda. The Darjeeling zoo is famous
for its success in the snow leopard breeding program.
 Darjeeling Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
(HMI) & Museum : Adjacent to the Darjeeling Zoological Park, HMI runs
courses on mountaineering. It has a mountaineering museum containing mountaineering
gears and the specimens of Himalayan flora & fauna. The Everest Museum at Darjeeling
HMI exhibits the history of attempts on the great peak. The museum also exhibits
equipments used by Tenzing Norgay (who lived in Darjeeling) and Edmund Hillary on
their way to Mt. Everest and a letter written by George Mallory, the British climber
who was lost while climbing Mt. Everest and whose body was found just a few years
back.
Lloyd Botanical Garden: The garden, located below the Darjeeling bus stand,
is worth a dekko for its representative collection of Himalayan plants, flowers
and orchids. The serenity of the sylvan atmosphere that the garden offers is another
reason for its attraction.
Ghoom Monastery: The most famous monastery around Darjeeling, also known
as Yogachoeling Gompa, enshrines an image of Maitrey Buddha (the coming Buddha),
it is about 10 km from Darjeeling town.
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