Darjeeling Hill Station- West Bengal: Sipping Tea in Paradise

Darjeeling hill station tour guide helps plan your tour better; browse through our website and check Darjeeling travel packages, holiday trips. This hill station is suitable for family trips. Darjeeling is often referred to as the “Queen of the eastern Himalayas”. This popular hill station in West Bengal offers the best the Himalayas have to offer. Another captivating factor that draws tourists to Darjeeling is the world famous Darjeeling Toy Train.

Darjeeling offers some of the most memorable sunsets and sunrises in India and has, for quite a long time, been a magnet for trekkers, photographers, botanists, ornithologists, honeymooners and holidaymakers. Among the things that Darjeeling is famous for are the gigantic peaks of Kanchenjunga (the third highest mountain in India), Lhotse, and Makalu.

PLACES to VISIT in Darjeeling- TOUR DESTINATIONS

  • Perhaps the most major landmark in Darjeeling is Ghoom, one of the tourist attractions, a quaint hillock dominated by the renowned Yiga Choeling Monastery.
  • Try not to miss the monastery for it has some of the best images of Maitreya Buddha. Also find the ancient palm leaf and paper manuscripts in the Tibetan script.
  • Another must-visit in Darjeeling is the Museum of Natural History that is a proud keeper of a very fine collection of Himalayan animals, reptiles, birds and insects.
  • Darjeeling also houses one of India’s best zoos, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, which is the only zoological center in India dedicated to the conservation of the rare snow leopard. The zoo also has Ussurian tigers and the Himalayan black bear.
  • The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, located close to the zoo, is another place that merits a visit, and not just by mountaineers. Established in 1954 by the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in the wake of the conquest of Everest, the institute was headed by Tenzing Norgay (the institute’s first Director).
  • The Lloyd Botanical garden is another place that will enthral you with its amazing collection of alpine flora and orchids.
  • For adventurous people, make sure you ride the Darjeeling-Rangit Valley ropeway, which is the longest ropeway ride in Asia.
  • Some of the other places to visit in the Darjeeling hill station are Observatory Hill, Dhirdam Temple, Aloobaari Monastery, Bhutia Bustee Monastery and the Ava Art Gallery.
  • In addition, Darjeeling’s famous tea gardens are also worth visiting.

Darjeeling Hill Station- Important TRAVEL TIPS

  • Climate: Temperatures in Darjeeling hill station range from 15 to 25 degrees centigrade in summer to 2 to 10 degrees in winter; so plan accordingly.
  • Drinks: Enjoy a glass of the local alcoholic drink ‘chhang’ (made from barley)
  • Festivals: If possible catch the ‘Teesta Tea’ and ‘Tourism Festival’ held in December–January.
  • Languages: Languages spoken are Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, and English.
  • Don't Miss: Do not, under any circumstances, miss the toy train ride.

BEST TIME to visit Darjeeling

March–May and September–November are the best times to visit the Darjeeling hill station. Try avoiding the monsoon season, as the heavy downpour ends up making Darjeeling a bit very dreary.

BEST WAY to reach Darjeeling hill station

  • By Air: The nearest airport is at Bagdogra, which is well connected to Kolkata.
  • By Rail: Siliguri is the nearest railhead. From Siliguri, you can catch a toy train to Darjeeling hill station.
  • By Road: The Darjeeling Hill Station is well connected to all the important cities in the region by road.

Hotels, inspection bungalows, private cottages, resorts etc. are available to suit all budgets. Find Travel Agents suiting your travel on Tripraja.com

ACCOMMODATION

Hotels, inspection bungalows, private cottages, resorts etc. are available to suit all budgets.