Darjeeling Kunchenjunga 2753

Darjeeling

They call it a Queen
The billowing waves of lush tea gardens under the splendid snowy mountain of Kanchenjunga remind you of Dr Campbell, a member of the Indian Medical Service, who brought tea seeds for the first time in 1841 from China to his Beechwood residence.
As the fairy tale steam train chugs along a serpentine loop, you are lost in a trellis of clouds and sunshine. Welcome to Darjeeling – the Queen of the Hills!
Long ago, a small village of the Lepchas, Limbus and Bhutiyas, Darjeeling was a part of Sikkim. It got intertwined with the history of the British East India Company when a Deed of Grant (1835) brought it as a gift to the British from the Raja of Sikkim. Darjeeling grew up as a darling sanatorium for the colonial rulers.
Satiated with a sumptuous breakfast, you lazily walk toward the Mall through a horde of faces – locals and immigrants for generations. Tall shadows of drooping deodars in the afternoon envelop you on your way to the lonely Hermitage Road. Visit the famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the Natural History Museum or a lonely Buddhist monastery. Be at Tiger Hill for a spectacular sunrise.
Being in Darjeeling is being soaked in both – the present and the past – the heritage and the contemporary.

Activities in Darjeeling

Day walks from Darjeeling. 
  • Day walks from Darjeeling.  - Unlike in Nepal, most of the walking trails around Darjeeling will be on well-paved roads, where trekking boots are not necessary, but a pair of comfortable walking shoes will serve the purpose. Most of the walks out of the city will be passing through a scenic tea estate with a gorgeous view of Mt Kanchenjunga. MORE

Photography tour in Darjeeling 
  • Photography tour in Darjeeling  - A photography tour in Darjeeling can be full of beautiful surprises. The view from the Tiger Hill, Mall road in all its business, tea plucking women in their traditional dresses, Buddhist monasteries and monks are some of the many reasons why Darjeeling is one of the most visited tourist spots in West Bengal. If you are lucky, then a clear picture of the Kanchenjunga will remain with you like a generous gift from this town.

Heritage Steam Train Ride
  • Heritage Steam Train Ride - A fascinating journey of approx 2hrs starts from Darjeeling at 10 AM and takes you to Ghum, the highest in India at 2200M (7400Ft). The ride offers an opportunity to experience a unique journey as it chugs along the town snaking through the small market shops and villages before it reaches at picturesque Batasia Loop for a lovely view of the mountains, and then it reaches Ghum station. Here you can visit the rail museum before you ride back to Darjeeling.

Common city tour
  • Common city tour - A popular city day-tour in Darjeeling takes about 3 to 4 hrs and covers the most important tourist attractions in the city. The tour typically begins with a visit to Himalayan Zoological Park and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute on the same premises. MORE

City Walking tour
  • City Walking tour - The best way to explore the city of Darjeeling is by walking. Walk with our guide through the lanes and by-lanes and see the uncommon faces of Darjeeling as closely as possible. During the walk, we show you the most important landmarks in the town and take you to the local markets where Darjeeling's real-life flows unaffected by the influence of tourism. MORE

Tea garden tour
  • Tea garden tour - Darjeeling is known worldwide for its high-quality orthodox tea. Today we will take you for a guided tea garden tour in Darjeeling, where you will have first-hand exposure to learning the different processes the tea leaf passes through before it reaches you in your morning cup. MORE

Day Excursions
  • Day Excursions - Darjeeling has plenty of options for full-day excursions. Several small hill stations surrounding Darjeeling are famous for their charm. Mirik 50kms away from Darjeeling is a beautiful day excursion from Darjeeling. The drive to Mirik, which can be covered in 2.5hrs is delightful for its scenic beauty as it passes through lovely tea gardens and Pine forests all along the Indo Nepal Border. MORE

Day Birding Tour
  • Day Birding Tour - The hills of Darjeeling offer splendid options for bird watching with photography. Excursions to the surrounding hills and forests areas will occupy the day with excellent birding opportunities. Leave early from the hotel and equipped with a binocular, camera and a bird book in hand, and accompanied by our bird guide cum spotter to explore the lesser-known wonders of the Himalayas. MORE

Day Biking tour
  • Day Biking tour - A day biking tour in Darjeeling's surrounding countryside can be ideal for much-needed relaxation and give you a completely different experience than a regular guided city sightseeing. Paddle off to freedom – bike away from the cityscape – run through the winding valleys, lush tea gardens, the tiny villages, woods, the streams, terraced agricultural land and you are always accompanied by some great mountain views around you.

  • Camping Night out with hiking - If you want to forget the hotel's comfort and taste real wilderness and freshness around you, we make an ideal arrangement for you in Darjeeling Hills. Stay the night in a camp under the starry sky on a highland pasture or a lonely hilltop. Hike around, enjoy the stunning view of the mountain, watch the gorgeous Sunrise or Sunset and let the serenity absorb you. MORE


Attractions in Darjeeling

  • Tiger Hill

    Tiger Hill is known for its heavenly sunrise view over the highest snow mountains of the Himalayan ranges. Wake up as early as 3.30 AM to witness the shivering morning cold, but you should brave it to get rewarding moments at Tiger Hill when the soft glow of the first sunray touches the snow peak with a splash of colours.

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  • Yiga Choling Monastery

    Popularly known as Ghoom Monastery, this Buddhist Gompa is situated near Ghoom Railway Station, 8kms away from Darjeeling town. Constructed in 1875, the monastery belongs to the yellow sect of Gelugpas Buddhists and holds a rare collection of scriptures and images of Buddha.

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  • Darjeeling Himalayan Rail

    The charm of Darjeeling is not complete without a ride on the Himalayan Rail, popularly known as the Toy Train. Darjeeling Himalayan rail history dated back as early as 1881 when the first steam engine chugged its serpentine way on the narrow gauge line through the moist hilly forests to Darjeeling.

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  • Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI)

    A few minutes' walks from Mall will take you to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI). The institute, a climber's pilgrimage, was established in 1954, inspired by Tenzing Norgay and Edmond Hillary's achievement of scaling Mt. Everest in 1953.

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  • Himalayan Zoological Park

    Just adjacent to the institute is the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, one of the world's highest zoos. With a rare collection of high altitude Himalayan species that includes red panda, Siberian tiger, snow leopard, musk deer and many flagship birds, this Zoo is an important tourist attraction in Darjeeling.

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  • Bhutia Busty Monastery

    A small but important monastery for the Red Sect of Buddhists is located just 1.5kms from the main Darjeeling town. This monastery was initially built in 1879 but was destroyed by a Gurkha invasion in the 19th century.

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  • Batasia Loop and War Memorial

    One of the tourists' prime attractions is the Batasia Loop on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway track constructed in the late 19th century by the British. The pleasure of the famous heritage steam rail ride in Darjeeling cannot be completed without visiting the Batasia Loop.

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  • Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre

    This centre is a significant place in Darjeeling history, established in 1959 when Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet during a Chinese atrocity. Many followers of Dalai Lama also took shelter in Darjeeling at that time.

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  • Observatory Hill

    The highest point in the city centre is Observatory Hill, famous for its location and view. This square is the centre of Darjeeling's daily life, and most of the important landmarks are located in and around the hills.

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  • Llyod Botanical Garden

    One of the oldest botanical gardens in the country - The Llyod Botanical Garden, was established in 1878 in Darjeeling and held a unique collection of rare Himalayan species of plants, including orchids, flowers, shrubs, herbs and cactus.

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Connectivity

Darjeeling can be reached in a 3 hrs drive from the nearest Bagdogra Airport, which is connected with all major airports in India, including Delhi and Kolkata, with daily flights. Darjeeling is 80kms by road from Siliguri, the main gateway to the Hills with a Railway Station. Other important towns and tourist destinations such as Gangtok, Pelling, Kalimpong and Phuntsoling on Bhutan Border are 3 hrs, 4 hrs, 2 hrs and 5 hrs drive.


Location of Darjeeling

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