Climate
Located in very high altitudes, Darjeeling is a cold place. Temperatures in
summer remain in the range of 15-20 degrees. But winters are very cold with
chances of temperature falling to 0 degrees also. Heavy rains during the
June-September monsoon period sometimes results in landslides also.
Best Time to Visit
March-May and September-November.
How To Reach
By Air : The nearest landing facility from Darjeeling is
Bagdogra at a distance of 90 kms. Direct flights are available to Bagdogra
from New Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati. Bagdogra is a small airport but
crucial for connecting the hilly regions of Darjeeling and Sikkim with rest
of the country.
By Rail : New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead at a
distance of 88 kms from Darjeeling. Trains coming from all parts of the
country to Assam halt at New Jalpaiguri. The 8 hour journey in the famous
toy train from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling is another great option worth
exploring.
By Road : There are direct bus and jeep services to
Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri and destinations of Sikkim. As the terrain is
hilly, reaching Darjeeling normally takes more time.
Places Where You Can Stay
Accommodation is not at all a problem in Darjeeling. There are many good
hotels, lodges and guest houses in the budget and mid-range categories. The
best hotels in the star category are Cedar Inn, Mayfair Hill Resort, Mohit,
Sinclairs and Garuda.
Tourist Attractions in Darjeeling
Ghoom
Monastery : A visit to Darjeeling generally begins with the Ghoom
monastery. The monastery has an imposing 4.5-metre tall image of the
Maitreya Buddha. The monastery has also preserved some rare handwritten
Buddhist manuscripts. Ghoom, at an altitude of about 2,407 metres, offers a
spectacular view of Darjeeling town .
Bhutia Busti : Situated at the backdrop of the
Kanchenjunga, this beautiful Gompa has an impressive collection of Buddhist
texts in its library. The Gompa is a branch of the Nyingmapa sect's Phodang
Monastery in Sikkim. Tastefully decorated, the Gompa also has a copy of the
Tibetan Book of the Dead in its library.
Dhirdham Temple : The Dhirdham Temple is situated at the
centre of Darjeeling town. The temple is similar in its architecture to the
famous Pashupatinath Temple of Kathmandu. Centrally located, the temple
attracts tourists in large numbers basically for its architecture.
Tiger Hills : Tiger hills are located at an altitude of
2590 metres above the sea level. Tourists throng the Tiger Hill from very
early morning to have a glimpse of the spectacular sunrise. On a clear day,
views of snow-capped Mt. Kanchenjunga is also available from the hills.
Batasia Loop : Batasia is a railway loop and a fine
example of modern railway engineering. The toy train of Darjeeling takes a
very unique turn at this point. A spectacular view of the low lying areas of
Darjeeling is available from this place.
Observatory Hill : The Observatory Hill is famous for
magnificent views of Mt. Kanchenjunga and the entire landscape below. There
are some temples and monasteries atop the hill also. The hills are also
inhabited by some aggressive monkey species who love to play hide-and-seek
with tourists visiting the place.
Zoological Gardens : Situated on the outskirts of
Darjeeling, Darjeeling zoo houses some rare varieties of Himalayan flora and
fauna species. This is the only zoo in India having the Siberian Tigers. The
rare Red Panda is another attraction of the zoo. Snow Leopards, Great Grey
Birds and Snow Yaks could also be seen in good numbers.
Natural History Museum : A popular place to visit in
Darjeeling, the Natural History Museum has an impressive collection of over
4300 specimen . They include a rich collection of fauna found in the
Himalayas and in Bengal. The museum also has a good collection of
butterflies and the estaurine crocodile. Also on display are mineral forms
of various stones.
Excursion Places near Darjeeling
Kalimpong
: The picturesque hill station of Kalimpong is situated across the
Teesta River between the Dedo and Durbindra Hills. At altitudes over 1,250
meters, Kalimpong is famous for beautiful flower nurseries and monasteries.
A small handicrafts industry is also flourishing in the place. The distance
of Kalimpong from Darjeeling is 51 kms.
Kurseong : Located at a distance of 32 kms from
Darjeeling, Kurseong is another small hill station at an altitude of 1,458
metres. The serene ambience and scenic beauty of this place attracts
tourists to this place.
Mirik : Midway between Siliguri and Darjeeling lies the
beautiful hill resort of Mirik. Mirik is famous for its lake, boating
facilities and plantations of oranges, cardamom and pine. There are many
varieties of fishes in one portion of the lake whose numbers are so high
that they are easily visible from the sides. The exact distance of Mirik
from Darjeeling is 49 kms.
Takdah : Tourists interested in seeing rare varieties of
Himalayan orchids can go to Takdah, a place at a distance of 26 kms from
Darjeeling.There are many nurseries in the place growing these orchids. To
watch these orchids in full bloom during the April-May season is a great
sight that many nature lovers eagerly wait for.
Shopping in Darjeeling
Darjeeling is a nice place to buy decorative items. The roadside bazaars of
this hill station come alive with a wide variety of products in the evening.
The main shopping areas are Chowrasta and Nehru Road.
Among the best buys of Darjeeling are thangkas, brass statues, religious
objects, jewellery, wood carving, woven fabrics and carpets. It may be
mentioned that there is a strong Tibetan influence over the products of the
place.
