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arjeeling, a famous hill resort town in the West Bengal state, conjures visions of serenity, of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour, a land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas. Darjeeling, which is situated at an altitude of 2,134 metres above sea-level, is a heavenly retreat bathed in hues of every shade: the flaming red rhododendrons, sparkling white magnolias, miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, exotic forests of silver fir — all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confirms Darjeeling as the Queen of the Himalayas.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Toy Train: The most spectacular way to reach Darjeeling is by the 84-km long, seven-and-a-half-hour meandering ride on the British-built Toy Train, as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is lovingly called. The train, which was begun in 1880 and has ferried viceroys, heads of states, kings, queens besides millions of tourists, was included in the World Heritage list by Unesco in 1999. It is still to this day powered by a steam engine.

Chowrastha: This is the heart of the town and a popular haunt of tourists. Visitors have to ascend a hill full of curios, studios etc, to reach Chowrastha or the Mall, which is a huge flat platform surrounded by benches for people to sit. The place affords a great view of the majestic Kanchenjunga and the surrounding hills.

Natural History Museum: Located near Chowrastha, this museum showcases a comprehensive collection of the fauna of the region. The specimens on display include all birds' species, reptiles and animals found in different altitudes in the eastern Himalayas.

Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park: This zoo located 2133 meters above sea level has the distinction of breeding Tibetan Wolf in captivity as well as snow leopards and Siberian tigers.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute: This institute was founded to commemorate the ascent of Mount Everest (8,848 m) by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary.

Observatory Hill: This hill is located above Chowrastha and is a few minutes walk from the Mall Road, on which the Sacred Mahakal temple rests. Mahakal is believed to the incarnation of Lord Shiva. Adjacent to Mahakal temple is a Buddhist shrine.

Rangeet Valley Ropeway: A monocable ropeway connects Darjeeling with Bijanbari in Rangeet Valley. The ropeway's 4,620 ft span is the longest in India. A bicable passenger ropeway linking Darjeeling's North Point with Singla descends from a height of 2,134 metres to 244 metres and offers views of the beautiful tea gardens.

Lloyd's Botanical Garden: Spread over 40 acres and barely 15 minutes walk from Chowrastha, this garden is home to plants native to Sikkim Himalayas and exotica from other parts of India and the world. Besides many varieties of alpine plants, the garden boasts of 150 species of cactii as well as 50 rare varieties of orchids.

Tiger Hill: Situated at an altitude of 2590 metres and 13 kms from the town, this spot has earned international fame for the magnificent view of the sunrise over Kanchenjunga and the great Eastern Himalayan mountains. Even Mount Everest is visible from here.

Batasia Loop: About 5 km from Darjeeling, this railway loop is a marvellous feat of engineering. It is fascinating to watch the toy train wind its way round the loop. The War Memorial constructed in the memory of the brave sons of Darjeeling who died in different battles since 1947, is worth a visit. The site offers a glorious view of the snowy peaks and the town.

Tenzing and Gombu Rock: Situated at Lebong Cart Road. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute conducts preliminary course on Rock climbing on these rocks, which are also known as 'monkey rocks'.
Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park: Located about 12 km from Darjeeling, this garden adorned with hill rock, fountains and flowerbeds is a must-see. Barely 2 km from here is Ganga Maya Park that has a small lake with boating facilities.

Happy Valley Tea Garden: Of the 70 odd tea gardens around Darjeeling, this one is the nearest and affords visitors an opportunity to see the processing of the world famous Darjeeling tea.

Courtsey: India Digest

Tourist Information

How to reach:
• By Air: Nearest airport is at Bagdogra, about 90 km away.
• By Rail: Main railhead is at Siliguri, about 80 km away.
• By Road: Well-connected by road from Siliguri and other important cities.

Climate:-
• Winter: Maximum temperature is 6 degrees Celsius, minimum is 1 degree Celsius.
• Summer: Maximum temperature is 14.8 degrees Celsius; minimum is 8.5 degrees.
Best time to visit: March-June and October-December.
Where to stay: Tourist Lodge • Tenzing Norgey Youth Hostel • Maple Tourist Lodge • Windamere Hotel • Mayfair Hill Resort • Elgin Hotel • Hotel Sinclairs • Hotel North Star

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