Memory Makers Vacation

Queen of the Hills

Darjeeling

Darjeeling is a town in India's West Bengal state, in the Himalayan foothills. Once a summer resort for the British Raj elite, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or “Toy Train,” completed in 1881. It's famed for the distinctive black tea grown on plantations that dot its surrounding slopes. Its backdrop is Mt. Kanchenjunga, among the world’s highest peaks. Darjeeling grew in prominence during the mid 19th century when, because of its climate, the British first established a hill station there after leasing it from the Chogyal of Sikkim and later discovered that the area was particularly well suited for tea plantations.

Almost all the tourist attractions are located in 3-4 clusters of walking distance. Apart from sights within the town, there are plenty of trek options along the Himalayan ridges on the Indo-Nepal border near Darjeeling. The most popular one being the Singhalia Ridge Trail.

Best time to visit

October to March: October is when the monsoon season ends and a slight chill is observed in the weather. Winter season begins in full swing and it is during the months of mid-November to January, when the average temperature ranges between 7 and 5 degree Celsius. Snowfall is rarely seen in Darjeeling.

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra, near Siliguri, 96 km from Darjeeling. Bagdogra Airport is 2.5 hours by road from Darjeeling and 2 hours by air from Delhi, and 50 minutes by air from Kolkata.

By Taxi/Shared Jeep: Siliguri is the nearest town connected to the mainline rail network. Ample transport is available to Darjeeling from here. The most popular modes of transport are taxi (usually shared by three to four passengers), shared jeep (ten passengers) Shared jeeps depart regularly, from several locations around town. They are probably cheapest at the main bus stand. They leave when full, and are a cheap and fast (but uncomfortable as roads are poorly maintained) way to get to Darjeeling.

By Train: The nearest railway station to Darjeeling is New Jalpaiguri which connects the city with all the major parts of the country. There are a number of trains from cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar and Kochi. New Jalpaiguri (NJP),Siliguri is the nearest station on the main inter-city line. Direct trains to NJP run from Delhi (approx 27 hours) several times a day. If you are traveling from Kolkata (Sealdah Station) the best train for you will be Darjeeling Mail (circa 12 hours) running nightly at 10:05PM.

Top Places to visit

Himalayan Zoo

It has a good collection of animals found in the Himalayan region. Animals seem to be treated well (particularly by developing country standards), but some of the big cats don't look very happy in their small-ish cages. Please note that the HMI & Zoo are closed every Thursday.

Tiger Hill

Ideal to visit early morning when the first rays of the sun kiss the Mt. Kanchenjunga and give it a golden color. To visit the hill, one needs to get up at 3AM in the morning. You can taste some excellent tea on your way to the hill, which will provide much needed warmth on cold Darjeeling mornings.

Japanese Peace Pagoda

This impressive building is part of a grid of around 30 pagodas spanning the whole globe. Constructed by the Japanese Buddhist Nipponzan-Myohoji Order, the one at Charlimont on the outskirts of Darjeeling was consecrated in 1992. A small temple just lies alongside.

Batasia Loop

Batasia Loop is basically a place where the legendary toy train makes a loop. there is a Gorkha martyr memorial here. There is also a landscaped park. If you go early in the morning (before 8 am) you can get the glimpse of a local crafts market here.

Mirik

The centre of all attraction is the Sumendu lake made by surrounded by a garden on one side and pine trees on the other, linked together by an arching footbridge called Indreni Pull (Rainbow Bridge). A long road encircles the lake and is used for walks with the view of Kangchenjunga on the far horizon.

Rock Garden

The Rock Garden at Chunnu Summer Falls and Ganga Maya Park are recently added tourist attractions in the hilly town of Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal, India. It is a showpiece meant to lure people to Darjeeling after political agitations disrupted tourism in the 1980s.