Darjeeling

DARJEELING TRAVEL GUIDE

Darjeeling conjures visions of snow peaks, serenity of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour, a land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas. Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. Flaming red rhododendrons, sparkling white magnolias, miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir – all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as the QUEEN OF HILL STATIONS. The crest of Kanchenjunga shining in the first dawn light truly supports the title.

Darjeeling beckons thousands today for a leisurely respite from the bustle of the madding crowd. The traveler – whether a tourist or a trekker, an ornithologist or a photographer, a botanist or an artist – will find in Darjeeling an experience which will remain etched in one’s memory – forever.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as the Toy Train, is a narrow gauge train service that runs between Darjeeling rail station and New Jalpaiguri rail station. This 88 km long miniature train route was established in July 1881. Recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Toy Train is a beloved attraction among tourists.

A popular tourist activity in Darjeeling is the Toy Train Joy Ride. This journey begins at Darjeeling rail station and travels to Ghum railway station, about 7 km away. At Ghum, tourists can take a break to visit the DHR museum before heading back to Darjeeling on the same train. Another brief stop is made at the Batasia Loop, where tourists can disembark and take pictures.

The entire activity lasts approximately one and a half hours. During the peak tourist season, more trains operate on this route compared to the off-season. There are two types of trains: steam engines and relatively modern diesel engines. The steam engines, which are over a century old, have higher ticket prices and tend to sell out faster. During peak season, tickets are often sold out months in advance.

RANGEET VALLEY PASSENGER ROPEWAY

The Passenger Ropeway at North Point is another must-visit attraction for tourists in Darjeeling, offering a thrilling joy ride with breathtaking views of the hills and the tea gardens. The ropeway originates at North Point which is the northernmost part of the town. The downhill ride originates at North Point (2000 meters / 6600 feet) and will take you to Tukvar Tea Garden (1400 meters / 4600 feet). You can take a short break here before riding your gondola back to your starting point. The distance covered is about 2.5 km one way or 5 km in total.

TIGER HILL

Standing at a height of 2590m, Tiger Hill is 11 km from the main town. The place is famous for its magnificent view of Kanchenjunga, Mt. Everest and other eastern Himalayan peaks, especially at the time of sunrise.

ZOOLOGICAL PARK

About 2 km. from the town, this zoo houses a wide collection of high-altitude birds and animals, India’s only collection of Siberian tigers and some rare species such as the red panda. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is famous for its success in the snow leopard breeding program.

HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE (HMI) & MUSEUM

Adjacent to the Zoological Park, HMI runs courses on mountaineering. It has a museum containing mountaineering gear and specimens of Himalayan flora & fauna. The Everest Museum at HMI exhibits the history of attempts at the Great Peak. The museum also exhibits equipment used by Tenzing Norgay (who lived most of his life here) and Edmund Hillary on their way to Mt. Everest and a letter written by George Mallory, the British climber who was lost while climbing Mt. Everest and whose body was found just a few years back.

LLOYD BOTANICAL GARDEN

The garden, located below the bus stand, is worth a dekko for its representative collection of Himalayan plants, flowers, and orchids. The serenity of the garden’s sylvan atmosphere is another reason for its attraction.

GHOOM MONASTERY

The most famous monastery around, also known as Yogachoeling Gompa, enshrines an image of Maitreya Buddha (the coming Buddha), which is about 10 km from the town.

DHIRDHAM TEMPLE / MAHAKAL

A Hindu temple, it is modelled on the famous Pashupati Temple of Kathmandu.

Average temperature varies between 20•C and 25•C near the foothills and goes down sharply as the altitude increases. In the town of Darjeeling or Kalimpong, the temperature may range from 8C to 15•C in summer and from 1•C to 6•C in winter. It can get very cold in winter.

An umbrella is a must throughout the year since rain in the area is quite unpredictable; however the same is available cheaply in the local markets.

N.B. Light woollen clothes in summer & warm clothes in winter, a foldable handy umbrella may be useful.

The best time to visit Darjeeling is from mid-September to mid-December, although it gets quite cold by December. The season resumes around mid-March and continues till mid-June but as the haze builds up the views become less clear. During the monsoon months (June to September), clouds obscure the mountains and the rain is often so heavy that whole sections of the road from the plains are washed away, though the major towns are rarely cut off for more than a few days at a time.

How to Reach Darjeeling by Air

Darjeeling does not have its own airport. The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra, close to Siliguri. Bagdogra is approximately two and a half hours by road from Darjeeling. A flight from Delhi is two hours and around fifty minutes from Kolkata. Air India, Vistara, Indigo, Air Asia, Spice Jet and Go Air have daily flights from New Delhi. Spice Jet and Go Air have daily flights from Mumbai to Bagdogra. There also regular flights from Guwahati and Kolkata.

If you are flying from outside India, it is advisable to take a flight to one of the major cities in the country and then get a connecting flight to Bagdogra. There are international flights from Bangkok, Paro and most of the major cities in India.

It is possible to access Nepal through Darjeeling. One can get a shared jeep from Siliguri and then a bus to the Nepalese border changing buses at Nepal. Alternatively, there are services available next to the clock tower in Darjeeling where the driver can take you across the border and drop you at the Bhadrapur airport in Nepal for your connecting flight to Kathmandu.

How to Reach Darjeeling by Railways

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.

There are direct trains to New Jalpaiguri, which run from Delhi several times a day. If you are travelling from Kolkata (Sealdah Station) the best train for you will be Darjeeling Mail (12 hours) running nightly at 10:05 PM.

New Jalpaiguri, connects Darjeeling by the famous ‘Toy Train’ – Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). This train is outstanding and listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. If you plan to take the toy train to Darjeeling, be sure to book ahead in the summer months as it tends to get fully booked by Indian tourists. This route is very popular and has been featured in many books and films, in India and internationally.

You can take a ‘Joyride’ from Darjeeling to Ghoom round the famous Batasia Loop. Joyrides take two hours with 30 minutes stop at Ghoom and 10 minutes at Batasia Loop.

A steam train also operates from Siliguri to ‘Agony Point’ above Tindharia on most Saturdays and Sundays. Enquire at Siliguri station. There is also a daily ‘School Train’ that leaves Kurseong arriving and departing to and from Darjeeling. This is still hauled by a steam engine and is one of the last ordinary steam trains running anywhere in the world.

How to Reach Darjeeling by Road

Bus – There is a regular bus service from Siliguri to Darjeeling. However, they are quite slow due to the steep, twisty climb up to Darjeeling. The Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus at Siliguri located on Hill Cart Road has many buses plying to Darjeeling. It is 8 km from New Jalpaiguri. You can take a taxi or auto-rickshaw or cycle rickshaw to reach there from the station. From there, there are many state-run and private buses for Darjeeling that leave frequently.

Shared jeeps are faster, but cost double. The only drawback is that the jeeps wait for a full load of passengers before departing. Consider hiring a taxi, Jeep or Sumo with the overhead carrier. This will be cheaper if the vehicle goes directly from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling.

Taxi/Shared Jeeps – 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 taxis and shared jeeps.

Shared jeeps depart regularly, from several locations around town. They are probably cheapest at the main bus stand. They are efficient and cheap but a little uncomfortable as the roads bumpy.

There are pre-paid taxis in front of the train stations at New Jalpaiguri and at Bagdogra. You can also take shared jeeps to reach Darjeeling from the booking counter at the taxi stand in front of the station. Most often tourists buy an extra seat or two to have more space for the three-hour journey up to Darjeeling. Luggage is carried for free on the roof. Jeeps may stop for a snack and toilet break on the way up (normally a few km short of Kurseong).

While going to Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri, try to hire a Taxi/Jeep/Sumo with an overhead carrier, which has just arrived from Darjeeling, as this will be much cheaper than if you hire a vehicle which is going directly from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling.