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Darjeeling is a fascinating hill station in West Bengal and a divine blend of lush green hills, beautiful serene monasteries, tea plantations and the amazing toy train.



The name of the town, also known as the Queen of Hill Stations, is derived from the Tibetan word 'Dorje' meaning a precious stone or the thunderbolt, and 'ling' meaning place, so Darjeeling means the land of the thunderbolt. Once Darjeeling was the favourite place of the British because of its cool climate and lush mountains. Darjeeling is also known throughout the world for its Darjeeling tea. Being in Darjeeling and sipping a hot cup of tea is priceless. The city has a total population of over 132,016 and is ethnically diverse. The most commonly spoken languages are Nepali, Tibetan, Hindi, Bengali and English. 

The months of March to May and September to November are considered the best time to visit this paradisiacal place. In July, Darjeeling experiences heavy rains and landslides due to heavy deforestation and poor planning, so the rainy season should be avoided when planning a trip to Darjeeling. One of the main attractions of Darjeeling is the toy train, built in the late 19th century, which runs from Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a World Heritage Site UNESCO. The tracks rise from sea level to an altitude of over 7,500 feet in just about 70 km. To overcome these gradients, the train zigzags, turns around and makes loops. The most famous is the Batasia loop, where the train does a complete figure eight. The train covers about 83 km in six or seven hours, so you have plenty of time to breathe in the fresh mountain air.

The mighty Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world at 8586 m, is one of Darjeeling's most eye-catching beauties. The road to climb the mountain is full of hardships, but the feeling you get when you stand on the summit and view the world from above is incomparable. However, you should not be discouraged if you are not able to enjoy the view from the top, because not everyone can climb Kanchenjunga. You can view the beauty of Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hills, the sunrise tour is most popular among tourists. You can also enjoy the panoramic view of Ranjit River and the green tea plantations of the city by the passenger ropeway. This is the first passenger ropeway in India and covers a distance of 5 km from North Point to Singla Bazaar. It is a big mistake to visit Darjeeling without paying a visit to the tea gardens. The tea gardens, nestled on the gentle slopes of the hills, will undoubtedly leave you spellbound. You can visit the Badamtan Tea Estate, which was once one of the tea companies run by the British. It is located on the other side of the Ranjit River. 

Here you can buy the First Flush tea that fills the estate with sweet taste and fine aroma. Darjeeling also has a number of monasteries with their beautiful architecture. Ghoom Monastery is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Darjeeling and was built in 1850. 4.57 metres high, the statue of Maithreya Buddha, which means 'The Coming Buddha", is in this monastery. The monastery also keeps some of the rarest Buddhist manuscripts. Jang Dong Palriffo Brang Monastery was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama and founded in 1976. If you are interested in wildlife, you can visit the Darjeeling Zoo where you can see some of the high altitude animals and some endangered species that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Located just 2 km from the city, the zoo houses various animals like snow leopards, panthers, deer, black bears, snow yaks, etc. But among them, the red panda attracts the special attention of tourists. This zoo is said to be the only zoo in the world that breeds the Tibetan wolf in captivity. It is also the first South Asian zoo to breed snow leopards and Siberian tigers.

Darjeeling Train Ride


Experience one of the best train rides in the country, passing through the scattered clouds. The Darjeeling toy train, which can be seen on UNESCO, fascinates many tourists. The journey takes you from Jalpaiguri to Ghoom and offers breathtaking views. The train passes through the mountains and gives the impression of colonial charm. The journey to the sites of British India is mystical and cannot be put into words.

Tiger Hill



The cascading view of muddy clouds against beautiful and majestic snow-capped mountains. This is how I would most like to describe the scenery at this place! Tiger Hill is located at an amazing height of about 2600 metres above normal sea level. This small place is located about 13 km from the capital city of Darjeeling. A World Heritage Site ( UNESCO ), this hill is famous for its magnificent and grand sights. From here you can see Kanchenjunga, the second highest mountain in the country, shining in the light of the sun and offering a magnificent sight that will captivate everyone.

The viewpoint here is quite famous. This point is famous for the view it offers of the pristine beauty of nature and the charm of Darjeeling in a unique way. The sunrise and the sunset are the two most amazing things about this point, where the snow-capped mountains blend with the faint red and orange streaks of the sun.

Himalayan Railway



The Darjeeling Toy Train, popularly known as the DHR or Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, is a small, two-foot wide narrow gauge railway that runs between Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. This small but powerful train runs over elevated areas ranging from 300 feet to 2200 feet. At present, about 4 locomotives run on this line. The most popular route preferred by tourists is from Darjeeling to Ghum. The scenic beauty entices tourists to travel back and forth on this railway. However, the line is operated and maintained by a British class B steam locomotive, which is quite powerful.

The aesthetic beauty, design, construction and power of the locomotives are simply amazing. You just can not get enough of the locomotives! The switchboards and the design are absolutely vintage. Unlike the other railways, these locomotives are very colourful and bright. You would certainly love to take one home with you! (You can not, by the way).

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