Straddling a ridge at 2134m and surrounded by a tea plantations, Darjeeling has been a popular hill station since the British established it as an R&R centre for their troops in mid-1800s. People come here now, as they did then, to escape the heat, humidity and hassle of the north Indian plain. You get an indication of how popular Darjeeling is from the 70 or so hotels recognised by the tourist office and the scores of others which don't come up to its requirements. Here you will find yourself surrounded by mountain people from all over the eastern Himalaya who have come to work, to trade or - in the case of the Tibetans - as refugees.
    Outside of the monsoon season (June to September), the views over the mountains to the snowy peaks of Kanchenjunga and down to the swollen rivers in the valleys are magnificent. Darjeeling is a fascinating place where you can see Buddhist monasteries, visit a tea plantation and see how the tea is processed, go for a ride on the chairlift, spend days hunting for bargains in colourful markets and handicrafts shops, or go trekking to high-altitude spots for closer views of Kanchenjunga.

 Like many places in the Himalaya, half the fun is in getting there and Darjeeling has the unique attraction of its famous toy train . This miniature train loops and switchbacks its way up the steep mountainsides from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling.
 

History

Until the beginning of the 18th century the whole of the area between the present borders of Sikkim and the plains of Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, belonged to the rajas of Sikkim. In 1706 they lost Kalimpong to the Bhutanese, and control of the remainder was wrested from them by the Gurkhas who invaded Sikkim in 1780, following consolidation of the latter's rule in Nepal.Darjeeling's Toy Train.

 The 88km journey to Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri or Silliguri on the famous miniature railway is certainly not the quickest way to get here but is nevertheless an experience that shouldn't be missed.

 Until the late 1800s, all supplies for Darjeeling and all the tea exported had to be transported by bullock cart along aptly-named Hill Cart Rd. This was slow and expensive: rice that sold for Rs 98 a ton fetched Rs 240 a ton by the time it reached the hill station. Construction of the railway line up to Tindharia. In 1881 the line was completed through Darjeeling.

The whole line is an ingenious feat of engineering and includes five switchbacks and four complete loops. The last of these, known as the Batasia Loop, is five km short of Darjeeling and a popular spot for photographers.

Over the years there have been calls to pension off the elderly, unreliable, steam locomotives, the oldest of which (No 779) dates from 1892. In the last two years many of the country's steam engines have been shunted into the scrap yards. However, now that there are relatively few working steam lines, increased interest from all enthusiasts and tourist should ensure the survival of Darjeeling's Toy Train.

Sightseeing

Tiger Hill

The highest spot in the area at 2590m, Tiger Hill is near Ghoom, about 11km from Darjeeling. The hill is famous for its magnificent dawn views over Kanchenjunga and other eastern Himalayan peaks. On a clear day even Mount Everest is visible.

 Every day a large convoy of battered Land Rovers leaves  Darjeeling at 4.30am, which means that in the smaller lodges you get woken up at this time every day, whether you like it or not. It can be very cold and very crowded at the top but coffee is available. There is a view tower. Halfway down the hill a temple priest causes a massive traffic jam by anointing the steering wheel of each vehicle for the return trip. Many take the jeep one way and then walk back - a very pleasant two hour trip.

Senchal Lake

Close to Tiger Hill is Senchal Lake, which supplies Darjeeling with its domestic water. It's a particularly scenic area and popular as a picnic spot with Indian holiday-makers.

Kanchenjunga Views

At 8598m, this is the world's third highest mountain. From Darjeeling, the best uninterrupted views of it are from Bhan Bhakta Sarani. The name Kanchenjunga is derived from the Tibetan Khang (snow), chen (big), dzong (fortress or treasury) nga (five) - big five peaked snow fortress, or big five peaked treasury of the snow.

 

Bhutia Busty Gompa

Not far from Chowrasta is this colourful monastery, with Kanchenjunga providing a spectacular backdrop. Originally a branch of the Nyingmapa sect's Phodang Monastery in Sikkim, it was transferred to Darjeeling in 1879. The shrine here originally stood on Observatory Hill. There's library of Buddhist texts upstairs which houses the original copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Ghoom Gompa

More correctly known as Yogachoeling Gompa, this is probably the most famous monastery in Darjeeling and is about 8 km south of town, just below Hill Cart road and the train station near Ghoom. It enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha. Foreigners are allowed to enter the shrine and take photographs. As Ghoom is frequently swathed in mists, and the monastery is old and dark, it is often affectionately called Gloom monastery.

Other Gompas

There are three other gompas in Ghoom: the very large but relatively uninteresting Samdenchoeling, the nearby and smaller  Sakyachoeling, and the Phin Sotholing.

 Nearer Darjeeling, on Tenzing Norgay Rd, Aloobari Monastery welcomes visitors. The monks often sell Tibetan and Sikkimese handicrafts and religious objects (usually hand bells). If the monastery is closed ask at the cottage next door and they'll let you in.

Halfway between Ghoom and Darjeeling is the Thupten Sangachoeling Gompa at Dali. Westerners interested in Tibetan Buddhism often study here. A little closer to Darjeeling on the same road is the opulent Sonada Gompa.

Observatory Hill

Situated above the Windamere  Hotel, this viewpoint is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. There is a Kali shrine here and the multicoloured prayer flags double as trapezes for he monkeys. Watch out for them as they can be aggressive.

Dhirdham Temple

The most conspicuous Hindu temple in Darjeeling, this is just below the railway station and is modelled on the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.

Bengal Natural History Museum

Established in 1903, a comprehensive but dusty collection of Himalayan and Bengali fauna is packed into this interesting museum. Among the 4300 specimens is the estuarine crocodile, the animal responsible for the greatest loss of human life in Asia. The museum is open daily except Thursday, from 10am to 4pm.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

This zoo was established in 1958 with the objectives of study, conservation and preservation of Himalayan fauna. The animals are well cared for by dedicated keepers. To protect and breed the dwindling stocks of wild animals, to educate the public and instill in them a sense of the worth of these wonderful creatures, it is necessary to keep them in pseudo-natural habitats. The zoo houses India's only collection of Siberian tigers and some rare species, such as the red panda and the Tibetan wolf.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) & Museums

Entered through the zoo, on Jawahar Rd West about two km from the town, the HMI runs courses to train mountaineers, and maintains a couple of interesting museums. The Mountaineering Museum contains a collection of historic mountaineering equipment, specimens of Himalayan flora and fauna and a relief model of the Himalaya. The Everest Museum next door traces the history of attempts on the great peak.

Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who conquered Everest with Edmund Hillary in 1953, lived  in Darjeeling and was the director of the institute for many years. He died in 1986 and his statue now stands beside cremation spot just above the institute

Tibetan Refugee Centre

A 20 to 30 minutes walk from Chowrasta through leafy glades and tea plantations, brings you down to the Tibetan Refugee Centre. Established in 1959, the centre comprises a home for the aged, and orphanage, school, hospital and craft workshops that produce carpets of pure ladakhi wool, woodcarving, leather work and wool items. The weaving and dyeing shops and the wood carving shop are particularly interesting.

Gymkhana Club

The word gymkhana is actually derived from the Hindi gendkhana (ball house). Games on offer include tennis, squash, badminton, roller-skating, table tennis and billiards.

Passenger Ropeway

At north point, about 3 km north of the town, is India's oldest passenger ropeway. It is 5 km long and connects Darjeeling with Singla bazaar on the little Ranjeet river at the bottom of the valley.

Lloyd Botanical Gardens

Below the bus and taxi stand near the market, these gardens contain a representative collection of Himalayan plants, flowers and orchids. The hothouses are well worth a visit.

How To Reach Darjeeling

By Air:The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra about 94-96 kms away from Darjeeling. There are direct flight connections with Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati. Tourists heading for Darjeeling can get direct taxis/cabs to Darjeeling from Bagdogra or one can head towards Siliguri first and get a transport there. There are a number of transport facilities available from Siliguri - one can reserve a taxi or choose to go by paying perhead (Rs. 80 - this varies from time to time) from the Bus Junction area.

By Train:The closest Railway Station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP) about 88 kms away from Darjeeling. It has direct railway connections with Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati, Varanasi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and other major cities of India. Once in NJP one can avail of taxis directly to Darjeeling or take an auto-rickshaw or rickshaw upto Siliguri and thus proceed to Darjeeling by getting a taxi.

Some important train services :
(abbreviations used : Guw-Guwahati, Mum-Mumbai, Cal-Calcutta, Del-Delhi, Ban-Bangalore)

Guw-Ban Express(Ban) NJP
Guw-Ban Express(NJP) Bangalore
Dadar-Guw Express(Mum) NJP
Dadar-Guw Express(NJP) Dadar (Mum)
Rajdhani Express (New Del) NJP
Rajdhani Express (NJP) New Delhi
Darjeeling Mail (Cal) NJP
Darjeeling Mail (NJP) Sealdah (Cal)
Kanchanjunga Express(Cal) NJP
Kanchanjunga Express(NJP) Sealdah (Cal)