What is it famous for?
Though mostly famous for its impeccable stretches of tea estates, the quaint Himalayan town of Darjeeling certainly has more to it. Verdant green mountainsides begin where tea plantations stop sloping down, and this tumbling of hills happens against the backdrop of snow-clad Himalayan peaks.
Things to do in Darjeeling:
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Watch the sunrise over the Tiger Hill as the first light of the day dazzles the white snow of the Kanchenjunga.
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Take a tour of the oldest and highest tea factories in India. Watch tea pickers at work and taste the four flushes of tea processing.
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Visit the Zang Dhok Palri Phodang Buddhist monastery, which was consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976. This beautiful monastery offers a sneak in the life of the Tibetan Buddhist monks, and the most wonderful view of the valley from the hilltop.
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Also visit other monasteries such as the Bhutia Busty Gompa, famous for its colourful murals, the Ghoom Gompa which is known for a clay statue of the Maitreya Buddha, and the Darjeeling’s Peace Pagoda located on the top of the Charlimont Hill.
Raft on the Teesta River in Kalimpong, which is a village 50km from Darjeeling, located on a ridge between the Deolo and the Durpin hills. The banks of the river, about 17km from the town are a heavenly picnic spot with evergreen vegetation.
Go on a safari in the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and spot snow leopards, red pandas and Tibetan wolves.
Trek to the Sandakphu summit, the highest point in West Bengal which offers breath-taking views of the Kanchenjunga and Mt Everest.
Stop over the Batasia Railway Loop, and visit the Gorkha War Memorial built to honour the soldiers martyred in World War I and World War II.
Make sure to plan your itinerary in such a way that it covers all these delightful things to do in Darjeeling. You can very conveniently book your accomodation in a centrally-located Darjeeling hotel and commute to all the tourist spots with ease.
Experiences to get in Darjeeling:
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Soak in the antiquated aura of the colonial past as you walk down the Nehru Road lined with red telephone boxes.
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Ride the ‘toy train’, the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway which was built in 1881, to Ghum the highest train station in India. It houses a railway museum which treasures an anecdote from Mark Twain.
Gulp on momos, wai-wai and churpi, in the town’s Main Square Chowrasta.
Shop in Chowrasta or the Bhutia Market for items made of musk, porcelain, crystal, knives made from ivory, paintings and statues of dragons, wall hangings, and other little souvenirs to make your home tell tales of your holiday in the town.
The occasional sightings of a Buddhist gompa atop a summit, the call of the Tibetan wolves in the forests, or the whistling of the Himalayan “Toy Train” are added pleasures as you sip tea sitting in your colonial cottage where an English soldier might have lived. If cottages are not your cup of tea, you can switch to conveniently located Darjeeling Hotels. The hotels in Darjeeling not only provide you a comfortable accomodation but they are also pocket-friendly. Darjeeling is a perfect collage of snowy and mighty Himalayan ranges, winding walking tracks, valleys, monastery, momos and tea plantations. Amidst the green-grey hills, the lush green flora and serene landscapes of Darjeeling guarantee a vacation to cherish forever.