6 Must Visit Beautiful Places In Darjeeling

Darjeeling, the “Queen of Hills”, is a town and district in the state of West Bengal, India. It was the first primary hill station in India. Darjeeling is an amalgamation of elements and people of India (West Bengal), Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan. It became popular during the British colonial period.

The Britishers wanted a location where they could have a respite from the heat of India. They developed Darjeeling as a sanatorium. Eventually, with the cultivation of the tea gardens, the labour flow to Darjeeling grew, hence increasing its population and popularity as a vacation spot for the rest of the country. Darjeeling is renowned for its music culture, tea, and Toy Train. It augmented the development of other hill stations in India. Darjeeling draws crowds of people every year – families, honeymooners, and tourists. When you travel to Darjeeling, make sure to go to the following places.

# Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HIM)

After the first complete ascent in 1953 of Mt Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, there was increased interest in mountaineering all over the world. In India, with the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s encouragement, a mountaineering institute was founded in Darjeeling. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HIM) was established in Jawahar Parvat, to honour Tenzing Norgay, who also its first Director. It quickly became one of the finest mountaineering schools in the world, and offers a variety of courses. It is said to be a pilgrimage spot for serious mountaineers and climbers everywhere.

The compound also has shops that sell Himalayan crafts and other things. It also houses the first mountaineering museum of India. People visit it to research and study about mountaineering, helped along by the library and auditorium. The institute has all the necessary and best facilities. There is also a telescope installed on the grounds from which you can see the entire range of Kanchenjunga.

# Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Only the second railway in the world to be declared a World Heritage Site, the DHR was built from 1879 – 1881. Popularly known as the Toy Train, these narrow guage trains are much smaller and lighter than the common broad guage ones. It was built to connect Siliguri to Darjeeling. There were no tunnels constructed for this line, and for the first time the ZigZag routes were created for trains to navigate through the terrain and tough gradients. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is one of the most well maintained and best railways in the world. Train enthusiasts from all over the world come to take a trip in the DHR. And no trip to Darjeeling is complete without it.

# Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

The zoo was established in 1958, the Himalayan Zoological Park is located in Jawahar Parvat, Darjeeling. On a visit in 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi dedicated it to the memory of Padmaja Naidu, ex-governor of West Bengal and daughter of Sarojini Naidu. The zoo is commonly known as the Darjeeling Zoo. It’s the only specialised zoo in India and is renowned for its successful breeding programmes for Red Pandas, Snow Leopards, and Himalayan wolf. It is also the biggest high altitude zoo in India.

Thousands of tourists visit the zoo where that can see endangered animals like the Siberian tigers, snow leopards, Tibetan wolves, red pandas, mountain goats, along with Ring Necked Pheasants, Blue Gold Macaws, Himalayan black bears, and yaks. The zoo also has a flora variety like 60 kinds of Orchids, and an aquarium. The zoo also has an adoption programme.

# Batasia Loop

One of the greatest engineering feats in India, the loop was constructed in 1919 on Hill Cart Road. The Toy Train comes down from Ghoom at high speeds, and the 1000 foot drop would be dangerous for the train. Hence, the loop was constructed to gradually decrease the steep gradient. The loop offers a 360 degree panoramic view of Darjeeling, and also contains the famous Darjeeling War Memorial. It was erected in 1995 in honour of the Gorkha soldiers who died in skirmishes after Indian Independence. There are beautiful gardens where you can stroll or sit as you enjoy the breath-taking vista of Darjeeling as well as the Kanchenjunga range. You can reach the hill either in the Toy Train as you travel, or via taxis. There are numerous shops and eateries near the loop so you can spend hours comfortably enjoying this unique spot.

# Tea Estates of Darjeeling

Tea drinkers all over the world know about the famous teas of Darjeeling, renowned as “the Champagne of teas.” Different types of Darjeeling teas are available – black, oolong, white, green. The teas are known for their light-coloured infusions with astringent aromas. Traditionally the black teas are popular and consumed more. In 1841 Arthur Campbell, a surgeon in the Indian Medical Service planted stolen tea seeds from China. Gradually the locals also started planting them, and hence the famous tea gardens of Darjeeling were established. Some of the famous tea estates where you can sit back and drink delicious the beverage as you enjoy the view of the vast hills and valleys planted with tea are – Happy Valley, Arya, Puttabong, Makaibari, Singla, and Gomtee, among numerous others.

# The Darjeeling Carnival

A ten day long carnival which celebrates music, tea, and the history and culture of this one of a kind hill station. The fest began when a group of youth, the ‘Darjeeling Initiative’, who grew up in the political unrest of the 80s, wanted to celebrate the diversity of their culture, and the coming together of people from different tribes and locales. The purpose of the carnival was to move on and celebrate the mix of culture. The carnival hosts a lot activities like poetry reading sessions; art, photography, and sculpture exhibitions; car rallies with Land Rovers; and children’s activities. Music is a prominent aspect of life in Darjeeling. The carnival hosts music concerts especially for Rock and Jazz, which are popular among the youth. Musicians from the country over visit Darjeeling for the carnival.