Darjeeling Trip Plan |
About Darjeeling
Darjeeling is a charming hill station in West Bengal that is easily one of our all-time favorite travel destinations. We truly cannot get enough of Darjeeling—a land of breathtaking beauty nicknamed the Queen of Hills—surrounded by rolling green tea plantations and the majestic Kanchenjunga ranges that tower above the skyline.
What is the Best Time to Visit Darjeeling?
Darjeeling typically witnesses two primary tourist seasons, namely March to May and October to November.
Time of Year Season Approximate
Temperature Range
March to April Springtime 6 – 17 degrees
May to mid-June Summer 11 – 19 degrees
Mid-June to September Monsoon 13 – 19 degrees
October to November Autumn 6 – 18 degrees
December to February Winter 2.5 to 10 degrees
TIGER HILL
I personally feel that a Darjeeling trip can never be completed without watching the sunrise at Tiger Hill. Nestled atop Darjeeling at an elevation of 2,590 meters, Tiger Hill is situated approximately 11 kilometers from the Darjeeling Town. During the day, Tiger Hill is merely an additional vantage point; there are not many tourists present. Early in the morning, however, a lengthy line of vehicles and individuals awaits the emergence of the sun. Tiger Hill has gained global recognition due to its awe-inspiring sunrise vista spanning the Kanchenjunga and additional eastern Himalayan mountain ranges.
Tiger Hill features a watchtower from which one can command an expansive panorama of the surrounding mountain ranges. Beholding the icy summits of Kanchenjunga and Everest as the sun begins to rise is an unforgettable experience. With the sun’s ascent above the horizon, the color of the sky progressively shifts from golden yellow to orange.
Autumn and winter are the seasons when unobstructed views of the sunrise are most favorable. However, the climate in Darjeeling is notoriously capricious, and an abrupt cloud can completely obscure the view of the sunrise. Regardless of this, Tiger Hill is an exceptional destination in Darjeeling for appreciating the splendor of the Himalayas.
Batasia Loop and War Memorial
Batasia Loop is located on the Hill Cart Road and is about 5 km from Darjeeling town and is one of the major attractions of your Darjeeling trip . The Batasia Loop is a gigantic railway loop where the Darjeeling toy train takes a 360-degree turn just after Ghum. You can get a panoramic view of the Kanchenjunga ranges and the entire landscape from here. There is a well-maintained eco-garden at Batasia Loop along with proper seating arrangements from where you can sit down and see the wonderful views.
The War Memorial is located at the centre of the Batasia Loop. The War Memorial was opened in 1995 to pay homage to the Gorkha soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation. Just in the middle, there is a 3-metre bronze statue of a Gorkha soldier paying homage. Outside the Batasia Loop, there is a small market area selling curios, bags, hats, and other decorative items. You can visit Batasia Loop after a trip to the Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise.
Timings: Everyday 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Darjeeling Mall or Chowrasta
Darjeeling Mall or chowrasta is the centre of Darjeeling town and is the most happening place in the entire town. It is a flat piece of land converted into a pedestrian-only zone and no traffic is allowed at the Mall. There are seating arrangements around the Mall where you can relax and have a steaming hot cup of Darjeeling tea. A number of shops are located in the Mall area including tea bars, curio shop, book shops and more. You can stroll around the Mall leisurely or else simply sit on the bench and see Darjeeling come alive in front of you. Horse ride is also available around the Mall at a prefixed rate.
There are a few important places to visit around Darjeeling Mall. You can take a walk around the Mall Road and visit a few of the important and heritage places in Darjeeling. There is also an open-air auditorium and stage where many functions and cultural programmes take place. The Mall or Chowrasta is actually the social fabric of Darjeeling town.
Darjeeling Zoo
Darjeeling zoo is one of the attractive places to visit in Darjeeling. Covering a vast area of 27 hectares, the zoo is the only specialized zoo for the conservation breeding programs of rare Himalayan species like the red panda, snow leopards, Tibetan wolf, Himalayan Black bear and other endangered species.
The Darjeeling Zoo is the largest high altitude zoo in India and covers an area of 67.5 acres at an average altitude of 7,000ft.
Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park
The Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park are two beautiful parks located close to each other. The Rock Garden, located about 10 km from Darjeeling town is a terraced garden that has been cut through the rock and seating arrangements are made in between. The major attraction here is the cascading waterfall flowing down the rocks. The Rock Garden is also known as the Barbotey Rock Garden and was created by Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council to boost tourism in Darjeeling.
Ganga Maya Park is about 3 km from Rock Garden and is more spread having a beautiful flower garden and fountains. There is a small lake in the park where tourists can enjoy boating.
The Mahakal Temple
The Observatory Hill and Mahakal Temple is located just behind the Mall. The Mahakal Temple is located at the summit of the Observatory Hill. As you walk around the Mall Road, you will see a flight of stairs leading up to the hill and the temple. It is believed that a Buddhist monastery named Dorjeling Monastery once stood at the place where the Mahakal Temple stands.
The original monastery was built in the year 1765 by the Lama Dorje Rinzing and it was destroyed in 1815 during the Gorkha invasion. Later the Mahakal Temple was built at the place and the monastery was rebuilt at about 1.5 km downhill from the Chowrasta.
Happy Valley Tea Estate
How can your Darjeeling trip be complete without visiting a tea garden? Happy Valley Tea Estate is the best place where you can get a first-hand experience of tea gardens as well as how the tea leaves actually make way to your cup. The tea estate was established in 1854 and was known as the Wilson Tea Estate. Later the estate was renamed as Happy Valley Tea Estate. The estate covers an area of about 110 hectares and is one of the highest tea estates in West Bengal. Most of the tea bushes here are more than a century old!
Located below the Hill Cart Road, one of the best times to visit Happy Valley Tea Estate is during the plucking and processing season between March and October. During this time, an employee with take you around the tea factory and explain the process of withering, rolling, fermenting and drying and also explain how black, green and white tea is extracted from the same tea leaves. At the end of the tour, tea tasting is also offered. There is also a tea boutique from where you can but best quality Darjeeling Tea is grown at the estate.
Timings: The Tea estate and factory are open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM from Tuesday to Saturday. The factory remains closed between November to February as tea plucking does not take place in winter.
Ghum Monastery
One of the most magnificent monasteries near Darjeeling is the Ghum Monastery, also known as the Yiga Choeling Monastery. Located at Ghum at an altitude of 7400 ft and 8 km from Darjeeling town, it is one of the oldest Tibetan monasteries to be built in Darjeeling area. The major attraction of the monastery is the 15 ft high statue of Maitreya Buddha or future Buddha.
It is believed that the clay to make the statue of the Buddha was brought all the way from Tibet. In front of the statue, there are two huge oil lamps that are kept burning all the time throughout the year. The monastery also houses a number of rare Buddhist manuscripts including a 108-volume Kangyur – The Tibetan Buddhist Gospel.
Tenzing and Gombu Rocks
The Tenzing Rock is a naturally formed huge rock in Darjeeling and is named after the famous Tenzing Norgay. The Gombu Rock stands just opposite to Tenzing Rock and is named after Nawang Gombu, the nephew of Tenzing Norgay who had scaled Mt Everest twice in 1963 and 1965. These rocks are used by the HMI for rock climbing training. The right face of Tenzing Rock is used for amateur climbers, so you can also give a try at rock climbing.
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre
The Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre was established in 1959 for the rehabilitation of the Tibetans who had migrated to India after the Chinese invaded Tibet. In order to sustain, they adopted the principle of self-help.
The Tibetans make exquisite handicrafts, shawls, carpets, carved wooden and other items. If you visit there, you can see the Tibetan men and women working patiently on these handicrafts. There is an outlet from where you can buy these handicrafts. The Tibetan Refugee Centre is located on a hilltop that can be approached from Lebong Cart Road. There is also a small monastery at the complex. This is one of our favourite places to visit in Darjeeling trip.
Apart from these 11 fabulous places, you can visit the Shrubbery near the zoo and the Botanical garden near the Chowk Bazar.
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