Darjeeling Travel Guide: The Queen of Hills

Darjeeling has been one adorable place for travellers for many reasons. When the going gets tough in the hot summer months people head for it to beat the heat. The cool, prevailing conditions, soothes the body and the soul. Being the headquarters of the Darjeeling district, West Bengal, it is famous for the pleasant weather conditions, beautiful scenery, tea gardens and a variety of delicious dishes. Undoubtedly, it pulls the crowd from all around the globe. One noteworthy point about the Darjeeling tea is that it is delicate in taste and sold at different corners of the world. 

The Bagdogra Airport locates 96 kilometres away from the Darjeeling. It connects by the air with the major cities of India like the Delhi and Kolkata. From the airport, it takes three hours to cover the 80 kilometres distance, by a taxi, to reach Darjeeling. The New Jalpaiguri (NGP) Railway Station connects with all the cities of India. Shared jeeps and private cabs available from the NGP Station. A shared jeep may charge RS 200 to RS 250 while a private cab may charge RS 2000 for Darjeeling. List of the trains available from different cities of India for the New Jalpaiguri (NGP) Station, given below:

Several trains available from the different stations of the Kolkata city, West Bengal, viz. The Howrah Station, the Sealdah Station and the Kolkata Station.

Howrah Station – Saraighat express, Kamrup express, Satabdi express

Sealdah Station – Teesta Torsa express, Uttar Banga express.

Kolkata Station – Kolkata Haldibari express

Alternatively, one may travel by buses from the Kolkata city. CSTC, NBSTC and the Volvo buses available from the Dharmatala/Babughat Bus Terminus. Most of these buses leave in the evening and reach Siliguri the next morning. The fare for the non-AC buses range from RS 400 to RS 500 while AC buses RS 800 to RS 1000.

From New Jalpaiguri (NGP) to Darjeeling: One may make a trip to Darjeeling from the New Jalpaiguri (NGP) Station in a Toy Train. While travelling, one could enjoy the sight of the tea plantations of the hill slopes and the surrounding greenery. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a World Heritage Site.

The queen of the hills has many interesting places for the visitors, provided, they have enough time in hand to enjoy the beauty of these places. Some of the absorbing spots for travellers given below:

It locates 10 kilometres away from the Darjeeling town. This spot is a must visit for the visitors for two main reasons. Firstly, it hosts the perfect platform to witness the early sunrise and its red rays kissing the mountain summits. Secondly, because the wide view of the surrounding beauty from the hilltop is an awesome experience. The glimpse of the Mt. Everest, Maklan, etc treat to the eyes. Visitors travelling to the spot also plans to visit the Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop (a railway loop for the Darjeeling Toy Train).

The Rock Garden, a beauteous park, locates nine kilometres away. Since, it sets up around a natural waterfall, it attracts visitors. The fresh flowers of the garden and its scenic beauty makes it an ideal picnic spot. Visitors could relax and refresh themselves with food and soft drinks available from the different stalls of the park.

It locates within a walk distance (about three kilometres) from the Rock Garden. This park remains open from 7am to 6pm for the visitors. Visitors could enjoy the paddle boating at the lake, the sight of the waterfall and the Gurkha folk dances.

Also locally known as the Darjeeling Zoo, it remains open from 8am to 8pm. It houses the Siberian tigers, bears, red panda, snow leopard, gray peacock, etc. This zoological garden known for its several breeding and conservation programs.

It remains open for the visitors from 9am to 5 pm every day, except Thursday. One could find the samples of different variety of birds, eggs, nests, animals, insects and reptiles. It attracts volumes of tourists and admirers from different corners of the world.

Many hotels/guesthouses in different price ranges available here for a suitable stay. However, one may plan to stay in the Darjeeling Tourist Lodge of the W.B.T.D.C. or the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation. The rent for a double bedroom is RS 1800 and that of deluxe bedroom is RS 2500.