Review By: Sangeeta Sanjay Chaubal Review Date: 13 Sep 2010
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Darjeeling is definitely a heaven on earth. Darjeeling attracts many tourists from the country and all over the world throughout the year. It is one of the popular destinations in India. Darjeeling is located at an elevation of 6710 ft in the Himalayas. It actually is in the Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region which lies in the district of Sadar. It rests within snow clad mountains and huge peaks. The town of Darjeeling is actually engulfed by these mountains which make it spectacular.
Most of our hills stations have been developed and popularized by the British during their rule over India, and Darjeeling is definitely one of them. It is said that during their rule, they set up a sanatorium and a military depot, as they felt that this town was ideal site for the sanatorium. During their rule itself, this place was developed as a hill station because of its fascinating climate. During that period until now, Darjeeling is an ideal scapade for people during summers.
The nearest airport for Darjeeling happens to be Bagdogra which is around 88 km away. Darjeeling is perfectly connected with all the major cities in India. Darjeeling can also be reached by trains. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is actually a narrow-gauge railway which takes you to Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri. The distance is around 88 km and the journey is awesome. Then there are regular bus services too from various places like Kurseong, Kalimpong and Siliguri. The bus services from these cities connect one to Darjeeling. Also one gets to hire private taxis which charge around Rs. 70/- per person (shared) from Kalimpong to Darjeeling and Siliguri to Darjeeling. The journey takes around 3 hours approximately.
In Darjeeling one should definitely taste Momo. Momo is one of the most popular food here. It is actually a steamed dumpling which is filled with either vegetables or chicken. Apart from that, one also gets to try other traditional cuisines. Though one can find a lot of Tibetan influence on food and culture.
Darjeeling is also referred as the ‘Queen of Hills' for its huge rolling mountains, towering over the sky. MT. Kanchenjunga is one of the tallest peaks visible from here. Once in Darjeeling one should definitely see and experience the six T's that are the main constituents of this town – Tea, Teak, Toy Train, Tourism, Tiger Hill and Trekker's Paradise. The few places, that are the main places of interest and must see points include the Tiger Hill which is around 13 km from the town, Batasia Loop, Rock Garden, Peace Pagoda, Mahakal Temple, Senchal Lake and many others. Senchal Lake is just close to Tiger Hills and is one of the most frequented picnic point. The Mahakal Temple is considered to be sacred and is situated on the highest ridge of the town.
Then there is the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, where one gets to see the Tibetan Wolf. The park is open everyday except for Thursdays and few national holidays. Then one also gets to see and visit several monasteries here in Darjeeling. Make a point to visit the Happy Valley Tea Garden, located just a kilometer from the main town. This place has a spectacular view of tea plantations and calm surroundings. Additionally the Ropeway provides a breath-taking aerial view of this serene beauty.
The best time to visit Darjeeling is from March to May and even in September to November. The winters and monsoons are freezing due to sudden drop in temperature. The ideal time is summers during vacations. There are lots and lots of accommodation facilities available for tourists here and these facilities are excellent.
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Good: Spellbound Beauty, True Heaven, Toy Train
Bad: Nothing comes to my mind
Recommend: Yes
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