Darjeeling has always been close to my heart. I first went there when I was a little kid. I was 8, to be specific, but I remember things vividly. Waking up to see the Kanchenjunga from our hotel room, running across to my grandparent’s room, going for horse rides in the Mall, going to the zoo, my little brother holding my hand and following me everywhere (he was 5 then)! I have been to Darjeeling twice after that, once for a college trip and another time with my family again. So I have many fond memories of this place and I was longing to go back.
When my ex-colleagues-turned-closest-friends Jashmita and Sujata thought of planning a short trip together, Darjeeling was the immediate choice!
Darjeeling, situated in the Himalayan foothills, is a beautiful town in the state of West Bengal. Acres of lush green tea-gardens, beautiful monasteries, a view of the mighty Kanchenjunga and the old world charm makes Darjeeling one of the most popular tourist destinations in the eastern part of India.
We had booked our room in a hotel very close to the Darjeeling Mall. We took a shared cab from New Jalpaiguri Station to reach Darjeeling one fine afternoon. We freshened up a little and immediately left for sightseeing.
Darjeeling Sightseeing
There are lots of tourist attractions in Darjeeling and are categorized as follows to make it easier for tourists – 7 Point Tour, 3 Point Tour, Rock Garden & Ganga Maya Park.
7 Point Tour
Japanese Temple
The Japanese Temple is a two storied building built in traditional Japanese style. There is a prayer room in the second floor.
Peace Pagoda
Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa which holds the sculptures of Lord Buddha. It also promotes the idea of universal peace and unity. It houses the four avatars of Buddha along with carvings depicting many other stories from Buddha’s life.
Tenzing Rock
Tenzing Rock is a gigantic natural rock in Darjeeling, named after Tenzing Norgay, the man who created history by climbing Mt. Everest for the first time along with Edmund Hillary in 1953.
This rock is now used by professional rock climbers and trainees. They also have rock climbing sessions for tourists on a clear day.
We realized here how unpredictable the weather is during the monsoons in Darjeeling! This place was really foggy when we arrived and looked like a perfect setting for a horror film. But the fog disappeared all of a sudden and the scene totally changed in seconds!
This has to be magic, right?
Happy Valley Tea Estate
Darjeeling is famous for its lush green tea-gardens. Happy Valley Tea Estate is the second oldest tea estate of Darjeeling and is also one of the highest tea factories in the world. It was completely enveloped in clouds when we reached but the clouds slowly moved aside revealing the gorgeous view from the tea estate!
Note: Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center is located near the tea garden. You can visit it to gain insight on the livelihood of the refugees and also buy beautiful Tibetan handicrafts made by them. We couldn’t because it had closed by the time we left the tea garden.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Darjeeling Zoo is the largest high altitude zoo in India and has successful captive breeding programs for the snow leopard, the critically endangered Himalayan wolf and the red panda.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was built as a tribute to Tenzing Norgay and to encourage mountaineering as an organized sport in India. Mountaineers and rock climbers from around the world come and train here. There is also a mountaineering museum inside where paintings, literary works, artifacts and models related to life in mountains is showcased.
HMI has an Indoor Rock Climbing Wall for tourists. Trying indoor rock climbing with my friends was perhaps one of the most fun and exciting moments of this trip and I would recommend you to try it as well!
[Watch my video to see all the fun we had!]
Note: You can also visit the Bengal Natural History Museum located in the same complex.
Early Morning Sightseeing – 3 Point Tour
Tiger Hill
The sky was totally covered with clouds the day we reached and it had been the same for the last few days as told by our hotelier. The chances were slim of us catching a glimpse of the mighty Eastern Himalayan ranges. But we decided to try our luck by waking up at 4 the following morning and going to Tiger Hill for sunrise. And I am so glad we did!
Although we could just get a tiny glimpse of a snow covered peak, this was one of the most gorgeous sunrise I have ever witnessed.
Batasia Loop
We had spent a long time in Tiger Hill as I was shooting for my YouTube video, and when we reached Batasia Loop there were hardly any tourists present. It was like our own private world!
One of the major attractions of Darjeeling is its toy train and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Batasia Loop was built as an engineering requirement. There is a sharp fall of about a 100 feet as the toy train moves from Ghoom towards Darjeeling and there was no way a toy train could navigate the drastic fall. So, a large circular area was built for the loop to make the slope gentle. There is also a war memorial as a tribute to the Gorkha soldiers of the Indian Army who sacrificed their lives for India’s Independence.
As we were laughing and chatting and clicking photos, we saw the clouds clear a tiny bit to reveal one of the snow covered peaks. And then they cleared some more and we could see almost the entire range glistening in the sun! We were left speechless for a moment, soaking it all in. Then we rushed to the binoculars in front of us to get a closer view of this beauty. The guides showed us each mountain range, told us their names and some stories associated with them. Seeing the mountains from up close was just magical!
That’s when I thought of using my phone’s camera together with the binocular to take this shot (I wasn’t carrying my telephoto lens!).
Dressing up as locals and clicking photos are a must if you come here!
Samten Choling Ghoom Monastery
This monastery is commonly referred to as Ghoom Monastery and is a popular spot for tourists.
Note: Tourists often confuse Samten Choling Monastery with Yiga Choeling Monastery (which is the old Ghoom monastery). You should also add Yiga Choeling to your list.
Dali Monastery
Its actual name is Druk Sangag Choling Monastery. Although it wasn’t a part of the tour, Dali Monastery lies on the road on the way back and the driver didn’t mind if we got down for a bit.
We also visited the Mahakal Temple which is a short distance from the Mall. It is located atop the Observatory Hill beside the Mall.
Note: We couldn’t go to Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park this time due to our tight schedule. But I have been there before and it’s really beautiful, so you should definitely add it to your list.
Next day, we spent our last few hours in Darjeeling by shopping since there are lots of things to buy from here and at such cheap rates.
Darjeeling has always been one of my favourite places and I fall in love with the town every time I come here. And obviously I’ll keep coming back!
Planning Guide
How To Reach Darjeeling
- New Jalpaiguri Station is the nearest major railway station. Bagdogra is the nearest airport to Darjeeling. You can also avail bus service from Kolkata or other nearby cities to Siliguri.
- You have to hire a car from there to reach Darjeeling. Car fare from NJP to Darjeeling is Rs. 1800. There are also shared cabs available from NJP and costs Rs. 150-200 per head. It’s the perfect option if you are traveling solo or with a small group of friends.
Where To Stay In Darjeeling
- There are many medium to high priced hotels in Darjeeling. If you are going for a very short trip, like we did, it’s best to stay close to the Mall. We stayed in Hotel Orchid Residency. If you are looking for a decent budget hotel close to the Mall, you can opt for this one.
- On the other hand, if you have a few days to spare, you can choose a homestay a little further from town, but having a great view.
Best Time To Visit Darjeeling
- April to mid June is the peak season for tourists as the weather remains pleasant. Mid September to mid October is also ideal.
- If you love winters, late October to March is perfect for you.
- Avoid peak monsoon season because of landslides and roadblocks. But we visited in mid August which was still during monsoon and there is a certain beauty about monsoons in Darjeeling which you won’t find in the other seasons.
Darjeeling Sightseeing Cost & Other Details
- Car Fare for the 7 Point Tour is Rs. 1200 during off season and Rs. 1800 during peak season for a small car. (We were charged extra for Zoo & HMI as we couldn’t visit them on the first day due to lack of time. But ideally all these spots should be covered together).
- Zoo Entry Ticket – Rs. 60 per head + Rs.10 if you have a camera
Indoor Rock Climbing in HMI – Rs. 30 per head - Car Fare for the Early Morning Sightseeing is Rs. 900 during the off-season and Rs. 1500 during the peak season.
- If you want to visit the Zoo & HMI only, Car Fare will be Rs. 500 or less.
I really hope you enjoyed reading this article and you’ll find the information useful whenever you plan to visit Darjeeling. 🙂
Also, don’t forget to check out the YouTube videos I made on this trip!
