Situated at the altitude of 2042 m (6700 ft) above mean sea level, surrounded by emerald green tea gardens and crowned with the majestic view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga, Darjeeling, the queen of hills, is one of the oldest hill stations in India. The name Darjeeling derives from a monastery called Dorje Ling which was built by the local tribals Denzongpa in 1765 on behalf of the Chogyal of Sikkim. “Dorje” means thunderbolt and “Ling” means place. With the mighty Kanchenjunga looking over all through, you can explore colonial-era architectures in and around the town, visit Buddhist monasteries and get a joyful ride in the UNESCO world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railways. The ever busy Darjeeling mall is the heart of the town and a must-visit place. In this unique Indian town you can explore for hours and never get tired and if you do, steaming Darjeeling brew is never far away!
Activities
Sightseeing tour: You can go for local sightseeing tour to places of interest in here. The tour program can be suitably customized to meet your needs and generally a full day tour. Some of the places of interest are Batasia Loop, Ghoom Monastery, Darjeeling Ropeway, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Ava art gallery, Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center, Tenzing & Gombu Rock, Happy Valley Tea Estate, Tiger Hill, Japanese Temple & Peace Pagoda and many more.
The ‘Toy’ train ride: You can go for a memorable train ride in the UNESCO heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railways or known as “Toy train”. Small steam/Diesel engines, tiny coaches, narrow gauge line – all take you to a fantasy land. There are two train ride options available – one is steam engine ride & second one is diesel engine ride, both take you to Ghoom, Batasia Loop and return back to Darjeeling.
*Toy train ride is subjected to ticket availability.
Tea garden and Village excursion: You can go for a day excursion to Tea gardens and villages of Darjeeling. The amazing view of lush green Tea gardens, quiet and beautiful villages will win your heart any time.
Day hike: You can go for blissful explorations like one day hiking trip to nearby Singalila National Park where you can experience the grand view of the “Sleeping Buddha” formation of Kanchenjunga and other group of mountains. This hiking trails zigzags between India and Nepal and it’s a unique experience for a visitor. You will pass small settlements in this hike and you can see the rural life of the Darjeeling Himalayas.
Trekking: More adventurous visitors can go for multi-day trek in the nearby Singalila National Park of Darjeeling. The Sandakphu Phalut Trek is said to be one of the most beautiful treks in the Himalayas where one can experience the view of four of the five highest mountain peaks of the world in a single panoramic view. Trekkers will get to experience pristine natural beauty as well as the traditional village culture of this region.
Mountain Biking: Lace-up your sneakers, wear helmet and seat on a mountain bike – you can explore this place on pedals. Darjeeling has a dedicated cycling trail in the nearby Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary where you can enjoy biking in alpine forest.
Places to Visit: Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Batasia Loop, Tiger Hill, Singalila National Park, Sandakphu, Ghoom, Mim Tea Estate, Happy Valley Tea Estate and many more.
Travel Guide
Weather
The general temperature in Darjeeling stays cold all time. During summer mercury hardly crosses 22°C in daytime and during night it stays around 10°C. The average temperature for Darjeeling is 14°C during winter. Snowfall is rarely seen in Darjeeling. During monsoon this place gets good amount of rainfall.
Local Words
Generals greetings and words: Welcome greetings: Namas-tey, Yes: Hoon-chha, No: Ney-he, Little bit: Ali-kati, Thank you: Dhan-ya-baad, Road: Raas-taa, Shop/Store: Doo-kaan, Market: Baa-zar, Medicine: Daa-wai.
Food and Drinks: Hot water: Taa-to Paa-ni, Cold Water: Chee-so Paa-ni, Rice: Khaa-naa, Lentils:Daal, Vegetables: Sab-jee,
Emotions: Good (Food): Mee-tho, Not Good (food): Mee-tho chha-e-no, Good (Places, things): Daa-me, Not Good: (Place,things): Daa-me Chha-e-no.
Time: Morning/day: Bee-yan, Evening/night: Bel-ka.
Relationship: Elder-brother: Daa-joo, Brother: Bhaa-e, Elder Sister: Dee-Dee, Sister: Ba-hee-nee.
Getting here
The nearest airport name is Bagdogra airport (IXB). It is well connected with Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and metro cities of India.
The nearest railway station name is New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP). It’s well connected with Delhi, Kolkata and other metro cities of India.
Darjeeling is well connected by roads with West Bengal and rest of the India.
Permit
Indian tourists as well as foreign tourists don’t need any permit to visit this place.
Custom
In Darjeeling while visiting in any religious place please remove your footwear before entering into the main temple. Also it is advisable to wear modest clothes while visiting any religious place. People will happily pose for a picture but please ask them before taking any picture.
*Please note that in local tradition while a guest is leaving they offer Khada (scarf) to their guest as a sign of good luck. If they offer you such then please close your palms together to reply as a thank you gesture.
Safety
In Darjeeling people have deep respect for not only towards tourists but for each other also. But for any safety concern you can share your query with local police station (dial 100 only) or reach to the nearest tourist information center.
Health
You won’t find any mosquitoes here in Darjeeling. Due to alpine climate tourist generally doesn’t get sick. But if you are allergic to plants and pollen then take precaution. The local hotels and restaurants serve safe drinking water but if you are not sure then you can buy packaged drinking water almost at every place.