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 Altitude:
2134m (6890ft)
Distance from Calcutta: 663 kms
Darjeeling has been the Bengali's favorite hill station. Ever since
the British established Darjeeling as a rest and recreation centre
for their troops, Darjeeling has lived up to its sobriquet "Queen
of Hill Stations".
Things to do:
Vis its
to Buddhist monasteries, tours to tea plantations, shopping in bustling
bazaars and trekking in high-altitude spots to the north. Attractions
in the town include: the Passenger Ropeway which connects
Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar on the Little Ranjit River far below.
The Zoological Park, which houses Siberian tigers and rare
red pandas is a morning's jaunt. The Happy Valley Tea Estate
can be visited to gain insight into tea processing. Places to visit
around Darjeeling
Batasia Loop
Five kilometers from Darjeeling, the meter-ga uge
toy train winds its way over this engineering marvel. You would
pass through it on your way down from Ghoom - the highest railway
station in the world. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute -
This is a training centre for aspiring mountain climbers situated
about 2 Kms from Chowrasta, on Jawahar Parbat. It has a unique museum
displaying items used by famous mountaineers. Other attractions:
Padmaja Naidu Himalaya Zoological Park Natural History Museum Lloyds
Botanical Garden Tibetan Self-help Centre Darjeeling-Rangeet Valley
Passenger Ropeway Lebong Race Court
Rope way
Ghoom Buddhist Monastery
Observatory Hill Access
By Air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra, 90 km away. Bagdogra
is connected to Calcutta annd other eastern cities by Indian Airlines.
By Bus: There are bus connections from Siliguri, Bagdogra,
Gangtok, Kurseong and Kathmandu.
By Train: New Jalpaiguri /Siliguri is the rail head for
all trains (except the toy train) running to Darjeeling. Siliguri
is connected to Calcutta and other parts of the country by train.
Scenic travel: Take the famous toy train, which is
a meter gauge train operating over breath taking scenery, from Siliguri
to Darjeeling. The journey takes approximately seven and half hours.
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