Nestled in the northern part of West Bengal and in the lower Himalayas at a height of 6,982ft, Darjeeling is a land of idyllic landscapes providing just the perfect ambience for a quiet holiday far from the madding crowd of the metros. It is flanked by Sikkim in the north, Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east.  A visit to the place will take you to the yesteryears-the British era whose influence still looms large in the town.  A small hill station it is clad with shimmering green tea gardens, lush hills, beautiful stretches of emerald green valleys and colonial style mansions. The vicinity is jewelled with the mesmerizing Kanchenjunga, India’s highest and world’s third-highest peak and other ranges of the Himalayas, hence offering a breathtaking view. Hill stations have a peculiar charm of its own intoxicating our senses, leaving us with an ever so endearing an experience.

The most impressive influence of the British Raj is the toy train in Darjeeling. A masterpiece of engineering, it is still maintained today with great care. A ride in this toy train will bring you close to the unparallel beauty of Darjeeling town, its exotic forests, its magical aura that lurks in every valleys and hills and the serene yet vibrant tea gardens. This toy train has been an integral part of many Bollywood movies and even today continues to lure directors.

Darjeeling has to its credit many picturesque places for the ardent travellers. Apart from the Rock Garden, countless tea estates, Tiger hills a place where people go to watch the golden sunrise and the Mirik Lake, there is the famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, a zoo, foot ball playground, Buddhist temples etc. The scenic landscape of Darjeeling itself is a feast to the eyes of all the nature lovers. Spending time in the lap of the tranquil natural surrounding diffuses all our worries taking us in an enthusiastic ride far from the humdrum of daily life. The native inhabitants of Darjeeling are known as Ghurkhas. They have mongoloid features and are very amiable by nature. It also offers trekking facilities and thousands of travellers are seen taking up this challenge of climbing up peaks.

Darjeeling is home to a number of flora and fauna-some of which are rare species. The climatic condition of Darjeeling is favourable for the thriving of Cryptomeria Japonica, flowers of Rhododendron arboretum, flowers of Magnolias, Michaelias, Peach, Cherries and Pear and innumerable number of orchid species like Cymbidium, Cypripedium and Dendrobium. The dancing flowers all around gives an ever so endearing charm to the small town of Darjeeling making the atmosphere lively and cheerful.

Darjeeling is rightly crowned as the Queen of all the hill stations in India. Some even claims it to have the spellbinding look of Switzerland. Once you are in Darjeeling you will encounter a heaven like experience- an experience of a lifetime.

Article Posted By : tamil  On May 19, 2011lView All Articles

People of India

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Keywords :
Darjeeling Travel Guide , darjeeling , himalayas , west bengal