Darjeeling
Darjeeling, located in the northern part of West Bengal is the exotic and enchanting Himalayan hill resort. It is the queen of hill stations. The town lies on the spur projecting northwards from the Ghoom - Senchal Ridge. From here one gets a majestic view of the Himalayan peaks, lorded over by Mountain Kanchenjungha. The green of the pines and fens, the white of the magnolias and red of the rhododendron welcome the visitors to Darjeeling. The landscape is varied too. The Tiger Hill is a popular spot to view the sunrise.

The hills soaring high on one said and the lush green plains below are characteristic of the way to the hill station. And there are teagarden, on the slopes. Streams and rivulets, waterfalls and small lakes encounter you while you climb up the hills some 7,000 feet.

General Information
Temperature Summer Max 14.8 Degree Celsius
Min 8.59 Degree Celsius
Winter Max 6.1 Degree Celsius
Min 1.5 Degree Celsius

Languages spoken Hindi, Bengali, Nepali, Tibetan, English.

How To Get There
Accessible by air, road and rail. Nearest airport is Bagdogra (90 kilometers). Bagdogra is connected by direct flights with Calcutta and Delhi.

By road, Darjeeling is 686 kilometers from Calcutta. Regular bus services connect Calcutta and Siliguri from where Darjeeling is 80 kilometers. Bus and jeep/land rovers ply on this 80 kilometers long road.

By rail also, Darjeeling is connected with Calcutta. The nearest major railhead is New Jalpaiguri (890 kilometers) from where a very romantic railway journey begins. The Toy Train run by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has been in existence since 1878. The train goes up to Ghoom, 7407 feet, and then comes down to Darjeeling, crossing on its way the Batasia top, an engineering marvel.

Lava
Situated at an altitude of 2350 meters (7,200 feet). Lava is a serene little township. A 32-kilometers drive from the picturesque hill station of Kalimpong and you are in the midst of dense forest of Oak and Fir trees, which spells out silence from this lazy hamlet. One can get a panoramic view of the Eastern Himalayan Ranges and the Jelepla & Rechila passes. Short hikes or nature trails abound here. Lava is the gateway to the famous Neora Valley National Park.

Places of Interest in Lava

Ratnarishi Bihar Buddhist Gumpa
Located amidst natural surroundings, the monastery is a perfect spot worth viewing.

Neora Lake
An artificial water reservoir constructed for the purpose of supplying drinking water for the people of Kalimpong is sure to be an attraction point for viewers.

Chhangey falls
With 12 kilometers of approachable distance from Lava, you come to get a fascinating view of the cascading waterfall and the lush-green valley. Also the two sunrise points Ghanti Dara and Tiffin Dara can add to any one's delight.

Loleygaon
Perched at an altitude of approximately 1850 meters (5,500 feet) Loleygaon offers one of the most breathtaking views of the Relli Valley, Khangchendzonga and the towering peaks. The sunrise as seen from Jhandidara, an observatory point over the Himalayan snows is more spectacular than that of Tiger Hill (The view point is a 45-minutes steady climb from the resort at Loleygaon)

Rissium
The place is 12 kilometers from Lava on the route to Kalimpong. The wild stretches of meadows covered with moss, lichens and wild flowers beneath the russet brown and olive green forests offer superb outing spots. The snow-clad mountains in the horizon blend for a perfect setting for an exciting afternoon excursion.

Batasia Loop
This is 5 kilometers in length and is a marvelous feat of engineering.

Tiger Hill
This has 11 kilometers altitude (8482 feet). It is famous for the magnificent view of sunrise over Kanchenjungha and other Himalayan peaks. Even Mount Everest is visible from here.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
It is about 43 kilometers from the Mall. The Institute trains mountaineers. The museum of the Institute contains an interesting collection of mountaineering equipments and a relief model of the Himalayas.

Excursion

Sandakphu
At an altitude of 3,657 meters, this is the highest point in the Darjeeling district. It offers a glorious view of the Himalayan peaks.

Ghoom
At an altitude 2,438 meters this is the highest point in the toy train route. The spot is famous for Buddhist monasteries.

Kurseong
32 kilometers from Darjeeling, Kurseong is a picturesque town.

Kalimpong
51 kilometers from Darjeeling, Kalimpong is another quiet hill resort.

Himalayan Treks
The serene beauty of the Himalayas can be enjoyed on a trekking trip. There are quite a few attractive trekking routes like: 

1. Darjeeling - Maneybhanjang - Tonglku - Sandakphu - Phalut & back - 160 kilometers.
2. Darjeeling - Phalut - Ramam - Rimhbik - Jhepi - Bijianbari - Darjeeling - 153 kilometers.
3. Darjeeling - Phalut - Ramam - Rimbik - Palmajua - Batasi - Maneybhanjang - Darjeeling - 180 kilometers.

Kalimpong
Situated at an altitude of 1,250 meters, Kalimpong enjoys the best climate in the region. Kalimpong’s main claim to fame is its flora, particularly orchids, infinite in variety and hues.

Kalimpong is quiet, much quieter than Darjeeling. One can savor the beauty and bounty of nature here.

How to get There
Accessible by air, road and rail, nearest airport is Bagdogra (80 kilometers)

By road, Kalimpong is 675 kilometers from Calcutta. Regular bus service ply between Calcutta and New Jalpaiguri / Siliguri. Regular bus service is there between Siliguri and Kalimpong (70 kilometers) and Darjeeling and Kalimpong (51 kilometers).

The nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri

What to Buy
All the beautiful wares of the hill people like knitted garments, carpets, tankhas, stone studded metal curios and masks are available here.

Kurseong
32 kilometers from Darjeeling, Kurseong is situated at an altitude of 1,458 meters and is known as the ‘land of the white orchid’. Kurseong is picturesque. On a clear day, standing on Eagles’ Crag, one can have a sweeping view of the plains in striking contrast to the hills around. Kurseong is a charming health resort. Dowq Hill Forest School campus, 5 kilometers away is a place of unforgettable charm.

From Bagdogra/New Jalpaiguri/Siliguri, the road/railway track passes through Kurseong.

Siliguri
Siliguri, the gateway of Eastern India, is the principal transit point for going to the Darjeeling hills, Dooars, Sikkim, Bhutan, Eastern Nepal and Assam and other northeastern states of the country.

The major airport of the region, Bagdogra, is only 11 kilometers from Siligiri. New Jalpaiguri is one of the most important railway junctions in the region, By road, Siliguri is connected with Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay, Guwahati, Kathmandu and of course the Darjeeling hills. 

Mirik
Mirik, a new hill station near Darjeeling, has a 1.25 kilometers long lake, the Sumendu lake, at the bottom of Mirik is a floating fountain in the middle of the lake and a quaint little footbridge connects the flower garden on the eastern bank to the heavily forested ridge on the west. The lake is provided with boating facilities.

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