Darjeeling
Darjeeling, the name itself invokes a picturesque place with clouds crowing the trees and snow covered mountain peaks. The actual meaning of the word Darjeeling is “thunderbolt” probably because it keeps thundering and raining most part of the year. This place has got the prestigious title of being called the queen among all the hill stations in India.
Darjeeling is the fantasy land of all the tourists, especially the honeymoon goers. It is a small sleepy town in the northeast of India. Situated in the lower Himalaya Mountains bordering Sikkim one can have an imposing view of the mighty Mount Kanchenjunga and Mount Everest. There are a number of things which attract the tourists but one just cannot see enough of the foliage which is what Darjeeling is mainly about. Its hills are covered with pine trees, rhododendrons, magnolias, primulas, and orchids. It has the famous Lloyd’s botanical garden which showcases plants from the Himalayas and all over the world.
The second place of interest is the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park which holds the honorable position of being the first in the world to breed Tibetan Woolf and the first South Asian zoo to breed Snow Leopard and Siberian Tiger. This zoo also breeds Red Panda which is a rare species.
The Shrubbery Park is a lovely park giving the magnificent view of the Kanchenjunga range and Singla Valley. The other is the Ganga Maya Park which is a haven for all those love birds seeking some peace, away from the crowd.
But if one is tired of the entire site seeing and want to have a taste of the local food then head straight for the Chowrastha or the Mall. It is a flat area with lots of benches where one can relax and enjoy the enlivening sight of the Kanchenjunga and the surrounding hills.
Other places one can visit are the Natural History Museum displaying the fauna of the area. Then there is the rock garden featuring beautiful rocks of diverse variety. The highest railway station in Darjeeling will take you to a joy ride in the famous Ghoom train starting from the town to the top of the Tiger hills.
If you are interested in rock climbing then one must visit the Tenzing and Gombu rock named after Tenzing Sherpa and Nawang Gombu. Lastly your journey will remain incomplete if you don’t visit the lush green tea gardens of Darjeeling and take a sip of its Darjeeling tea.
