Be
it the conspicuous Oriental touch in its air or the picturesque beauty
of the place, the little hill station of Darjeeling seems to heave and
breathe with life every moment. A land where serendipity is a
commonplace affair, the dramatic landscape of the place with its
sprawling tea plantations and verdant freshness is an instant crowd
puller. This little hill station borrows its name from the two Tibetan
words - Dorje (thunder) and Ling (place), meaning "The Land of the
Thunderbolt". With its sloping tea estates, moss-covered woody
trees, wild creepers and rare orchids, the landscape emanates an
unsurpassable charm.Internationally famous for its "muscatel tea", this paradise is tucked away in the state of West Bengal, on the lower range of the Himalayas in the Shivalik Hills, at an altitude of 2,134m. A summer retreat of the British during the colonial era; the place was a gift to the East India Company by the King of Sikkim in 1830. Under the pioneering work of the British, Darjeeling emerged as a world-class tea producer and became a thriving hill resort of India. With local tea pickers picking leaves with their seasoned hands, the place seems like wearing a gown of varying hues, which increases its quintessential beauty.
Along with the scintillating beauty of its landscape, Darjeeling is also famous for "Darjeeling Himalayan Railway". Declared as a World Heritage Site in 1999, it is one of the few steam engines in India, which are still in service and connects Darjeeling with the plains below. This miniature train that chugs along the ascending slopes of the hills and passes through its mountains and tunnels provides a glimpse to the real beauty of the place. It sends your heart aflutter as you experience an incredible journey through its lushness; relishing the flavor of a bygone era and soaking in the generosity of nature.
With zoological parks, botanical gardens, lookout points and facilities for mountaineering, river rafting and other adventurous sports, Darjeeling is the perfect place for the free-spirited as well as the nature-lovers. Be it going to the famous Tiger Hills before dawn, taking an arduous mountaineering lesson at the Tenzing Norgay Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, visiting an ornate monastery, loitering around its beautiful walkways or enjoying some sumptuous local delicacies like momos & tongbas; your quest for a perfect travel destination ends here. So what keeps you waiting? Grab a rucksack and join the gang.