Darjeeling is a very popular hill station that stands at an altitude of 7000 feet. It is located in the Northern part of West Bengal and is famous world over for its tea estates.Darjeeling is quite the picture perfect hill station with its fantastic mountain views, trekking trails, Buddhist monasteries and balmy climate. Darjeeling has that rarefied mountain air and a lofty beauty, amplified by the world’s highest mountains looming in the distance.

Darjeeling originally belonged to the independent state of Sikkim. Later in the eighteenth century, it was taken over by the Bhutanese and the Gurkhas. The British East India Company in its many annexes finally gained control of the town and developed its potential as a sanatorium, and a "rest and recreation" centre for the troops and a pass to Nepal and Tibet. Even today, the place is full of Sherpas, Gurkhas, Bhutias and Nepalis.

Tourist Attractions of Darjeeling

Botanical Gardens
This place is worth a visit for its exotic and exclusive collection of a variety of Himalayan plants, flowers and orchids. This place is near the taxi stand. The gardens also has a green house.

Bhutia Busty Gompa
stands out with the majestic Kanchenjunga as a backdrop. Its library holds the original copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Shrouded under a cloud of mist is the Yogachoeling Gompa popularly called Ghoom, which enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha. This is one of the best-known monasteries in Darjeeling.

Chowrasta
This one of the important shopping places in Darjeeling . Here the Nehru Road and the Mall Road Intersect each other. The snow capped peaks of Kanchenjunga are visible from this place. Near Chowrata are several Hindu and Buddhists temples. This place is over flowing with foreign tourists. You can also enjoy a pony ride form this place.

From Darjeeling one can have the best, uninterrupted view of the worlds third highest peak. Bhan Bhakta Sarani provides one of the enthralling views of these snow capped peaks. The Chowrasta also gives you a good sight to the Kanchenjunga peak.

Climate

Darjeeling has a temperate climate. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are only slightly above those of London, England. The rainy season extends from mid June to late September. Winters tend to be dry and snow falls only rarely.

Best season to visit Darjeeling: Between April to June and mid September to November.

How to Reach Darjeeling?

By Air: - The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra(90 kms from Darjeeling) , which is connected to important cities of India by domestic airlines.
By Rail: - The railhead for all other trains is New Jalpaiguri (88 kms from Darjeeling) or Siliguri (80 kms from Darjeeling).
By Road: - The buses runs from Calcutta and other nearby places like Kalimpong, Kurseong, Gangtok, Bagdogra and Siliguri. Private buses also ply.