Top Holiday Destinations in Darjeeling
Darjeeling Tour
Darjeeling - what bells does it ring - Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, exotic tea flavors, imprints of Victorian Age - all this and more in the land of non-elusive Nirvana. Do not forget to pinch yourself if the sight of tea estates from the windows of first class coach belonging to Toy Train looks too good to be true. The playing children with their parents carrying the huge basket meant for collecting delicate tea leaves might catch fancy as the wish of being there in the first place crosses mind.
Darjeeling Sightseeing
BATASIA LOOP
Perhaps one of the most picturesque train routes in all of Darjeeling, the Batasia Loop is a lush green toy train pathway that is meant to minimise the elevation of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The unique design of this magnificent attraction allows the track to wrap around itself through a hilltop tunnel. One of the most enchanting aspects of the Batasia Loop is its unmatched natural beauty which is a wonderful sight to behold. Located on Hill Cart Road (NH 55), you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Darjeeling in all its verdant glory.
JAPANESE TEMPLE
As you climb up from Clubside along Gandhi and AJC Bose roads, you see this glistening white structure standing out - that's the Peace Pagoda. The Peace Pagoda, one of the 70 odd such structures built under the guidance of Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fujii, is worth a visit during the daily pujas.
BHUTIA BUSTY MONASTERY
A few that stand out in the crowd are the Ghoom monastery, Bhutia Busty monastery and Aloobari monastery. Ghoom monastery is famous for its 15 ft. high special statue of Maitreya Buddha. It is also known as the Sakya monastery. Aloobari Gompa would be a place of choice if you're interested in both shopping as well as sightseeing. You can find lots of local stalls outside the monastery. .
SALUGARA MONASTERY
Salugara Monastery is among the most frequented revered places, located in the outskirts of Siliguri. Located 6 km from the city, the Buddhist shrine is visited by tourists for meditation. The ideal tranquil location for meditation was established by Tibetan monks and followers of religious leader the Dalai Lama
TIGER HILL
Lying at an altitude of 2590 meters and a distance of 13 kilometres away from the Darjeeling, Tiger Hill is most famous for its splendid sights of the morning sunrise from where you can see the peaks of Kanchenjunga illuminate before the sun is seen at lower elevations. The magnificent view of snow - capped mountains sitting amidst cotton clouds attracts tourists to Tiger Hill from all over the country.
CHOKHOR LING MONASTERY
The Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling Monastery is one of the prominent Buddhist centres in the region. The monastery is home to around 500 monks who participate in practising and sustaining the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. It also serves as a school teaching the principles of Buddhism. The monastery has a monastic college named Shedra. Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche established the monastery in 1984 as a retreat centre.
