Eavesdrop on the Secret Sounds of Nature with Darjeeling Tour

Naturally beautiful destinations in India have always been on my wish-list to visit places. Last month, I jumped at the opportunity to visit Darjeeling, a heavenly destination in India. This beautiful destination of North India proved a great combo of mesmerizing snowfalls, enchanting lakes and dense forests.

Darjeeling Tours

Started from the capital city of Delhi, I with two of my colleagues-Richard and Samuel left for a desiderata experience. As we chose the option of going by train, we had a lot of time to discuss of must visit places. Samuel and Richard did it fabulously and we were all set to explore the various facets of Darjeeling tour. Soon, we were in Darjeeling and moved towards the hotel that we already booked.

Charmed by the beauty of hill station, I was simply spell-bound when entered Darjeeling. Snuggled in the rolling Himalayan Mountains, Darjeeling is a quaint hill station in India. Offering fascinating views of the hills, the clouds in the land seem playing hide and seek with the sun.

Next morning we were off to view the sunrise at the famous Tiger Hills. The very sight of sunrise left me with an invigorating feel. Making ways through the pitch darkness, the sun rays seem like distributing the blessings of God.

At last, I could not resist myself to visit Ghoom monastery, which has always been a key attraction to me. Built in the Tibetan style, Ghoom houses a graceful statue of Maitreya Buddha, which is around 15-feet high.

The monastery positions itself around eight km away from Darjeeling. Besides the statue, we could also see the images of Buddha’s disciples, Chenrezi and Chongapa. Based on our experience, I must say that this peaceful place fills your heart with tranquility and divinity.

My wish to board Darjeeling Toy Train left me restless and we all left for a joyous ride. We boarded from New Jalpaiguri and enjoyed this exciting ride around 3 to 4 hours. This 2 feet narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Passing through varying terrain is itself a different experience. It also provided us the opportunity to see Batasia Loop, another feat of engineering.

Victoria Falls became another part of our exploration. Gushing down to the valley through deep ravines from around 100 ft, that wonderful waterfall just took away my heart with its picturesque beauty.

Darjeeling Tea Gardens

Our next day started with a visit to Happy Valley Tea Gardens, another attraction in Darjeeling. The view of the gardens itself fills my heart with a refreshing feel that would last for long time. The guide who was accompanying us shared his knowledge about the garden. He told us that the garden houses the bushes that are around 80 years old. Samuel was very much interested in observing the processing of the tea leaves at nearby factories while Richard plucked and kept few tea leaves safely with him.

Next morning, Samuel insisted us to go for a ride through Darjeeling Passenger Rope way. I with Richard joined him for that ride at Darjeeling travel that was an ultimate adventure.

Starting at North Point that is 3 km from town, this ropeway is around 5 km long and links Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar. While passing over Ranjit River at the bottom of the valley, I transported to another world, where all I could enjoy was the breathtaking views of the fascinating surroundings.

The memorable Darjeeling tour concluded yet Darjeeling Tea that we shopped was reminding me of the delightful moments that we spent there.

Refreshing Darjeeling Tour

Refreshing Darjeeling Tour

Far from the madness of Delhi city I with three of my friends landed in Darjeeling. I had heard a lot about this destination and was very impressed. Now I was here to see it for myself. After reaching Siliguri we hired a taxi to Darjeeling which is around 75 km from this place. I really enjoyed the ride through the winding roads. No traffic jam, no pollution, it was a wonderful ride.

The moment we entered Darjeeling I was completely mesmerized by its charm and beauty. The sight of the verdant green hills was very soothing to the senses. The climate was pleasant and the environment was refreshing.

Darjeeling is a wonderful hill station of West Bengal state of India where nature lovers come from far and wide. Still retaining its old world charm, it is popularly known as the 'Queen of Hill Stations'. The most fascinating attraction of this destination is the refreshing and aromatic tea gardens. The forests here have their own unique charm.

Our first halt was the Tiger Hill which has an altitude of 2590 m. This is a famous spot as it offers breathtaking view of sunrise. I was enchanted to the hilt when I saw the sun rising like a fire ball over the great Eastern Himalayan Mountains from this hill. It was a Kodak moment. One can even get glimpses of Mt. Everest, the world's highest peak from here. Next we headed towards the Happy Valley Tea Estate. Roaming around in the gardens, breathing aromatic air and enjoying the mesmerizing views of the surroundings was a great experience. We also saw how tea leaves are processed. It was quite interesting.

Post lunch we headed towards the Darjeeling Rangeet Valley Passenger Ropeway which is the first of its kind in India. We enjoyed the cable car ride. After that we visited the monastery, garden and temple, which reflected the richness of this hill station. In the evening we went to the local market of Darjeeling and bought some handicrafts. We also picked up some tea packets as Darjeeling is famous the world over for its high quality and aromatic tea.

Darjeeling Tourism: The Best Of Sightseeing & Adventure

It wasn't easy. I've experienced sleepless nights. Coffee was my only companion in silent nights when I was going through a number of Indian tour guides searching for a quiet, relaxing and lazy destination. Finally, I noticed a small town – Darjeeling – at the foot of Himalayas, filled with clean fresh mountain air and offering marvellous views of snow capped Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks. Around 6 km away, before reaching Darjeeling, I stopped at Ghoom – a renowned place dominated by the famous Yiga Choeling Monastery. As I entered the monastery, I found 15 images of the Maitreya Buddha, ancient palm leaves and paper manuscripts in Tibetan language.

Darjeeling Tourism

After having a quick bite at a roadside dhaba, I visited the Museum of Natural History that showcases a wonderful collection of Himalayan animals, reptiles, birds and insects. On my way to the city centre, I also paid short visits to Aloobari and Bhutia Busty monasteries. These holy Buddhist places not only showcase the rarest of antique articles and manuscripts but also depict an excellent architectural pattern. My hotel was quite close to the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park that is the only center in India for the breeding of snow leopard.

The next morning, I started my exploration with the Mountaineering Museum (run by the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, which trains mountaineers). I also wanted to experience the thrill of mountaineering, for which the museum authority provided me with all the equipments and clothes along with a trained assistant. Sanjog, my assistant, told me that it is the first place in India where Dr. Hooker organized trekking in the 1840s. I also enjoyed breathtaking views of Everest and Kanchenjunga peaks from high altitudes.

My next destination was the Observatory Hill, which is attached to strong religious faiths for the Hindus. The renowned Mahakal temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a holy Hindu site here. Post lunch, I headed towards the market, where I found all the shops loaded with good quality woolens and other Tibetan crafts like carpets, wood and leather work. My driver took me to the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center for the best of souvenirs, which is frequented for ethnic Tibetan artifacts.

At the end, I also enjoyed a journey in the Toy Train of Darjeeling. Started in September 1881, the train was declared a World Heritage icon in 1999 by UNESCO on the recommendation of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. That short journey left a long-lasting memory to me.