Opinion

Darjeeling: Home of the Thrilling Himalayan Railway

 

A destination renowned across the world for its varieties of tea production.

Darjeeling is a town & a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 6,700 ft (2,042.2 m). It is noted for its Tea Industry & beautiful mountain, it views of the world's third-highest mountain range - Kangchenjunga and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Health is wealth and this new forest trail in Darjeeling is indeed a step taken in the right direction. Having banned the entry for cars and motorbikes, this trail weaves through the lush Senchal wildlife sanctuary and is sincerely dedicated to cycling only. Take a sneak peek!

Climate & Geography -  Darjeeling has a temperate climate with wet summers caused by monsoon rains. The annual mean maximum temperature is 14.9 °C while the mean minimum temperature is 8.9 °C with monthly mean temperatures ranging from 6 to 18 °C. The lowest temperature recorded was −5 °C. Though not very common, but the town receives snow at least once during two winter months of December and January.

Flora & Fauna - When talking about flora & fauna, Darjeeling is a part of the Eastern Himalayan zoo-geographic zone. Flora around Darjeeling comprises sal, oak, semi-evergreen, temperate and alpine forests & the fauna found in Darjeeling includes several species of ducks, teals, plovers and gulls that pass Darjeeling while migrating to and from Tibet.

For all those who were in search of  peaceful environment, this new forest trail in Darjeeling promises to surround you with scintillating views of Himalayas and a picturesque landscape full of fresh air away from the city’s clutter.

Apart from that, you might as well experience an encounter with high altitude species of wild boars, Himalayan flying squirrels, barking deers, Assam macaques and rhesus monkeys. The forest officials and authorities are putting their best efforts to make this trial a tourist friendly one. Sign boards, bike racks can be seen in future along with marked viewpoints for particular places wherein the bikers can stop for capturing their best views and moments. Do grab on to some hot chai and snacks at Chatakpur.

Best time to visit: February to March and September to December

How to reach - By air: Bagdogra Airport is the nearest Airport to Darjeeling which is 38 kms. away.

By rail: New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead to Darjeeling at a distance of just 62 kms.

By road: One can board one of the regular buses that run from Siliguri to Darjeeling on daily basis. However, there are many buses that frequently travel to Darjeeling from nearby cities of Kurseong, Kalimpong, and more.

Attractions - Tiger Hill, Batasia loop, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, The Japanese Peace Pagoda, the Rock Garden, Golf Course, Nightingale Park, and Sandakphu Peak.

Accommodation -There are different types of accommodations available to suit and fit varied pocket and budget starting from 1,000 and going up to 20,000 per night and a twin sharing basis.