Located within the Indian state of West Bengal, Darjeeling is understood for its tea industry. The city is located amidst the lower Himalayas that are also known as the Mahabharat Range. The town was developed in the mid-19th century by the British and soon the town came to be known for its vast tea estates that produce the best Tea in the country. The city was controlled by the kingdom of Sikkim till it was taken by the Gorkhas and subsequently the British. The town is located at an average elevation of 2050 meters and comes under the eastern Himalayan Zoo-geographic zone. The town is endowed with an upscale cultural history and natural resources and thanks to its pleasant climate all year round, may be a popular tourist spot.
The most famous attraction in Darjeeling, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is additionally referred to as the ‘Toy Train’. It is a narrow gauge rail that is 2ft in width and runs between Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri and was built in the years between 1879 and 1881. In 1999, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, making DHR, the Second railway within the world to possess such an honor after Semmering Railway, Austria.
Located at an altitude of roughly 2134 meters above water level the Singalila Park is situated within the highest regions of West Bengal. The park is known for its amazing peaks and the panoramic views of the lesser Himalayas. The park is legendary as a trekker’s paradise with an outsized verity of mountainous vegetation, fauna, and birds. The wildlife includes rare and endangered species like the Red Panda, Black Bear, Leopard, Tigers, Clouded Leopard, Serow, Leopard Cat, Barking Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, Wild Boar, Pangolin and Takin.
Known for its famous lesser panda and ounce breeding program, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is spread in a neighborhood of 67.56 acres. The zoo is found at a mean elevation of two, 134 meters above water level and is that the largest high altitude zoos in India. Some of the rare and endangered species in the zoo are snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan Salamanders, Tibetan wolf, Himalayan mountain goat and Siberian tigers.
One of the most famous peaks in Darjeeling can be reached either by jeep or by foot which transverses through some of the oldest tea plantations in Darjeeling. The place is best known as a trekking destination and its peaks offer some of the most marvelous views of the Kanchendzonga and the monolithic Mt. Everest.
Batasia Loop can be visited when the famous ‘Toy Train’ makes its way across a looped track that transverses through some beautiful parks. The place is legendary for housing a Gorkha war memorial and while within the toy train you’ll witness a 360 degrees view of Darjeeling. The loop covers a neighborhood of fifty, 000 square feet and transverses spirally into tunnels, landscaped parks and hillocks during this 1,000 feet high descent. The local crafts market located nearby is a must visit.
Spread across a massive area of 437-acres, and situated at an elevation of 2,100 meters above sea level, the Happy Valley Tea Estate is one of the major tourist attractions in Darjeeling. The place is found amidst a number of the foremost breath taking surroundings in India. It also houses one of the highest tea factory in the world and was established in 1854 by an Englishman and was later taken over by an Indian aristocracy from Hoogly.