“The
beauty these mountains hold.
Their beauty my heart remembers
These visions I long to see
And I know within my heart
The hills are calling me.”
If you are from West Bengal, your experience of touring the hills cannot be complete without visiting the Queen of the Hills- Darjeeling. We get to see an eclectic mix of people from far and wide once we visit there. People from all over the world come to see the majestic Kanchenjungas, and feel the magic of this little town called Darjeeling.
The best way to travel to Darjeeling is to take the Toy Train from New Jalpaiguri. It is an experience to cherish. Although Siliguri is the closest city to Darjeeling, and there are plenty of cars and buses available to take you to the hills- but if you are not in a hurry, I would suggest that you experience this train ride.
The diesel run Toy Train running to and fro from NJP to Darjeeling via Siliguri gives you the feel of trekking, as it chugs up through the Hill Cart Road. The meandering roads along the mountainside, gives you the most picturesque views of the valleys and mountains. The rain and the clouds arranges a light and shadow play, that leaves you feeling quite overwhelmed.
A visit to Darjeeling not only gets you closer to the hills, but nests you among nature. The smell of pine, eucalyptus and 60,000 other medicinal plants used for producing medicines, mixed with the smell of rain and clouds, is the best detoxification for your polluted lungs and senses as well.
If you are a first visitor of the hills, Darjeeling has a lot to offer you. There are several tourist spots that you cannot miss.
Tiger Hill, The Batasia Loop, Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park, The Peace Pagoda, Ghoom Monastery, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute- these are some the places that you cannot miss. There are also several Tea Estates that you should visit. If you are a tea lover, you are sure to fall in love all over again.
Do not forget to keep a day for the Toy Joy Train ride. It takes you from the Darjeeling Railway up to Ghum and back, covering a total distance of 14kms. It is a 2 hour trip that you need to book in advance. An engineering marvel of the colonial era, The Himalayan Queen, operates on narrow gauge tracks, ever since 1880! Heralded by UNESCO as one the World Heritage Sites, is a much coveted experience in itself.
Although you can get plenty of local cars and bus on rent, and local guides to help you, but you need to bargain hard with them as their rates fluctuate as per the demand. It is best that you arrange the visit through an agency.
Akk Cruiser is one of the best travel agency in Siliguri. Get in touch with them to arrange your travel, stay and guided tour in and around Darjeeling, you will come back again!
They have the several Darjeeling tour plans for you to choose from, as per your budget. AKK Cruiser guides will make sure that you get to visit the best tourist places in Darjeeling within your stay time. For the best experience of Darjeeling get in touch at www.akkcrusier.com. You will get the necessary information from this site as well. Remember we are the best travel agency in Siliguri ready to serve all you need.
