Finally the opportunity comes in my life to play with the clouds, to roam around the drenched road of the “Queen of the Hills”. Darjeeling , the name itself have a nostalgia. The majestic view of Kanchenjunga, breakfast @ Keventers, greenery of rolling Tea gardens, colourful Mall Road, Sweet smell of Glenary’s backery – All these have a different affection towards Darjeeling.
Itinerary:
Day 1 : Start our journey
Day 2 : Reached Darjeeling, Visit Zoo, Mall Road, Mahakal Temple, Chauk Bazar, Shopping
Day 3 : Tiger Hill, Ghum Monastery, Rock Garden, Tea Garden, Toy Train ride
Day 4 : Go to Pelling
Day 5 : Kanchenjunga Falls, Khechiperi Lake, Rimbi Falls, Singshore Bridge
Day 6: Go to Ravangla, Visit Pemayangtse Monastery on the way, Budhha Park
Day 7 : Ralong Monastery & return to NJP Station
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park – We went there in the afternoon. This is the largest high altitude zoo specialized for conservation breeding programmes of many endangered species viz. Snow leopard, Red Panda, Tibetian Wolf etc. The Himalayan Mountain Institute is located within the zoo comp
Tiger Hill – Visualize the shining golden peak of the Kanchenjunga on the 1st ray of the rising Sun in a cloud free morning is the life time experience. Local ladies are selling their home made teas & coffees there to make you feel a homely atmosphere.
Ghum Monastery – A 15 ft. high old statue of Lord Buddha & old Buddhist manuscripts are the attractions of this monastery.
Joy Ride – We boarded on the Toy Train to go to Batasia Loop, where the train takes a sharp turn cantering a War memorial built to pay the gratitude to the Gorkha soldiers. Though the railway tract covers a 78 km. distance from Darjeeling to Siliguri & declared as UNESCO World Heritage. It seems a fairy tale to roam around the city by Toy Train.
Mall – This is the colourful area full of shops & boutiques , the centre of attraction of this city.
Day 4 –
We checked out for Pelling & it took nearly 6 hours to reach. We had booked the hotel named “Baichung” from Kolkata & it is in a good location near the old helipad ground in the Upper Pelling.
In the next morning we saw the breath-taking mesmerizing view of the entire range of Kanchenjunga i.e. the “Sleeping Buddha posture” from our hotel room.
Day 6 –
We checked out for Ravangla & stayed at Yum Tham Home-stay (very good hospitality). on the way we had visited
Pemayngtse Monastery – It is a 3 storied old monastery, the 2nd floor of which is wooden & is the ancient part. Many ancient Tibetian manuscripts , usable of the founder Lama of this monastery are preserved here.
Day 7 –
On the way of returning to NJP station, we went to
Ralong Monastery – The legend is that Buddhism blessed the site of the monastery at an altitude of 8000 feet with the grains of rice thrown from Tibet. It has an extensive collection of paintings & thangkas, a sign of Buddhist art. The annual dance festival LASSONG is held every year in the month of December.
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