It is also called the 'Land of the Thunderbolts'. It is situated on top of a ridge and is surrounded by tea plantations. The best time to visit the place is from mid September to mid December. Recently though, the season continues from March to June. The rains here are very heavy. Until the 18th century, the place belonged to the Rajas of Sikkim. They fought with the Gurkhas as well as the Bhutanese. Then the British helped them get their land back, and Darjeeling was granted to the British for an annual stipend of Rs.3000, doubled in 1846. You can happily spend lots of time here as Darjeeling has a number of places, which you can visit.

Some of these places are

TIGER HILL

It is about 11 kms. from Darjeeling near Ghoom. You can view the mighty Kanchenjunga and the rest of the eastern Himalayan peaks. It is very cold and crowded at the top. The view is magnificent and you can, on a clear day, see Lhotse, Everest, Makalu, Kokong, Janu, Rathong, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Simvo, and Siniolchu. They have a view tower on the hill. Close to the hill is the "SINCHAL LAKE". It supplies Darjeeling with its domestic water and is quite popular as a picnic spot.

OBSERVATORY HILL

It is situated above the Windamere Hotel and is sacred for both Buddhists and Hindus. It has a shrine dedicated to Kali and is surrounded with multi colored prayer flags. The views from the little knoll on top of the ridge can be compared to those of Tiger Hill. The Bhan Bhakta Sarani provides the best uninterrupted views of the Himalayas.

BHUTIA BUSTY GOMPA

It is a very colorful monastery. The shrine was moved here from Observatory Hill. Originally, it was a branch of the Nyingmapa Sects’ "Phodang Monastery" in Sikkim. It has a library of Buddhist texts. Amongst these texts, is the original copy of the "Tibetan Book of the Dead".

GHOOM GOMPA

It is also called "Yogachoeling Gompa" and is situated about 8 kms south of Darjeeling. It has an image of the "Maitreya Buddha" (one who has yet to come). The place Ghoom is quite often covered in mist. The monastery is old and dark and is often called Gloom Monastery. Ghoom also has three other Gompas namely "Samdenchoeling", "Sakyachoeling" and "Phin Sotholing".

On the Tenzing Norgay road near Darjeeling, is the "Aloobari Monastery", which also sells Sikkimese and Tibetan handicrafts and religious objects. At "Dali", halfway between Darjeeling and Ghoom, is the "Thupten Sangachoeling Gompa". Towards Darjeeling is the opulent "Sonada Gompa".

DHIRDHAM TEMPLE

It is the major Hindu temple in Darjeeling. It is similar to the Pashupati Nath Temple of Kathmandu.

BENGAL NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

It was set up in 1903. It has a collection of Himalayan and Bengali fauna. More than 4300 specimens can be found, among them is the Estuarine Crocodile.

HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE (HMI)

It was founded in 1954 on the British Hill Park. It has a Museum, which shows historic mountaineering equipment, specimens of Flora and Fauna of the Himalayas, badges and pins from mountaineering clubs of the world, relief model of the Himalayas and traditional dresses of the hill tribes of the Himalayas. Mount Everest has a museum all dedicated to it.

PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN Z00LOGICAL PARK

It was set up in 1958. It houses Siberian tigers, red Panda and Tibetan Wolf along with other animals. Its objective is the study, conservation and preservation of the Himalayan Fauna. The snow Leopards have a separate enclosure about fifteen minutes away from the main zoo

PASSENGER ROPEWAY

It is the about 3km north of Darjeeling. It is India's oldest passenger ropeway and connects Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar at the bottom of the valley.

TIBETAN REFUGEE CENTRE

It was established in 1959. It has a home for the aged, an orphanage, school, hospital, Gompa and craft workshops producing carpets of Ladakhi wool, wood carving, wool products and leather products. It also has a showroom selling Tibetan coins, banknotes, jewellery etc.

GARDENS

TEA GARDENS
They are also known as tea plantations. They were started in the 1804. Happy Valley Tea Estate is nearest to Darjeeling and worth a visit. You can tour the processing plants, watch the pickers at work and also buy the locally grown tea. This tea estate claims to use old orthodox methods.

LLOYD BOTANICAL GARDENS

It has a 'Hothouse', which you would love to visit. The gardens have a fine collection of Himalayan plants, Orchids and other flowers. Almost all the Himalayan varieties find representation here. Among them are the Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Magnolias and lots of rare botanical specimens.

Some other places you can visit are the Batasia Loop, Lebong Race Course, Lat Kothi and Ava Art Gallery. You can learn Tibetan language at the Manjushree Centre of Tibetan Culture. The Tibetan Refugee self help Centre teaches woodcarving. Short courses as well as treatments in Reiki are also available in Darjeeling. You could also take pony rides around the town or become a day-to-day member of the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club. The Club offers tennis, badminton, squash, roller-skating, billiards and table tennis. If you are visiting in November you can attend the Teesta Tea and Tourism Festival held from 14^th to 20^th November.

It is situated at a height of about 1750 m and is about 50 kms away from both Siliguri and Darjeeling. It has an artificial lake called "Sumendu Lake". The lake has a cobbled promenade and offers boating facilities. In the South of the lake is Kishannagar, which can be visited for its carpet-weaving centre. Tea estates, cardamom plantations, orange orchards and forests surround Mirik. You can see the beautiful snowy peaks of the Himalayas from the hilltops of "Rameetay" and "Deosi" Hills. You can visit the "Bokar Gompa", situated high above the town, by walking up a path from the Southern end of the road. Three small Hindu temples dedicated to Hanuman, Kalimata (Goddess Durga as mother of Time) and Shiva, are situated on the west side of the lake.

It is called "Place of the white Orchid". It is surrounded by tea gardens and is about 50 kms away from Siliguri and 30 kms south of Darjeeling. The name of the hill station has its origin in the Lepcha word. It boasts of a mild climate throughout the year and a peaceful atmosphere. One can view the southern plains and the Teesta River from "Daw Hill" and "Eagles Crag". It has a number of fantastic walks and you can reach Ghoom in a few hours walk through the virgin forests situated on the ridges of the area.

It is situated about 50 kms from Darjeeling, and the journey to it is very pleasant. You pass "View point", a place where the Ranjit and Teesta river meet. It is set amidst the foothills of the Himalayas. It has beautiful Oak Forest and abundance of flowers. The climate is gentle with cool winters and warm summers. You can visit the "Tharpa Choeling Gompa" of the Yellow Hat (Gelukpa) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. There is also the Bhutanese monastery called the "Tongsa Gompa", and at "Durpin Dara Hill" is the "Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa". It contains a rare three-dimensional Mandala.

On the road to Darjeeling, is the "Sericulture Research Institute", where silk worms are bred and silk produced. It also grows herbs and plants.

Kalimpong has a number of nurseries and produces Orchids, Roses, Cacti, Dahlias, Amaryllis and Gladioli. Most of them are exported. About 80% of India's Gladioli are produced here. You can visit the Sri Ganesh Moni Pradhan Nursery and the Udai Mani Pradhan Nursery. Universal and standard Nurseries specialize in Cacti while the "Orchid Center" sells about 110 varieties of Orchids.

Other places to visit are the "Pranami Temple" on Relli Road, dedicated to Lord Krishna; Dr. Grahams Home with its own dairy, poultry and bakery, the Swiss Welfare Dairy and the Lepcha Museum. The place has pleasant walks upto Chitray Falls, Bhalu khop as well as downhill walks. In Kalimpong, you can look for traditional Bhutia craft, woodcarvings, pastel paintings, embroidered bags, tapestry bags, scrolls and paintings from Dr. Grahams Home, copperware and Tibetan jewelry. Kalimpong also has a "Nature Interpretation Centre".

AROUND KALIMPONG

It is about 16 kms from Kalimpong. It is a centre for white water rafting, where the rapids are best tackled between 15th November and 15th February.

LAVA AND KAFFER

It is about 30 kms east of Kalimpong. Lava has a "Kagyupa Gompa". Market day is on Tuesday. You can view Mt. Kanchenjunga from Kaffer.

SAMCO ROPEWAY

This is a chain lift, which the Swedish installed in order to help villagers cross the Teesta River. It is a strong wire from which you literally dangle and dance your way across about 30 mts above the water.

New Jalpaiguri (NJP - common name) has a railway junction. It also has the narrow gauge "Toy train" to Darjeeling, which starts from here. Siliguri lies about 7 kms north of NJP. The winters are pleasant but the places are crowded as they are the major trading centres for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, North East, Sikkim as well as Eastern Nepal, whose borders are quite porous. Bagdodra is a town 12 kms west of Siliguri and has the airport nearest to the mountains in this region. Both the places are surrounded by tea plantations and are the departure points for the hills. You can shop for cheap as well as designer clothes in the towns. New Jalpaiguri has tailors who make clothes at very low prices and Siliguri is famous for its Caneware from smallest to the largest of articles.

JALDAPARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

This place is about 135 kms east of Siliguri. More than 100 sq kms are set aside. They have grasslands and thick forests. Torsa River flows through it. One can visit it from October/November to April/May. The forest cover is thinner during the winter. You can view the One-horned Rhinoceros, Elephants, Bison, Deer, Leopard, Wild Boar, Gaur and Tigers. Elephant safaris are available at a reasonable price.

The forests of Sal, Khair and Sheshu make it a beautiful place to see.

Malda is situated 349 kms North of Calcutta, on route to Darjeeling. Today, it is well known for its Fajli mangoes. English Bazaar or Ingaraj Bazaar is a suburb of Malda. A fort was built here in 1771.The old town Malda is about four kms away. You can visit the local mango processing centre, the Jami Masjid constructed in 1596, as well as the Nimasarai tower. The Masjid is made of decorated and encarved stones, and the tower has weird stones protruding from the outer surface of the wall. This may have been used to display the heads of criminals. The ‘Bhils’ or the low-lying marshy tracts attract a large number of Siberian geese and wild fowl in the winter season.    Malda also has a museum, which carries a stone collection, inscriptions and coins.

Gaur is situated about 12 kms south of Malda. Right next to it is the border of Bangladesh. It was the capital of the Sena Dynasty. It was well known as a centre of art, education and culture during their rule. Gaur started losing its fortunes from the 13th century onwards, and the city population was wiped out by the plague of 1575.

Places you can visit in Gaur are the "Dakhil Darwaza" built in 1425, which is made of red bricks. It is the main gateway to the fort. The other gates of the fort are the Royal Eastern Gate or the "Lukochuri Darwaza" (hide and seek gate), and the "Kotwali Darwaza", which once had a beautiful archway. Inside the fort on the South-east corner, you have the " Baisgazi Wall", getting its name from its height (20m); the Royal Palace ruins and Kadam Rasul which has a Bengali thatch style roof also called "chala". Some of the Mosques that can be visited are the "Tantipara" Mosque; the "Lattan Mosque" with its decorative bands of blue, yellow, green and white glazed tiles; "Chotti Sona Masjid" as well as the "Bara Sona Masjid" - a golden mosque supposed to have 44 domes; the "Chika Mosque" (Bat Mosque) and the "Charukati Mosque" ruins.

‘Ramkeli’, near the Bara Sona Masjid has the Madan Mohan Jiu Mandir, where ‘Sri Chaitanya’, a Bengali religious reformer of the 14th century once stayed." Tamaltola is where he meditated. Devout pilgrims visit both places.