The panoramic views of the snow clad peaks of the Himalayas are straight out of a postcard and provide a welcome relief from the dust and soot of urban India.

Darjeeling originally belonged to the independent state of Sikkim. Later in the eighteenth century, it was taken over by the Bhutanese and the Gurkhas. The British East India Company in its many annexes finally gained control of the town and developed its potential as a sanatorium, and a "rest and recreation" centre for the troops and a pass to Nepal and Tibet. Even today, the place is full of Sherpas, Gurkhas, Bhutias and Nepalis.

Tiger Hill is the highest point in Darjeeling. From here one can see the peaks of the Kanchenjunga and on a clear day the Everest looms into view. Close by, at a height of 2448 m is the Senchal Lake, which is a popular picnic spot. The Observatory Hill is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists for there is a Kali temple here and a multitude of prayer flags.

The majestic Kanchenjunga serves as a backdrop for the Bhutia Busty Gompa, a branch of Nyingmapa sect from Sikkim. Its library holds the original copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The Yogachoeling Gompa popularly called Ghoom is usually shrouded under a cloud of mist and enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha. This is probably one of the best known monastries in Darjeling and is only 8 kms away from the town.

The other monasteries are the Samdenchoeling, Sakyachoeling, Phin Sotholing, Aloobari, Thupten Sangachoeling and Sonada Gompas. The Dhirdham Temple is the most prominent hindu temple here. The Bengal Natural History Museum has a large collection of Himalayan flora and fauna.

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park established in 1958 houses rare species like Siberian tigers, red pandas and the Tibetan wolf. It also has a Snow Leopard breeding programme. The world famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) is based in Darjeeling The "Samadhi" (memorial) of Tenzing Norgay, who conquered Mt. Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary, lies in the grounds of the HMI. The HMI is definitely worth a visit, if only to view the mementos from all the Everest expeditions of the past, successful and unsuccessful,

About 3 km north of Darjeeling is India’s oldest passenger ropeway, 5 km in length over the Rangeet River. There is Lloyd Botanical Gardens with an impressive collection of plants, flowers and orchids near the market. One can always take pony rides in Chowrasta.

Every 14 to 20 November, the Teesta Tea and Tourism Festival is held here with cultural performances, tea estate visits and organised tours, treks and walks around the region.

Getting to Darjeeling: Bagdogra, 96 km away is the nearest airport and is connected to Kolkata, Delhi, and Guwahati. The distance from Bagdogra to Darjeeling can be covered in 3 hours by a bus or in a private taxi.  New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead with connections to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Madras, Bombay, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Tirupati, Trivandrum and Cochin.

From here the " toy train" to Darjeeling takes a picturesque route lasting about 7 hours. The road distances are Kolkata 651 km, Gangtok 100 km and Kalimpong 51 km. In the town, jeeps and Land rovers are available on hire.

When to go to Darjeeling: The best time to visit this hill station is between April and June and September and December. The summer temperature hovers between 14° C and 8° Celsius and the winter temperatures fall to a freezing 6°C  to 1°  Celsius.   So be sure carry woollens when you visit.

Accommodation in Darjeeling: There is no dearth of places to stay in Darjeeling – from charming old mansions now converted to hotels to spanking new modern hotels – there is a wide choice. In keeping with your pocket you may choose to stay at a homely Tibetan run hotel with clean rooms and friendly service or if on a shoe string budget, the youth hostel may suit the bill. Wherever you do decide to stay, keep in mind that most hill stations have acute water shortage, and Darjeeling is no exception; So check out the water situation before you check in and make sure you have running hot water in the taps!

Tourist Office in Darjeeling: The tourist office is below the Bellevue Hotel, Chowrasta. The officials are very helpful here. At the Foreigners’ registration office at Laden La road, one can obtain permits to go to Sikkim. There are two banks on the same road that exchange foreign currency and encash traveller’s cheques. The road also houses the post office. The Internet facility in the town is however slow and frustrating.