Darjeeling is one of the leading holiday destinations in India as well as the world. From all over the world a lot of tourists travel to Darjeeling every year. It is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in the state of West Bengal in India. It is located at an altitude of 2014 M and is approximately 6709 feet above sea level.
The name Darjeeling came from the Tibetan words ‘dorje’ which means Thunderbolt and ‘ling’ is land; hence it means ‘The land of thunderbolt. Darjeeling is also known as ‘the Queen of Hills’.Darjeeling is famous for her worldwide famous tea and of course A wandering view of the Mighty Kanchenjunga which is also called the sleeping Buddha. If you have a short time to visit Darjeeling then you can choose Darjeeling 3 points.
What are the Darjeeling 3 Points?
- Tiger Hill
- Ghoom Monestry
- Batasia Loop
Table of Contents
1.Tiger Hill:-
Tiger Hill is world famous for its breathtaking view of sunrise over Kanchenjunga(8586m), the third-highest mountain in the world. You can see the other peaks of mountain ranges like Mt.Everest(8848m), Kabru N(7338m), Kabru S (7317m), Goecha(5127m), etc. Tiger Hill is situated at a height of 2590 m(8497 ft) above sea level. It is 13 Km from the main Darjeeling town and located above the town of Ghoom.
So, to start your Tiger Hill trip you should wake up and leave the hotel at 3:30 a.m. to take a cab and reach the destination. It will take 40-45 minutes to reach the destination. You can relax and watch out for the stunning panoramic view of the Himalayas range and snow-capped peaks with sunrise with a cup of tea.
Distance from main city -. 14 km
Best time to visit – March to May(Spring) and October to December(Autumn)
Timing- 4.30 am to 6.30 am
Entry fee- In Tiger Hill, you have to pay 200 rupees per vehicle for a permit. If you want to go there, you have to get a permit in advance. This permit is done by the traffic Sardar, every day a certain number of cars are allowed to enter the Tiger. So if you have decided to go to Tiger Hill then you need to take out the permit the day before, if you have this tour by a certain travel agency then you don’t have to take any risk your taxi driver will do everything for you.
Hotel near Tiger Hill-
If you want to stay away from the city of Darjeeling, then you can stay near Tiger Hill where you can feel closer to nature. You can consider some hotels like near Tiger Hill-
- Aps Homestay
- Blue Horizon Homestay
- Rambler’s Nesting Homestay
- Hotel Amaira etc.
Note- Kanchenjungha is the world’s third-highest mountain peak. It’s 8586 m (28169 feet) from the sea level. It is situated in the Sikkim state and Nepal border. This Kanchenjunga is also known as The Sleeping Buddha.
‘Kan’ means head, ‘Chen’ means belly, and ‘Jungha’ means knee. If the weather is clear, the mountain is visible and it is seen as a sleeping Buddha as the appearance looks the same as the head, face, upper body, belly, and feet of the Lord Buddha.
2. Ghoom Monestry:-
Old Ghoom Monastery also popular as Yiga Samten Choling Buddhist Monastery is one of the tourist spots in Darjeeling 3 points. It is a popular tourist spot. It is situated in the 8000ft. It is known for its mainly 15-foot-high(4.6 m) Maitreya Buddha statue, which is painted in gold and decorated with precious stone. This is a sacred place for the Vajrayana Buddhist community. It was built in 1850.
This monastery belongs to some rare Buddhist manuscripts that include the 108 volumes Kangyur which is supposed to be spoken by the Gautam Buddha. You can see these manuscripts. Besides, there are many Buddhist books here. If you come here at this time, you will find a unique spiritual environment. It is advised that tourists should be coming to this monastery either early morning or early evening for a better experience. It is one of the first Tibetan monasteries in Darjeeling.
Distance from main city- 7 km
Note- According to Buddhist tradition Maitreya will be the successor of Gautam Buddha. He is also known as ‘Coming Buddha’.
No photography is allowed inside.
Entry fee- Nil
Timing- 9.00 am to 6.00 pm
3. Batasia Loop:-
If You do a joyride in the Darjeeling toy train, you will pass a wonderful loop. Batasia Means airy space. It is one of the best places where you can get a 360° panoramic view of mountain hills and see snow-covered peaks like Kanchenjunga. You can see a very beautiful garden, a 100-year-old toy train track, local shops, and their hustle and bustle. In the middle of the Batasia loop, you can see a monument, the War Memorial. This was opened in 1995.
It shows the heroism of Gorkha soldiers who sacrificed their lives in various wars after the independence of India. Here you can see a statue of a soldier who pays dignity. In Batasia Loop there are seating arrangements also available, where you can enjoy mountain views with a cup of tea. Some people show up close shots of mountains with their telescopic binoculars in exchange for certain money. After returning from Tiger Hills your driver will show you Batasia Loop and Ghoom Monastery.
Distance from the main town- 4.5 km
Best Timing to visit – March to May(Spring) and October to December(Autumn)
Timing 5.00 am to 6.00 pm
Open Everyday.
Entry Fee- 20 INR but those who have already purchased the Joyride are avail for free.
How can avail of the 3 points of Darjeeling?
You can book a cab or taxi from the taxi stand. It is situated opposite the Kleventers( a renowned cafe in Darjeeling) , 5 minutes walking distance from the Mall of Darjeeling.
Cost- 1500 INR to 3500 INR( based on seating capacity)
Share cab- 600 INR
You can also book a travel package for this tour.
Where to stay?
Darjeeling has a lot of hotels. So don’t worry about your staying. You can stay mainly 3 areas in Darjeeling – 1. Mall Road( where hotel prices are much higher) 2. Darjeeling Railway Station 3. Offbeat location.
How to Reach in Darjeeling?
By Air:-
Nearest airport-Bagdogra airport
Though it is a domestic airport if you come from any city of India you can direct or indirect flight from there to Bagdogra. If you come from a European country or an American country, the nearest Airport is in Kolkata which is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. Then you can catch a domestic flight from Kolkata to Siliguri which is Bagdogra Airport. After reaching Bagdogra Airport you can book a cab which Can reach your destination i.e., Darjeeling. The distance from the airport to Darjeeling is approximately 85 km, and the time duration should be 2 to 2.5 hours.
By Train;-
If you’re going from Kolkata to Siliguri (NJP) then you can get so many options from Sealdah Howrah station. You can book any train according to your schedule. Ticket prices are 350 INR to 2500 INR according to various classes.
Now It’s time to go to Darjeeling.
You can book a cab from Siliguri Station or NJP station To Darjeeling. The time duration should be 2 hours 30 minutes.
Cab Pricing- If you go to the share cab then it costs approximately 250 INR to 350 INR per head.
If you book a reserved cab then it costs approximately 3000 INR to 4000 INR.
If you are a solo and budget traveler then you can book a seat of Govt. bus which costs approximately 110 INR.
Last but not least there is another great option to reach Darjeeling from NJP which is the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway also known as Toy Train. If you have enough time to explore then you can get a ride on Toy Train.
Toy Train ticket prices vary from 650 INR to 1600 INR based on various classes.
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You can also check out my other blogpost which will guide your upcoming tour.
Do you know what are the Two points of Darjeeling??
1.Rock Garden
2.Gangamaya Park
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1.Tiger Hill
2.Ghoom Monastery
3.Batasia Loop
1.Darjeeling Zoo
2.Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
3.HMI Museum
4.Ropeway
5.Tea Garden
6. Tibetian Refugee Camp
7.Tenzing Rock
3 nights and 4 days will be enough to visit Darjeeling if you rightly plan a trip.