Darjeeling is the northernmost region of the state of West Bengal. Darjeeling is a town and municipality. This article will shed interesting insights into Darjeeling and West Bengal tourism.

Darjeeling Tourism

Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain peak in the world, is visible from Darjeeling on a clear day. An extensive list of the important tourist attractions in Darjeeling are given below:

• Lloyd Botanical Garden
• Bhutia Busti Monastery
• St Andrews Church
• Tenzing & Gombu Rock
• Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre
• Nightingale Shrubbery
• Happy Valley Tea Estate
• Jamuni Tourist Complex
• Dhirdham Temple
• Ava Art Gallery
• Pony Road
• Rock Garden & Gangamaya Park
• Dali Monastery
• Japanese Temple
• Observatory Hill & Mahakal Temple
• Peace Pagoda
• Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park
• Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI)
• Chowrasta Mall
• Senchal Lake & Wild Life Sanctuary
• Batasia Loop & Gorkha War Memorial
• Joy ride in Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as “Toy Train”, from Darjeeling to Darjeeling (Via Batasia Loop & Ghoom)
• Tiger Hill

Tiger Hill

• The world’s highest peak Mount Everest and the world’s third highest mountain peak, Kanchenjunga are visible from Tiger Hill on a clear day.

Senchal Lake & Wild Life Sanctuary

• It is one of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in India.
• Senchal Lake & Wild Life Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Darjeeling.
• It is the habitat of the Himalayan flying squirrel, Assam macaque, rhesus monkey, Indian leopard, Himalayan black bear, barking deer, wild boar, etc.

Joy ride in Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as “Toy Train”

• On 2 December 1999, UNESCO declared the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) a World Heritage Site.
• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is also known as Toy Train.

Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park

• This zoo was established on 14 August 1958 in the Birch Hill neighbourhood of Darjeeling.
• The park was renamed in 1975. It was dedicated to the memory of Padmaja Naidu when former PM of India Indira Gandhi visited this zoo.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI)

• It is referred to as the Mecca of Indian Mountaineering.
• The institute has trained thousands of people from across the globe.

Japanese Temple

• This shrine was built in 1972.
• This shrine is also known as Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple.
• This shrine is 10 Km away from Darjeeling town centre.

Pace Pagoda

• Peace Pagoda was built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii.
• Nichidatsu Fujii was the founder of Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order.
• He was a Buddhist monk from Japan.
• Peace Pagoda houses the four avatars of Buddha.

West Bengal – Flora and Fauna

West Bengal is a good tourist destination for tourists who love animals and nature.

• Around 19% of West Bengal’s land is covered with forests as per the ‘India State of Forest Report, 2017’.
• Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, is located in West Bengal.
• West Bengal has national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
• The five national parks located in West Bengal are Singalila National Park, Neora Valley National Park, Gorumara National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve, and Sundarbans National Park.

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