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With an area of 1,200 sq. miles, the
district is shaped like an irregular
triangle, the southern region, the base,
comprises the Terrai, a marshy low-lying
area at an average height of 100 m above
sea level; the apex is formed by the
Phalut ridge where Nepal meets India.
The eastern frontier lies along the
rivers Tista and Rangeet, beyond is
Rishi-La and Bhutan. The lower regions
of the labyrithine hilly forest-clad
ridges, have been cleared for the
cultivation of the world famous
Darjeeling tea. Started in the area of
only 14,000 acres in 1872, it had risen
to 7,87,000 acres by 1956. The town
itself laid out by Lord Napier of Royal
Engineers, is at an altitude of 2,134 m
(lies between 26° 31' and 27° 13' North
Latitude and between 87° 59' and 88° 53'
East Longitude); moving up the hills one
is greeted by smiling tea gardens,
changing to firs, pines and fast moving
torrents, while around 4,000 types of
flowering plants and 300 varieties of
ferns, including the rare tree fern.
Beyond the town itself, modern elegant
and sophistacated, lies nature in the
raw in hills, valleys and forest,
unbroken and untamed.
THE FLORA & FAUNA The forests in and
around Darjeeling have delightful flora
and fauna. It is a plant lover's
paradise. Four thousand species of
flowering plants, three hundred
varieties of ferns, including tree fern
and countless types of flowerless
plants, mosses, algae, fungi, birches,
and of course, the prize orchids, wild
and cultivated. There are oaks,
chestnuts, cherry, maple, birch, alder -
all fine and large trees of excellent
growth. In the upper hill areas and the
alpine zone are the magnolias, buck-landias,
pyrus and conifers such as webb,
Himalayan firs, English yews, Sikkim
spruces, larch, which is the only
deciduous conifer, weeping tsuga
brunoniana and junipers. Ivy is common.
Rhododendrons changes the face of the
place.
The fauna is similarly varied - monkeys,
wild cats, tigers, leopards, civets,
jackals and foxes, wild dogs, bears,
otters, martons, weasels, squirrels
(including the Himalayan flying and
Assam giant varieties), porcupines,
hares, barking deer, samburs, chitals
and the very rare pangolin. In the
foothills and the Terrai forests, in the
sanctuaries (Jaldhapara and Gorumara in
the neighbouring Jalpaiguri) can be seen
the gaur or Bison, elephants and the
single horned rhinoceros.
Darjeeling is the home of six hundred
varities of beautiful birds like
flycatchers, fairy bluebirds, orioles,
finches, sunbirds, long-tailed
broadbills, woodpeckers, rufous piculets,
emerald cuckoos, three-toed kingfishers,
long-legged falcons, Hoogson's imperial
pigeons, emerald doves, besides a large
number of seasonal migratory birds on
their way to the plains.
Tiger hill:Tiger Hill and the Famous
SunriseThe trip to the summit of the
hill is through Ghoom, the highest
railway station on the D.H. Ry. The
elevation of Ghoom is 7,407 feet from
sea level, while the altitude of the top
of this hill exceeds that of Ghoom by
1,100 feet. In the fast receding glimmer
of the night, the spectator finds
himself standing on the mound bedewed
with sparkling frost, plunged in hush
and silence and steeped in frigid cold.
A traveller whose vision has not been
entertained with the two sights, the Taj
Mahal by moonlight and sunrise from
Tiger Hill, has missed a pleasure that
does not lend itself to be substituted.
The altitude of Senchel (water reservoir
for the supply of water to Darjeeling
town) and Tiger Hill are 8,163 and 8,515
feet respectively. The first rays of the
sun shoot ahead and shed light upon the
twin peaks of Kanchenjunga and gradually
paint the whole of its snow body with a
beautiful orange colour. From Tiger
Hill, just the top of Mount Everest
(29,002') is visible, peeping out
through two other peaks standing by its
side. The peak that looks highest is
that of Makalu (27,799'). These three
peaks are seen to the north-west a
little left of Phalut. Everest looks
smaller than any of its two sisters,
although Everest is not only higher than
either of them, but the highest peak in
the world, the distance in straight line
of Everest from Tiger Hill being 107
miles. This phenomenon arises from the
fact that Everest is several miles
beyond them. Kurseong is visible to the
south. In hazy distance are noticeable
like so many silver bands, the Teesta,
the Mahanady, the Balasun and the Mechi,
meandering down to the south. Chumal Rhi
mountain of Tibet which is by far the
most beautiful mountain in the world is
seen in the north-east, 84 miles away as
the crow flies. It looks like a great
rounded mass over the snowy Chola Range.
One comes face to face with this peak of
superb beauty from Phari Jong which is
129 miles away from
Darjeeling.KanchanjunghaKanchenjunga -
The World's Third Highest
Peak"Kanchenjunga is one of the world's
most massive and spectacular mountains,
and still a virgin peak". - First Over
Everest."Kanchenjunga is the very queen
of mountains. The view of it from
Darjeeling is the finest in the world.
No other can compete with it" - Everest
the Challenge.To a spectator from the
Observatory Hill who runs the eye over
the great Snowy Range that in a
magnificient cirque borders the horizon
from east to west, Kanchenjunga appears
to be mighty upheaval of snow and ice
from the interlinking system of the main
Himalayan Range. The phenomenon is ,
however, an illusion. The dazzling
whiteness of snows coupled with distance
mars the perspective effect of
comparative proximity and
remoteness.Godwin Austin, named K2 by
the Survey Department of India, is its
only rival claiming to be the second
highest peak in the world. Whether K2 or
Kanchenjunga stands second to Everest in
height, the loftiest peak in the world,
is not yet definitely settled, as would
appear from the following figures.Lastly,
comes the south-western face of the mountain,
so distinctly visible from Darjeeling.
This seems to offer an access from the
Talung saddle, after the head of the
Yalung Glacier is ascended. This
last route is through the state of
Sikkim, necessitating, however, a brief
march along the skirts of Nepal.
Itinerary Sikkim and Darjeeling
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Day 01 |
Fly to Bhadrapur, drive
to Kakarbhitta, after
immigration drive to
Darjeeling
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Day 02-04 |
The destinations of the
tours are Darjeeling,
Kalimpong, Gangtok, etc.
The number of
destinations depend on
the number of days you
like to be in the
region. |
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Day 05 |
Drive to Bhadrapur and
fly to Kathmandu |
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