Why visit Darjeeling
- The sight of Mt. Everest on a clear day is just enthralling
- The 83 Kilometres distance covered by the narrow gauge toy train has been bestowed World Heritage Site status.
- Darjeeling is home to magnificent tea estates
Blessed with a cool and bracing climate, and a panoramic view of the Himalayas the biggest attraction of Darjeeling is the narrow gauge "toy train" which starts from Siliguri and ends in Darjeeling. Hailed as an engineering master piece, the lines makes wide loops, such as the famous Batasia loop, as it zigzags up the hill with the track rising to a total of 6850ft. Now a World Heritage site, each of the steam engines, one dating back to 1892, haul up three carriages. The city is centred around the Mall which has a variety of shops and leads to the Chowrasta, which is an interesting walk. There are several interesting Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries in and around the town. The oldest one is called the Yoga Choeling Monastery which is situated about 8 kilometres from the town at Ghoom and enshrines an image of 'The Coming Buddha'. The Monastery was constructed in 1875, and belongs to the Gelugpa Sect. The Samten Cholling Monastery and the Drukpa Kargyud Monastery, also known as Dali Monastery, are also nearby. The Japanese peace pagoda in the city depicts the various stages of the Buddha's life. Another attraction is the Llyods Botanical gardens, home to an interesting and varied collection of Himalayan flora.
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