Friday, October 12, 2012

 
 


Darjeeling



Darjeeling is in a small city in West Bengal, India. Darjeeling grew in prominence during the mid 19th century when, because of its climate, the British first established a hill station there after leasing it from the Chogyal of Sikkim and later discovered that the area was particularly well suited for tea plantations.
Because it was a popular hill station during the days of the Raj, a lovely Victorian town was built among the Himalayan foothills, the remnants of which are still visible around the Chowrasta and Darjeeling remains a popular summer and fall resort for the natives of Kolkata today. For  tourists, the main attractions are the cultural diversity, the beautiful views (including the wonderful vista view of Kanchenjunga), a variety of trekking options, and the opportunity to cool down after a stint in the plains. The town is also a jumping off point for travelers heading to Sikkim.

Getting There

Darjeeling Tea Path
By plane

The nearest airport is Bagdogra, near Siliguri, 96 km from Darjeeling.
By taxi/share jeep
Siliguri is the nearest town. Ample transport is available to Darjeeling from here. The most popular modes of transport are taxi (usually shared by three to four passengers), share jeep (ten passengers).
However a Taxi from Siliguri will not take you out for sight seeing once on the hills/or in the Darjeeling town ship. It is advisable to take a one way taxi from Siliguri into Darjeeling, and book a Taxi within Darjeeling for sight seeing and your journey back to Siliguri. Taxi-fares are standard, and are generally affixed on the rear wind shield of the vehicle.
Share jeeps depart regularly, from several locations around town. They leave when full, and are a cheap, fast and reasonably comfortable way to get to Darjeeling.
By bus
There is a regular bus service from Silguri to Darjeeling. However, they are quite slow due to the steep, twisty climb up to Darjeeling. Share jeeps are almost as cheap, and faster.
By train
Darjeeling himalayan toy train
New Jalpaiguri (NJP) near Siliguri is the nearest station on the main inter-city line. Direct trains to NJP run from Delhi (approx 27 hours) several times a day. From there, the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, known to all as the ‘Toy Train’ completes the journey to Darjeeling. This route is very popular with tourists as it passes through some very picturesque mountain scenery and has been the subject of many romantic articles.
Darjeeling Train

Getting Around

Darjeeling is a small town and the salubrious climate means walks around town are an extremely enjoyable means of getting around. For longer trips, taxis are available in stands near the entrance to the Mall.
Darjeeling

See

  • Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI)
  • Himalayan Zoo – Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park (shares the premises of HMI)
  • Buddhist monasteries
darjeeling wall paintings
  • Japanese Peace pagoda
  • The Kanchenjunga – best seen at dawn from Tiger Hills (check out the weather as best you can though, a cloudy day can ruin the effort of getting up at 0300 hrs. Also for traffic jams, can take hours in the morning rush when almost all the taxis here are at the Tiger hills)
  • The Darjeeling Rungeet Valley Ropeway
darjeeling hindu worship
  • Deolo Hill, Kalimpong This is a must see for all the nature lovers visiting Darjeeling. The view of tea gardens from a park on the top of this hill will sweep you off your feet. You will find yourself in a garden on the top of the hill. You’ll be surrounded on all sides by tea gardens going thousands of feet deep, and the entire picturesque landscape guarded well on all sides by high rise mountains. Kalimpong is a little warmer than Darjeeling. On your way from Darjeeling to Kalimpong, you will come across many hill points and a picturesque view of river Teesta. You can enjoy rafting on the river, if you have enough number of enthusiasts in the group.
  • Mirik – The lake of Mirik is a nice stretch of water where you can enjoy horse riding and boating. You will be chased by a number of horse riders who will offer you an affordable ride on the horse, even if you dont want one. The best way to avoid them quickly is to tell them that you will take a ride after boating and lunch. Some riverside restaurants can offer average quality meals.
  • Tiger Hill – Ideal to visit early morning when the first rays of Sun kiss the Mt Kunchenjunga and give it a golden color. To visit the hill, one needs to get up at 3:00 am in the morning. You can taste some excellent tea on your way to the hill, which will provide much needed warmth on cold Darjeeling mornings. When getting into a taxi at 4 AM keep in mind that they are shared taxis and your driver might wait around in vain for others to join your taxi causing you to miss the sunrise! Those travelling alone or as a couple might want to squeeze into an already occupied jeep to insure full viewing pleasure.
view of darjeeling town

Do

Darjeeling is one of the oldest hill stations in India, and has plenty of options, both for those seeking a lazy getaway from the hot plains, as well as nature enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies. Apart from sights within the town, there are plenty of trek options along the Himalayan ridges on the Indo-Nepal border near Darjeeling. The most popular one being the Singhalia Ridge Trail. Bookings for guides, porters and accommodation on the trail can be made in Darjeeling or in the nearby town of Manebhanjang, which serves as the trail-head.
park in darjeeling

Buy

  • Tea. Darjeeling is famous the world over for its teas, which are very aromatic and have a delicate taste. Shops selling teas (usually owned by local tea gardens), dot the area in and around the Mall. Nathmulls is especially known for their tea and also ship worldwide. Stop by to smell the numerous varieties they have to offer.
  • Curio items pertaining to Tibetan and Himalayan cultures, such as thangkas, miniature monasteries and garments made from yak wool.
  • Books, Oxford Bookshop, Chowrashtra. Excellent selection of titles.
  • Posters and picture postcards, Das photo, the Mall. Excellent selection of posters and cards depicting scenes of the Himalayas.
old mansion

Eat

‘Momos’ – a steamed delicacy are a staple food offered by almost every eating joint. Several eateries which dish out North Indian, Nepali, Tibetan, and continental fare dot the area around the Mall.
  • Glenary’s Bakery and Cafe. A good place for pastries, the ubiquitous Darjeeling cuppa, sizzerlers and North Indian fare. Offers nice views of the Kanchendzonga on clear days.
  • Hot Stimulating Cafe. On the way to Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, on Hooker Road, is this lovely little cozy place. The Momos here are awesome! They even offer a Momo-cooking course! The guy who owns it can double up as your local guide, trekking along with you to some adventurous outings from Darjeeling.
  • Kunga. An excellent Tibetan place, situated just above the clocktower. It serves superb tibetan food, including hearty tibetan soups (the Thentuk is recommended). It is, however, tiny, so is often full.
One major problem is everything closes pretty early in the night (8 PM). So do keep something in stock to eat, if you are planning to stay up late.
darjeeling misty treesE


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Thursday, October 11, 2012

 
 


Corbett National Park


Corbett National Park
Jim Corbett National Park—named after the hunter and naturalist Jim Corbett who played a key role in its establishment—is the oldest national park in India. Situated in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, the park acts as a protected area for the critically endangered Bengal tiger of India, the secure survival of which is the main objective of Project Tiger, an Indian wildlife protection initiative.
An ecotourism destination, it contains 488 different species of plants and a diverse variety of fauna. Once inside the park, the safari is great, you get to see very relaxing jungle views,  several kinds of antelopes, birds, Langur monkeys, and of course- tigers!
Over 585 species of resident and migratory birds have been categorized, including crested serpent eagles, blossom headed parakeet and the red jungle fowl — ancestor of all domestic fowl. 33 species of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians, 7 species of fish and 37 species of dragonflies have also been recorded.

Corbett National Park

History

The park was originally named Hailey National Park after Governor Hailey and was created on August 6th 1936. It was India’s first National Park. After independence the park was renamed after the Ramganga River and was call Ramganga National Park. The park was renamed again 1957 after James E. Corbett, who helped to set up the park and spent most of his life in the area.
The area of the park was increased in 1991 when the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary was added to the park.
Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park

Climate

Corbett National Park
There are three well defined seasons in the Corbett National Park- the winter season which lasts from November to February, the summer season which lasts from March to June, and the rainy season which covers the rest of the month. The summer rains cause flooding in the park. The temperature in the Winters can go down to 4 degrees centigrade at night and the entire jungle is dry in the summer months as the temperature goes up to 44 degrees centigrade. The annual rainfall in the park ranges between 1400mm and 2800mm.

Get There

It is normally accessed from the town of Ramnagar, and is a two hour drive to the north.
The main areas (Dhikala and Bijrani) of Jim Corbett National Park are closed from 16 June – 14 Nov for the monsoon season. Jhirna & Sitabani (Buffer Zone)remain opened all year round.
Corbett National Park

See

Bengal tigers, although plentiful, are not easily spotted due to the abundance of camouflage in the reserve. Thick jungle, the Ramganga river, and plentiful prey make this reserve an ideal habitat for tigers who are opportunistic feeders and prey upon a range of animals. The tigers in the park have been known to kill much larger animals such as buffalo and even elephant for food. The tigers prey upon the larger animals in rare cases of food shortage, often in packs using the advantage of numerical superiority. The reserve has enormous boars, weighing up to 200 pounds, who provide a match for the tigers as a large male boar is capable of killing a tiger. There have been incidents of tigers attacking domestic animals in times when there is a shortage of prey.
Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park
Leopards are found in hilly areas but may also venture into the low land jungles. Smaller felines in the park include the Jungle Cat, Fishing Cat and Leopard Cat.] Other mammals include four kinds of deer (barking, sambar, hog, Black buck and chital), Sloth and Himalayan Black bears, Indian Grey Mongoose, otters, yellow-throated martens, ghoral (goat-antelopes), Indian pangolins, and langur and rhesus monkeys. Owls and Nightjars can be heard during the night.
Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park
In the summer, Elephants are seen in large herds of several hundred. The Indian python found in the reserve is a dangerous species, capable of killing a chital deer. Local crocodiles were saved from extinction by captive breeding programs that subsequent;y released crocodiles into the Ramganga river.


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