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Attractions

The seven sisters (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya,Manipur & Tripura) along with Sikkim officially make the NORTH EAST INDIA but the one of the major attractions of North East travel is Darjeeling or Kalimpong which are in northern part of West Bengal but geographically located with in the same region. The major attractions of NORTH EAST INDIA for popular tourists are DARJEELING, GANGTOK, KALIMPONG & PELLING.

DARJEELING :

State : West Bengal
Nearest Airport : Bagdogra (100 Km)
Nearest Railway Station : New Jalpaiguri (90 Km)

The major attraction of Darjeeling :

Tiger Hills,
A visit to the Tiger Hill before dawn is a must for all Darjeeling visitors who want to see sunrise over the Mt Kanchenjungha. Tiger Hill is 2590 m above sea level and 15 kms from town (45 min). Tiger Hill is the highest point in the area which provides the most exotic view of the Kanchenjunga peaks. From this place the other peaks of the Eastern Himalayas can be seen. On a clear day the sight of Mt. Everest is just enthralling.

Ghoom Monastery
More correctly known as Yogachoeling Gompa, this is probably the most famous monastery in Darjeeling and is about 8 km south of town, just below Hill Cart road and the train station near Ghoom. It enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha. Foreigners are allowed to enter the shrine and take photographs. As Ghoom is frequently swathed in mists, and the monastery is old and dark, it is often affectionately called Gloom monastery

Batasia Loop
Five kilometers from Darjeeling and three kilometers from Ghoom, the meter-gauge, toy train winds its way over this brilliant piece of engineering delight. It is a pleasant and delightful descent from Ghoom - the highest railway station in the world.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Adjacent to the Mountaineering Institute, on Birch Hill, is the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, which has attracted world attention by successfully breeding endangered species like the snow leopard and red panda. The Zoo houses several other rare Himalayan animals. The Zoo is open each day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except on Thursday.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
The world renowned Darjeeling Himalayan Mountaineering Institute had Sherpa Tenzing Norgay of Mt. Everest fame, as its first field director. His nephew, Nawang Gombu, the first man to climb Mt. Everest twice, continues in the footsteps of his illustrious uncle as field director. The institute offers training in mountain climbing, and maintains a fascinating museum of memorabilia of famous mountaineers and expeditions of the past. It is open to the public each day of the week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except on Thursday

Tibetan Refugee self-help Center
A 20 to 30 minutes walk from Chowrasta through leafy glades and tea plantations, brings you down to the Tibetan Refugee Centre. Established in 1959, the centre comprises a home for the aged, and orphanage, school, hospital and craft workshops that produce carpets of pure ladakhi wool, woodcarving, leather work and wool items. The weaving and dyeing shops and the wood carving shop are particularly interesting.

Tea Estate
Darjeeling tea, famously known as the champagne of teas, is generally regarded as the World's best tea, fetching the highest prices at auction. The Darjeeling tea gardens are beautifully located, and the bungalows of the managers pretty without exception. The tea gardens are worth visiting, to observe the way tea is manufactured. Tea estate managers, "the planters" as they are called, are known for their hospitality.

Natural History Museum
Established in 1903, a comprehensive but dusty collection of Himalayan and Bengali fauna is packed into this interesting museum. Among the 4300 specimens is the estuarine crocodile, the animal responsible for the greatest loss of human life in Asia. The museum is open daily except Thursday, from 10am to 4pm.

Peace Pagoda
The Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple, Charlimont started in 1972. In 1992 the Japanese Peace Pagoda was inaugurated. It commands an excellent view of the town and the Himalayan range.

Lal Kothi
Lalkothi is the Secretariat of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. The Council House is located amidst beautiful surroundings and commands a fabulous view of the town and the mountains. 

Dhirdham Temple.
Near the railway station is built in the style of Katmandu's Pashupatinath temple. It adds to the varied religious architectural styles of Darjeeling.
GANGTOK :

State : Sikkim
Nearest Airport : Bagdogra (140 Km)
Nearest Railway Station : New Jalpaiguri (130 Km)

The major attraction of Gangtok :

Government Institute of Cottage Industry :
It is now known as the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms as well as the Government Institute of Cottage Industries(GICI). Started during the time of the Chogyals of Sikkim, as a venture to preserve, protect and propagate the authentic Sikkimese arts, handicrafts and skills of local and village artisans, it has become one of the major attractions for people visiting Sikkim where beautiful souvenirs like carpets, hand carved tables (choktses), traditional handcrafts, furniture, handlooms carpets and other products are produced & exhibited for sale.
 
Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology(SRIT): .
this internationally acclaimed centre of Tibetan Studies & Research houses a vast collection of rare Buddhist books, manuscripts and over 200 Buddhist icons.About a kilometer downhill from the main market of Gangtok, amidst a small forest of oak, magnolia and birch trees stands the Institute of Tibetology. This  is one of the few of its kind. It has one of the world's largest collection of books and rare manuscripts on the subject of Mahayana Buddhism .
 
Do-Drul Chorten (Stupa):
Encircled by 108 prayer wheels built by late Trulsi Rimpoche in 1945-46. This is one of the most important and biggest stupas found in Sikkim.The Do-Drul Chorten or Stupa was built by the venerable Trulshi Rimpoche, head of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism in 1945. Inside this stupa, there are complete mandala sets of Dorjee Phurba (Bajra Kilaya), a set of Kan-gyur relics (Holy Books), complete 'Zung' (mantras) and other religious objects.
 
Permanent Flower Show: .
White Hall, Close by the White Memorial Hall and just below the Palace Ridge park is the more recent Flower Show Hall. In recent years this show has become quite popular and famous as there are flower exhibitions throughout the year in accordance with the seasons and the flowers in bloom.
 
Tashi View Point :
Built by the late King of Sikkim Sri. Tashi Namgyal, it is situated about six kilometres away from Gangtok on the North Sikkim Highway, this place offers an astounding view of the Khangchendzonga snowy range on a clear day. On the opposite hill, the Phodong and the Labrang monasteries can be seen. A resting shed and a small cafeteria situated at Tashi View Point provides shelter and other amenities to the tourists. A park above the View Point is a good place to enjoy a picnic.
 
Hanuman Tok:
Situated about 5 km uphill from White Hall on a bifurcation road of the Gangtok-Nathula Highway, is a temple devoted to Hanuman, a God worshipped by the Hindus. On selected points on the road to the temple, breathtaking views of Gangtok and the adjoining rolling hills can be seen.From the temple itself, the snowy peaks of Khangchendzonga present a panoramic picture. 

Ganesh Tok:
It is a very small temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh, a diety worshipped by Hindus. The temple is so small in size that it can hardly accommodate one person and one has to crawl to get inside it. It is located on the hill adjoining the TV Tower. It is on a hillock on Gangtok-Nathula Road. From here you can get a panoramic view of Gangtok town and the Raj Bhawan Complex and on a clear day you get a breathe taking view of Mt. Khangchendzonga. 

Rumtek Dharma Chakra Center :
Built in - 1960A short drive from Gangtok will take you to Rumtek Dharma  Chakra Centre. Built in 1960 by His Holiness the late 16th Gyalwa Karmapa it is a replica of the original Kagyurpa Monastery in Tsurphu, Tibet, Located within the complex are the main monastery, the memorial stupa of the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa inlaid with gold plate and semi precious stones, A fifteen minute walk downhill from Dharma Chakra Center takes one to the Old Rumtek monastery which was originally built in 1730 by the ninth Karmapa but was destroyed by fire and had to be reconstructed to the present state.

Tsomgo/ Changu Lake:
The drive from Gangtok takes about 2½ hours by bus. The lake is about 1 km. long and oval in shape, 50ft deep . This is an alpine zone and snowbound from December to April and the lake is regarded extremely Holy holy and head of all lakes in Sikkim remains frozen from January to April, and attracts 99% of tourists visiting Gangtok, Sikkim. It is also a home of Brahmini ducks besides stopover for various migratory ducks.

Nathula Pass:
Distance -  54  km ( from Gangtok ), Altitude -  14790 ft.(4,392 m)
20 km further away from is the famed Nathula pass. The pass Nathula means the whistling pass. Nathula is the Indo-China border at Jawahar Lal Nehru Road whereby Indian troops and the Red army stand face to face. This is the closest an Indian Tourist can travel and pose a photo or two with the Red Army.
Note -  The days for tourist visit is restricted and needs to be applied at least 24 hrs in advance and limited days of operation. The days permitted to visit Nathula are Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays only. Photography is strictly prohibited in and around Nathula.
KALIMPONG :

State : West Bengal
Nearest Airport : Bagdogra (85 Km)
Nearest Railway Station : New Jalpaiguri (75 Km)

The major attraction of Kalimpong :

Dello Hills :
Atop Deolo Hill at 1914 metres. Excellent views of snow peaks, Kalimpong town and the Teesta Valley.

Dr. Graham’s Home :
Started in 1900, by Rev Dr. John Anderson Graham as an institution to house and educate offspring of British planters and local women, it is now a public School. Of interest are original buildings and chapel. The School celebrates its Centenary Year in 2000, with most functions focussed around 24th September.

Flower Nurseries :
Gladioli, orchids, cacti, amaryllis, anthuriums, roses, gerberas, dahlias and other exotic plants are grown in a number of flower nurseries in Kalimpong, mainly for export.

Nature Interpretation Center
Operated by the Forest Department, focuses on flora, fauna and local people interacting with ecology

Jang-Dong-Palriffo Brang Monastry
Consecrated personally by the Dalai Lama in 1976, it contains the Kanguyar, in 108 volumes, brought by the Dalai Lama when he fled Tibet. Excellent view point for snow and valley views.
PELLING :

State : Sikkim
Nearest Airport : Bagdogra (150 Km)
Nearest Railway Station : New Jalpaiguri (140 Km)

The major attraction of Pelling :

Pemayangtse Monastery :
Pemayangtse is a premier monastery situated at Geyzing in West Sikkim District, around 140 km from Gangtok. With a view of Mount Kanchenjunga, it follows the Nyingmapa sect of the Tibetan Buddhism and the monks of Pemayangtse are usually from Bhutia families. 108 monks are present in this monastery. Built in the 18th century AD, it is the oldest monastery that houses priceless thankas, icons, Buddhist texts, paintings and frescos.

Changey Waterfalls :
Changey Waterfalls is a breathtaking waterfall on the western slope of Pelling, a little town in West Sikkim District. The famous Sangachoeling Monastery is near the waterfall.

Sanga Chelling Monastery :
Sanga Chelling Monastery, situated about 7 km from Pemayangtse, is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. Sanga Chelling means 'the island of esoteric teaching'. Built in 1697, this monastery is highly venerated among the Nyingmapas. It also houses some of the original clay statues.

Khecheopalri Lake :
Khecheopalri Lake is around 33 km from Pemayangtse in West Sikkim District. Also known as the wishing lake, this lake is located in the midst of a dense forest. It is considered to be sacred both by the Buddhist and the Hindus. Prayers are allowed around it.

Singshore Bridge Monastery :
Built in 1697 AD, Singshore Bridge Monastery is situated on a ridge above Pelling and the famous Pemayangtse Monastery. It is considered as one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. In order to reach this monastery one has to walk up the steep hilly slope which leads through rich forest covers.Singshore Bridge Monastery celebrates Bumchu Festival every year. During the festival, devotees from far and near gather to get the blessing of the holy water. The sacred holy water is taken out once a year on this auspicious occasion of Bumchu.