~:Darjeeling District:~
Places of interest in Darjeeling Hill Area
SANDAKPHU
 At a distance of about of 58 kms from Darjeeling & perched on a high ridge of 3636m lies Sandakphu, a trekkers paradise. It is the highest peak in the Singalila range. Sandakphu can ideally be called as the only vantage point in India from where 1 can view 4 of the 5 highest peaks in the world which includes-Everest, Kanchenzonga, Makalu, Lhotse in a continuous snow clad arc Sandakphu is accessible by a rough jeep track on which ply vintage Land Rovers dating back to World War II.
The only alternative to reach Sandakphu is to trek. Sandakphu which means Height of the poison plant refers directly to the poisonous
 Aconite plants which grows near the peak in abundance. A variety of Magnolias, Rhododendrons, primulas, & other sub-alpine flowers are found in abundance in the Sandakphu region. It is also the only geographical area in the world where over 600 varieties of Orchids are found. Except the monsoon seasons of July-Aug Sadakphu can be visited any time during the year.
TINCHULE
Tinchule is a small mountain village, situated at about 33 kms from Darjeeling. The word Tinchule stands for 3 chullas (oven) and is a relatively new tourist destination developing in off beat eco tourism The people of Tinchule and the tourists visiting here are fed with the produce of this place itself which can rightly be called as a self satisfying village. The concept of eco tourism has been quite successfully applied with the help of organization such as WWF, the visitors get to stay with the villagers in their huts. Tourists are also provided with home made cooked food all at a minimal cost. Building the tinchule eco tourism resort was an initiative by the villagers themselves. from Tinchule one can get an excellent view of sunrise and the north east himalayan range from the sunrise point. The tinchule monastery is another spot of tourist attraction and is very sacred to the locals.
KURSEONG
At
 a distance of 33 kms from Darjeeling lies the land of the white orchids KURSEONG.it was ceded to the british by the king of sikkim in1835 when it was a small village.it gained importance in 1880, after the DARJELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY or DHR also known as the TOY TRAIN was extended to it. The train till now runs through the heart of the town and allows passengers to even shop while on the move. A majestic view of the entire town and also of the adjoining hills can be seen from Eagles Craig, situated at the peak of a hill. The AIR tower which stands as a giant in the town can be seen even from Siliguri,55 kms away. Kurseong situated at an altitude of 1458 mts enjoys a mild and pleasant climate all throughout the year. It is an ideal place for people who have trouble with extreme cold and hot weathers. Kurseong is also the seat of a number of educational institutes, some being build by the british such as Victoria Boys School, Dowhill School, St Helens School etc. owing to its attractive climate many famous personalities have spent some time here. Some great works of Guru Rabindranath Tagore were composed in this place. The residence of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at giddapahar also holds great importance in Indian history.netaji was briefly interned here by the british.the residence has now been converted to a museum on his life. Mark Twain is also believed to have been to this place. Deer park ,& downhill forest museum is a treasure trove of the rich flora and fauna of the himalayan region. Chimney situated at 7000ft is famous for the fully organic vegetable farm growing exotic vegetables throughout the year in a green house environment. Giddha Pahar Mandir, makaibari tea estate, and are other attractions in Kurseong.
MIRIK
S ituated only 49 kms from darj and 52 kms from siliguri, is a beautiful recently developed hill station called MIRIK.it is situated at about 1767 mts above sea level and has a thin population of about 15500 people.it has grown around a beautiful lake named Sumendu lake which offers boating facilities.it is about1.25 kms long and is the main tourist attraction in Mirik.from mirik 1 can get a sweeping view of the plains as wel as the snow clad Mt Kanchenjunga.other mountain ranges of the nearby Nepal border can also be seen from the Kawley Dara view point ,Rameetay.a view of sunrise and sunset from this point is a treat for the eyes.the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, Tamang Buddhist monastery, Don bosco Church, Home dara Shiv Mandir, Thurbo tea garden, Orchid Nursery are other interesting places around Mirik.orange orchards are abound in this area and Cardamom Groves can be seen growing on marshy terrain surrounding Mirik.
JORPOKHRI
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