Darjeeling is rightly known as the queen of the hills. Numerous tourists visit this serene destination more than once and that too for a good reason. It is said that the mountains are never old, so whenever you visit any hill station you will find some changes as compared to your last visit which makes the mountains a favourite destination for nature lovers.
If you are also a nature lover and attracted to maintains then you must visit the Himalayas. here are some hand-picked offsite places near Darjeeling which are unknown to regular tourists but these are the places where you will get a chance to taste the real flavour of the mountains.
Charkhole
Charkhole is located at an altitude of about six thousand feet above sea level. While visiting Siliguri or Darjeeling, many of us get lost in the crowds of familiar places.
There are many unknown, unseen villages, whose natural beauty is just incomparable. So this time maybe you plan a visit to one of these villages instead of taking the regular city dwell
Charkhol village is about 86 km from Siliguri. Hamlet Charkhol, a small hill in the Kalimpong sub-division. At every turn of this hilly town surrounded by dense greenery, nature seems to take on a different form.
Wrapped in rhododendrons, oaks, Cyprus, Kanchenjunga lurks with clouds in this valley. A forest of pine trees aligns on both sides of the road. The whole valley is full of colorful mountain flowers and with it the free movement of birds. Nature is varied and tranquil here. On a clear day, some parts of Mount Everest can become visible from here.
Charkhola is not crowded, with only a few families live here. Their simple life and hospitality are really touching. Take a walk around the whole village, and you'll spend time looking at the different species of flora.
Go to Siliguri by train or car. There are two roads from Siliguri to Charkhol, one is 135 km via Kalimpong and 180 km via Bagrakot. If you go through New Jalpaiguri, you will cover a distance of 86 km.
Ichhegaon
Ichchegaon is a village surrounded by colorful flowers. Adjacent to Siliguri, this valley belongs to the Kalimpong subdivision at an altitude of about 5800 feet.
In Nepali, “Ichche” means the top of a mountain. Only three or four hundred people are living in the village. There are four to five homestays. At every bend of the hill, you will witness a new beauty of nature.
Ichchegaon is the house of clouds in the lap of the mountains as if You can reach the clouds as you raise your hand. From here, you will see the solitude of Kanchenjunga, the favorite place of mountain lovers.
You can walk around the whole village. There is nothing spectacular here but there is a natural environment to enjoy. This small-quiet-secluded valley is surrounded by pines. The road ends at the entrance of the village and then you reach the village on foot. From here you can reach Silari village by trekking 2 km. There is a viewpoint in Rami nearby.
The distance from Kalimpong to Ichchegaon is only 15 kilometers. You can also drive from Siliguri to Ichchegaon. You can also visit Ichchegaon from Ramdhura.
Tabakoshi
Tabakoshi is located in the lap of a tea garden a few kilometers from the town of Mirik. The mountains, the jungle, the currents of the flowing river all combine to make it a magnificent sight.
Tabakoshi, situated on the banks of the Rangbang River at an altitude of about three thousand feet, is like a valley covered with greenery with several surrounding tea gardens.
There is a Sangma tea garden on the bank of the river. The Tharbo Garden is also nearby. It is as if nature has decorated this green valley with its own colors.
This area is perfect for bird lovers. The jig-jag path beside the tea gardens leads down to the river. An abundance of small and large stones across the river bed. Hills and green forests on the other side of the river. As you walk upwards, you will see a pagoda-shaped Shiva temple.
On both sides of the road, there are various hilly flowers including colorful orchids. You can roam the whole village on foot. It's like enjoying the solitude of the cool environment here. New faces of nature are revealed in every corner of the mountain. You can get a homestay at a reasonable price if you like. you can also visit Mirik Lake, which is 8 km away from Tabakoshi.
By train from Kolkata, Howrah, or Sealdah. Can reach NJP or Siliguri. Rent a car and drive to Tabakoshi.
Takdah and Tukdah
Takdah and Tukdah are hill villages located at an altitude of 4,000 feet in the Rangliot area, just 30 or 35 km from the main town of Darjeeling. Although Kanchenjunga cannot be seen from Takdah, its horizon is surrounded by rainforests and the forested environment will make up for the lack.
Takdah is covered in three parts Upper-Middle-Lower is covered with wonderful natural beauty. In addition to the natural environment, there are many famous tea gardens in Takdah, and in the middle of these tea gardens are pine and cedar forests.
There is a step-by-step tea garden on one side of the paved road. Three km away from here is the hill Hamlet Tinchuley. Start from Takdah a little early in the morning and spend a day in Tinchule, and enjoy the wonderful view of Kanchenjunga. Apart from Kanchenjunga, Tinchuley is the confluence of the Teesta and Rangita rivers.
The British originally built this place as a cantonment. On one side of which there are vast mountains, green valleys surrounded by tea gardens, at a distance is the Namchi of Sikkim, and in the middle is the Observatory. In the rainy season, the beauty of Takdar seems to double. At times the whole Takdah valley is lost in the clouds. In the local language, takdah means 'cloud covered'.
If you go down a little from Takdah, you will find Vonjong Bazaar View Point from where you can enjoy the view of Doorpin, Tiger hill, Rambi Khola, Kalimpong, etc. Not far away is the Takdah Orchid Center.
Tukdah Cantonment has various houses including heritage bungalows during the British period. These were made between 1905-1915.
Takdah and Tukdah can be the address of a short two-day holiday. From here you can go to various places including Rishop, Lava, Pedong Kalimpong.
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