Chowrastha is the heart of the town where every visitor is seen taking a stroll and relaxing their weary heads. In the local dialect, Chowrastha means the place where four roads meet. While proceeding towards Chowrastha or the Mall, visitors have to ascend a hill full of curios, studios etc, and suddenly the visitor finds himself on a huge flat platform surrounded by benches for people to sit. The view is exhilarating with the view of the Kanchenjunga standing with all its might. A walk along the Mall Road opens a beautiful view of the surrounding hills and if the time is right then rhododendrons can be seen all around.

Near to Chowrastha is the Museum of Natural History, containing a representative and comprehensive collection of the fauna of the region. The specimens are displayed in true to life attitudes of all birds' species, reptiles and animals found in different altitudes in the Eastern Himalayas. The butterfly and beetle section merit a special mention.

This is the only Zoo in the world to breed Tibetan Wolf in Captivity and the first South Asian Zoo to breed Snow Leopard and Siberian Tiger.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoo is a unique zoo in the country. It is situated at an elevation of 2133.5 meters against the glorious background of the mighty Kanchenjunga. This zoo in Darjeeling is the only specialized zoo in the country and is internationally recognized because of conservation breeding of Snow Leopard and Red Panda. It was established on 14th August 1958 under the Department of Education of the State for study and conservation of the Himalayan Fauna. On 21st November 1975, the zoo was dedicated by Shrimati Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, to the memory of Shrimati Padmaja Naidu, former Governor of West Bengal. Since then the zoo is known as "Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park".

"The lure of the Himalayas is spreading now all over India among our young people, and that is a sign and symbol of the new life and the new spirit that is coursing through India's veins"
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

This beautiful park situated on the top of a hill is on the way to the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. A magnificent view of Kanchenjunga Range and Singla Valley is unforgettable. People are of the opinion that it is shaped like a ship especially "Titanic".

The Hill feature above Chowrastha and a few minutes walk from the Mall Road, on which the Sacred Mahakal temple rests. Mahakal is considered as the incarnation of Lord Shiva. Adjacent to Mahakal temple is a Buddhist Shrine, manifesting the complete harmony that exists between Hinduism and Buddhism.

The Darjeeling Ropeway connects Darjeeling with Bijanbari, down in the little Rangeet Valley. A monocable type, with one rope acting both as tractor and carrier, the ropeway travels at a speed of 6.5 km an hour. The 4,620 ft span is the biggest and a record for India. From an elevation of 7,000 ft in Darjeeling's North Point, a bicable passenger ropeway, carrying 6 pax. at a time, in a boxed car, decends to 800 ft. at Singla. This thrilling ride is accompanied with the views of the beautiful tea gardens, which fall far below the cables, and it is a good experience. This bicable passenger-carrying ropeway is the largest of its kind in Asia.

This road has always been hidden from the eyes of the tourists and is one of the most beautiful roads especially meant for the lovers. Why do lovers go to Love Road to spend some time? Well, it's very simple, the view from this particular road is just mind-blowing and there is less amount of houses, just nature. It's worth a visit. To reach this Love Road, one can descend from Mall Road or reach via Singamari.

About 15 minutes walk from Chowrastha and just below the Motor Stand is the forty-acre Lloyd Botanical Garden. Over the years plants native to Sikkim Himalayas and exotica from other parts, have been introduced. On its charming laid out terraces grow the alpine plants, arum lilies, geraniums, spectacular azaleas, tree-ferns and conifers, collected from Europe have come the hawthorn, blackberry, broom, horse, chestnut, ash, birch, lilac etc. from China and Japan, cryptomerias; plums, cherries, magnolias and maples weeping willows and deodars; from Africa, the Cape, Bulbon plants and the cypress; from America, magnolia grandiflora and jurriferus bermudiana from Australia and New Zealand, silver and black wattle, the silver oak, the blue gum and eucalyptus. The Cactii and Sacculents section is housed in a separate conservatory with 150 species on display. The varied collection of orchids has developed 50 rare varieties, the Orchidarium housing 2,500 plants. Inside the conservatory, begonias in bloom weave an attractive mosaic of multi-coloured splendour.

"Our way may be hard and long one, but I believe that the truth and faith must ultimately prevail". -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre was started on October 1, 1959. At that time, following the dramatic escape of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, thousands of Tibetans leaving hearth and home, fled into the neighbouring countries to live as free human beings. "It is no exaggeration, in fact, to say that without self-help there can be no rehabilitation, be it economic, social, psychological, cultural or spiritual. Therefore, a ten-member committee was formed in Darjeeling to organize a rehabilitation centre to be known as "Tibetan Refugees Self-Help Center". More info...

The trip to the summit of the hill is through Ghoom, the highest railway station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The elevation of Ghoom is 7,407 feet from sea level, while the altitude of the top of this hill exceeds that of Ghoom by 1,100 feet. In the fast receding glimmer of the night, the spectator finds himself standing on the mound bedewed with sparkling frost, plunged in hush and silence and steeped in frigid cold. A traveller, whose vision has not been entertained with the two sights, the Taj Mahal by moonlight and sunrise from Tiger Hill, has missed a pleasure that does not lend itself to be substituted. More info...

Tenzing and Gombu rock also commonly known as " monkey rock" was named after late Tenzing Sherpa and Nawang Gombu respectively. It is a challenging masterpiece of nature's oddity for the rock climbers. It is where Tenzing Sherpa climbed the Tenzing rock in the presence of Late Prime minister Jawaharlal Nerhu without a belay.

Rock garden as the name suggests, is a garden fully made out of rock. It is a marvel of present day architecture. Situated at a distance of about 12 kilometers, (approx.) away from Darjeeling town and winding its way through the narrow and enthralling hilly terrain, it is a place worth a visit. Ganga Maya park situated 2 kilometers away from rock garden has a small lake at its helm, with boating facilities where one can enjoy the serene cool atmosphere of the place.

The world famous heritage toy train (DHR) winds its way through one out of the three loops en route to Siliguri from Darjeeling at Batasia, which is very near to Ghoom railway station. Ghoom railway station is the highest railway station to be reached by a steam locomotive. This loop is perfect masterpiece of railway engineering. At the center of the loop a war memorial stands which reminds us of the Gorkha martyrs, who laid their lives protecting the sovereignty of our motherland. More info on the DHR...

Apart from tourism, Tea is the biggest industrial activity, offering the largest employment in the hills. The turnover of the Darjeeling tea industry is nearly 7.5 million USD, which is more than the money generated by tourism in the Darjeeling hills. Happy Valley Tea Garden located approximately 1 km from Darjeeling town offers the tourists an opportunity to experience the manufacturing process of the Darjeeling Tea.