Tiger Hill, Darjeeling

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Tiger Hill is the summit of Ghoom, the highest railway station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for spectacular sunrise show over the Himalayas. Leveling out at 8500 feet, Tiger Hill is the highest hill in the immediate surroundings. It is 11 km from town of Darjeeling and can be reached either by jeep or by foot through Chowrasta, Alubari (incidentally the oldest tea plantation in Darjeeling) Jore Bungla and then the incline up to the summit, which takes about than 2 hours on an easy gait.

The first rays of the sun shoot ahead and shed light upon the twin peaks of Kanchenjunga painting it pink and then bathing it in a beautiful orange colour. From Tiger Hill, Mount Everest (29,002') is just visible, peeping out through two other peaks standing by its side. Makalu (27,799') looks the higher than Mt. Everest, owing to the curve in the horizon, as it iŗs several miles beyond Makalu. The distance in straight line from Tiger Hill to Everest is 107 miles.

On a clear day, Kurseong is visible to the south and in the distance, Teesta River, Mahanady River, Balasun River and Mechi River, meandering down to the south. Chumal Rhi mountain of Tibet, 84 miles away as the crow flies, looks like a great rounded mass over the snowy Chola Range. One comes face to face with this peak of superb beauty from Phari Jong which is 129 miles away from Darjeeling.

While at Tiger Hill You can also visit Senchel sanctuary, which offers great picnic spots, and its two artificial lakes serve as a reservoir for supply of water to Darjeeling town.