Many of you may not be familiar with Kurseong and think this
might be another small roadside village on the way to Darjeeling. Well many
years back it was actually a small hamlet, but over the years its has grown
into a bustling township. Today it's a sub division of Darjeeling district.
Spread of Kurseong is much more than what it may seem.
And the spread is beyond the township to lovely tea gardens
along the mountain slopes, forests with many different flora & fauna,
quaint villages and so on. And expectedly, there are many view points, tea
estates, temples & churches, museums, as well as famous historic schools
that were setup during the British colonial days.
You can easily spend two to three days in Kurseong and
remain immersed with its attractions. There are plenty of local taxis available
near the station and market area all of who will be willing to take you for
local sightseeing tours. There are half day and full day local tours depending
on what you want to cover. Talk to a couple of local drivers before you
finalize one ... The rates vary and some can and do ask for too much.
Below are the best and most popular tourist attractions of
Kurseong:
Eagle Craig
This is a lovely view point and a garden on top of a hill.
You can actually take the narrow lane next to Kurseong station and walk up to
Eagle Craig. It will take about 25 minutes of walk. The view point and the park
land is located at the end of the road which is the highest point on this
mountain.
Eagle Craig (as seen from Rohini Road)
A small concrete stairway leads up to the garden above. The
garden is full of hedges and flowering plantations. There is also a watch tower
on one side of the garden. The views of the mountains on the opposite side and
also that of the lower plains from here is awesome. You need a clear day though
to get great views.
There is a concrete altar here and a Khukri (traditional
Nepali knife) placed on it. It serves as a monument which was constructed by
the erstwhile DGHC in memory of the Gorkhas who lost their lives in 1988
agitation in the hills.
Eagle Craig Kurseong
A large water reservoir here supplies water to Kurseong
town. Eagle Craig has always been a favorite place for the local young couples.
Being on top of a hill and a bit isolated, this place offers a nice romantic
ambience. Eagle Craig is open on all days from morning till sunset. There is no
admission fee.
Dow Hill
Kurseong is spread across several hills of mountains. Dow
Hill is one of them. A large section of the hill is covered with dense forest
and the locals will vouch on the fact that there are leopards in the forest.
While no lives have been lost, the leopards seem to be targeting the sheeps and
goats. The hill is also famous for its many attractions including forest
museum, excellent views, historic schools, parklands etc. Some of the
attractions of Dow hill are described below.
Dow Hill Park
Earlier this was known as Deer Park since you could see lot
many deers here. However with deforestation, such sights are now rare and hence
the change in name.
In the adjacent forest there is a large fenced area where
you can still see some deers. But venturing into the forest is not allowed, you
can only look for the deers from outside the fence and often they can be seen
moving around, but not in the park.
Dow Hill Park, Kurseong
Dow Hill park is located on top of Dow Hill. The fenced park
itself is quite small. There are hedge and other different kinds of
plantations. There is a gazebo in the park where you can sit and relax. There
is also a small children playground with swings and slides. The park is open
from 10am to 4pm. Closed on Thursdays. A nominal entry fee needs to be paid to
enter the park.
Dow Hill Forest Museum
It's a large two-storeyed museum in Dow Hill that stores
many exhibits of flora and fauna of the region. It has been recently renovated
and restored.
Next to it is the Forest Training School. The museum is open
daily.
Forest Museum, Dow Hill, Kurseong
Dow Hill Forest Rest House
Close to the Forest Museum in Dow Hill is the Forest Rest
House. You can book this rest house through the forest department in Kurseong and
stay amidst the nature and surrounded by dense Dhupi forest ... All you can
hear is the chirping of the birds.
Dowhill Forest Rest House
There is a lovely garden at the rest house with flowering
plantations, pine trees etc.
Update March 2014: The rest house is temporarily closed. Due
to the ongoing renovation work at the Forest Museum, all the exhibits and
museums materials have been stored at the rest house. So check out before you
go. However you can still enter the Rest House premises and enjoy the garden
and view of the forests.
Dow Hill Girls School
This is a heritage boarding school on Dow Hill with a lovely
colonial architecture. It came up during the British era when Governor Sir
Ashley Eden had set up this school in 1879 for children of government officers.
Initially it was a small school for boys only. Later the boys section was
shifted to Victoria School and it became a girls school. Apart from its
attractive architecture, the school is also located in a scenic setting with
wonderful view of the Himalayan range and surrounded by lush vegetation. The
school runs under the state government and offers a good standard of education.
Dow Hill Girls School
P.C: SOURAV BANERJEE
Victoria Boys School at Dow Hill
This is the boys school in Dow Hill which was also set up
during the British colonial time. Very well known for its high standard of
education and run under the state government, the school has both boarding and
day students. Currently there are about 350 students in the school out of which
about 200 are boarders.
Victoria Boys School
One of the great features of the school is its large play
fields for the students. The play field at the lower level is the largest in
Kurseong.
Students during break at Victoria School
There is a chapel in Victoria School premises just nest to
the entrance. It has been lying closed for many years, a clear indication of
the fact that there are hardly any Christian students or staff left in the
school who require services of the church.
Dow Hill Water Reservoir
There is a large reservoir in downhill where rain water is
stored. It acts as a water source to many areas of Kurseong sub-division. The
setting is picturesque as you can see in the picture. The reservoir is surrounded
by lush pine and coniferous trees. There is also a picnic area here at an
elevated level. The view of the water from here is great.
Water Reservoir - View from picnic point
Giddapahar View Point
One of the other hills in Kurseong is Giddapahar. This view
point is located few kilometers from the town (takes about 15 minutes by car)
along Hill Cart Road towards Siliguri. The view point is accessible by stairway
right from the roadside. You will need to enter through a gate and then climb
the stairs.
Giddapahar View Point
The view of the mountains, the snow peaks (including
Kanchenjunga) and the valley is awesome. However it should be a clear day to
get good views.
Valley View from Giddapahar View Point
If you look towards the Hill Cart Road below, you can see the road winding down side by side with the toy train track. Giddapahar view point is open daily during the day time and there is no entry fee. You can park the car by the road side.
Hill Cart Road and the Toy Train Track
This is a Hindu temple of goddess Durga. The idol is an
ancient carved stone. The temple can be accessed by a stairway from the Hill
Cart Road and is located at a higher level from the road. It's considered very
sacred and quite popular with the locals.
Seti Mata Temple
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum
This museum is located in Giddapahar area. It was originally
a private house purchased in 1922 by Sarat Chandra Bose, the writer and veteran
freedom fighter. Later between 1933 to 1935 Sarat Chandra and subsequently
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose were kept here by the British under house captivity.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum, Kurseong
With lush greenery and gardens all around, the atmosphere is
tranquil and serene. It has been now converted into a museum. You can see many
original furniture used by Netaji including bed, chairs, tables etc. This is
where Subhash Chandra Bose wrote his speech which he delivered as the president
of Haripura Congress in 1938. The museum also stores many articles, letters and
artifacts that reflect the story of the leader.
Inside the museum
The museum is also known as Netaji Institute for Asian
Studies where research and studies are conducted on Himalayan languages,
society and culture. The museum is open daily. There is no admission fee. You
will be required to take off your shoes before entering the museum. No
photography is allowed inside.
Ambootia Tea Estate
This is a sprawling tea estate with lovely gardens on the
mountain slopes that produce black, green, white Darjeeling teas. It's located
about 10kms below the Kurseong town and takes about 35 minutes to reach by car.
This is usually not a part of standard sightseeing tour. You will need to pay
extra to the driver to get there, but it's worth the money. The estate spans
across an area of 350 hectares and employs over 900 workers. It has been operating
since the British time of 1850s.
Ambootia Tea Garden
You can get wonderful view of Kurseong township from the tea
gardens here.
Ambootia Shiv Temple
Further down from the tea estate and along steep dirt road
through the forested area you will reach the famous and one of the most revered
temples. It takes another 20 minutes or so. It feels like a long bumpy ride on
a treacherous road. This is a Hindu temple of Lord Shiva. The idol (i.e. The
Shiv Linga) is an old dead trunk of a tree. While the temple has many devotees
who are mostly garden workers families, the driver mentioned that this temple
is a wish fulfilling temple and one who offers prayers, gets blessings of Lord
Shiva that helps solve one's problems in life.
Ambootia Temple
Another strange phenomena. The priest of the temple
mentioned to me that although the idol is a dead trunk, it keeps growing with
time. And he himself has seen it becoming taller since his childhood. Locals
firmly believe that too. So that makes the temple very special where the god
(i.e. Lord Shiva) is sitting live.
Ambootia Temple - Priest and the Idol of Lord Shiva
Makaibari Tea Estate
This is one of the most famous tea estates in Darjeeling
district. It's located 3kms from Kurseong town and on Makaibari road. This is
one of the oldest tea estates in the district producing some of the finest tea varieties and also one
of the first to set up a tea processing factory. Owner Rajah Banerji is also
the first in the area to introduce organic farming. With his support, the tea
garden workers and their families have extended their homes and now offer
homestays for tourists. This is an excellent opportunity to experience tea garden
life and the local village culture of Kurseong. You can visit the factory and
also the tea gardens below.
Castleton Tea Estate
This tea estate is owned by the Goodricke Group and is one
of the most well known ones that produce fine black, green and white Darjeeling
tea from authentic Chinese bushes. The estate was set up by Dr. Charles Graham
in 1885. It spans over an area of about 170 hectares. The factory gate is near
Kurseong town and on Pankhabari Road. You can visit the factory and observe tea
processing.
Castleton Tea Factory, Kurseong
St. Mary's Hill
About 3kms from Kurseong town towards Darjeeling, this is a
beautiful hill area with a church perched on top (St. John's Church). There are
statues of Jesus and Mary here nearby. With lush green vegetation and lovely
views, the ambience is wonderful. Walk further up to the Forest College. There
is also a prayer spot here.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Museum
This is one of the three DHR museums of Darjeeling district
which is located in Kurseong station premises. You will need to first visit the
station office and buy the entry ticket. A staff will then come with the keys
and open the museum room next to the platform. It's all yours then. What do you
see in the DHR museum in Kurseong?
Toy Train ride between Kurseong and Darjeeling
From Kurseong station, you can make a day trip to
Darjeeling. One of the best ways to do so is by taking a toy train from
Kurseong station. There are two trains every day between Kurseong and
Darjeeling. One leaves Kurseong in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
Both take about 3 hours to reach Darjeeling and then return. You can also take
the train one way (up or down) and use a private or shared taxi the other way
for saving time. It only takes little over one hour by taxi between Kurseong
and Darjeeling. For Toy Train schedule, train numbers etc, check Toy Train
Services and refer to the section under Route #3.
Source: DARJEELING-TOURISM
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