Darjeeling Travel Information
The East Himalayas comprise the hill tracts of northern West Bengal, Sikkim and the broad green fields and virgin forests of the Dooars Valley. The topography of the land couldn't be more varied-from the highest mountain peaks to hills and fertile wide plains.
The People
The hill tracts are mainly inhabited by colourful Nepalese, Sikkimese, lamas of Bhutanese and Tibetan origin, while the rest of the region has a fair presentatic of Bengalees and people from othe parts of India. Dooars is the home to the vanishing tribe of Totos, in addition to a number of other tribes. The people are friendly, warm and happy go-lucky, with colourful cultures and social more.
Tourist Spots
The Doors Valley is specially noted for its wild life sanctuaries, the most notable of which is Jaldapara, offering memorable elephant ridesthrough rhino and tiger forests. Other sanctuaries include Buxa Tiger Poject, Gorumara and Chapramari.
Sikkim :
Once regarded as one of the last 'Shangrilas' because of its remoteness and spectacular mountain terrain, Sikkim is now fairly easily reachable by road from Sikkim is now fairly easily eachable by road from Siliguri. Much of Sikkim still retains its natural freshness, the beauty of its many monasteries and a presence of Tibetan Buddhism. 
Sikkim is divided into three parts : Gangtok, the capital, in East Sikkim, Phodang and Yumthang in North Sikkim and Gezing, Peling (Pemayangtse) and Yuksom in Western Sikkim, Sikkim has a number of Buddhist monasteries, places of great natural beauty, views of the Himalayan mountain range and trekking routes.
Flora & Fauna
The East Himalayas present an immense variety of flora and fauna. Plants and flowers abound in Lioyd Botanical Gardens, Darjeeling - balmy alpine plants, geraniums, spectacular azaleas, rhododendrons, free forms and conifers. Orchid Houses in Darjeeling and Gangtok Contain some 2000 species of orchids.
The area, specially the Dooars, is rich in wild life, offering unforgettable elephant rides through rhino and tiger forests at Jaldapara. The place has a large variety of deer sambar, barking deer, spotted and hog deer as well as elephants, gaurs, wild boar reptiles, birds and fishes. Chapramari wild life Sanctury is mainly noted for its heronry.
In Darjeeling at the Zoological Park one can have glimpses of high altitude wild life, like the Siberian tiger, himalayan black bear and pandas, while a nearby farm is breeding snow leopards.
