They say, 'Darjeeling is the replica of the heaven above'
Darjeeling is the most visited hill station in North East India. It has been successfully alluring a lot of tourists throughout the year for more than 5 decades now. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is one of those gems which is the sole reason that animals lovers get so attracted towards visiting Darjeeling.
About Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park-
Opened in the year 1958, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has been a major attraction for tourists in Darjeeling. It is also known as Darjeeling Zoo that is situated in the Darjeeling town and has an average elevation of 7,000 ft. It was established with the purpose of preserving and studying Himalayan Fauna.
*Did you know*
that the Park is named after Padmaja Naidu who is the daughter of Sarojini Naidu- once governor of West Bengal State. This Zoo has also managed to win the prestigious award �The Earth Heroes� in the year 2014 for conserving Himalayan animals and plantation that are used to the alpine conditions.
How to reach-
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is easily accessible from Siliguri, NJP and Bagdogra. You can hire a cab or taxi from any of the places and reach Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park within 3 hours and 20 minutes if the road condition remains good.
Distance-
Siliguri to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park: 65 km NJP to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park: 72 km Bagdogra to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park: 70 km
What do you get to explore there-
Darjeeling Zoo is packed with lots of rare species of animals among whom Red Panda is the most notable one. Some others are-
- Tibetan Wolf
- Snow Leopard
- Black Leopard
- Clouded Leopard
- Siberian Tiger
- Himalayan Black Bear
- Sambar Deer
- Blue Sheep
- Himalayan Tahr
- Barking Deer
- Musk Deer
- Goral
- Jackals
Some birds that you see there-
- Rose Ring Parakeets
- Hill Mynas
- Ring-Necked Pheasants
- Blue Gold Macaw
- Blue combination Macaw
Flora of the Darjeeling Zoo has a variety of 200 species of trees and plants, climbers, shrubs, medicinal etc. Almost 60 varieties of orchids are found there and some oak trees are more than 100 years old.
Open Hours-
The park remains open 6 days a week from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (during summers) and 8:30 am to 4 pm (during winters) excluding Thursday. The ticket price is INR 60 Rs per person that is for the combined visit of the Darjeeling Zoo, Bengal national History Museum and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
The importance of staying in a good hotel-
Traveling has so many sections and staying in comfort is one of them. If your stay isn't comfortable, then you won't be able to enjoy your trip. So before you start traveling, go online and search for some best hotels in Darjeeling India. You can get economy hotels in Darjeeling tariff through the OTA or even through direct hotel booking. Search for them and stay in comfort and explore the amazement of Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park.