Tiger Hill, Darjeeling Starts Charging Entry Fees

Tiger Hill, 2,573 m high, is located in Darjeeling. It is the summit of Ghoom, a small locality where the highest railway station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway sits. Tiger Hill is famous for a panoramic view of Mount Everest (8,848 m) which is about 172 km away as well as other 8-thousanders like Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) and Makalu (8,481 m).

The decision to charge entry fees was taken by the forest department, and though local tour operators strongly criticised the initiative, all tourists now have to pay for the climb.

The entry fee covers visiting the entire Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary of which Tiger Hill is a part and falls under the Wildlife Protection Act that entitles authorities to charge an entry fee in areas such as Tiger Hill.

According to the forest department, the revenue collected will be used for development of the forest villages whose representatives form forest management committees.

Tiger Hill is located It is 11 km from the town of Darjeeling and can be reached either by jeep or by foot through Chowrasta, Alubari or Jorebangla and then climbing up the incline to the summit.

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