The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will introduce a one-day-long hiking trail for adventure enthusiasts and tourists in general in the hilly terrains of Darjeeling on Wednesday to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Mt. Everest summit.

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary scaled the world's highest peak for the first time.

S.P. Sharma, the GTA's chief public relations officer (PRO), said the tourist-friendly one-day trail in Darjeeling had been conceived earlier but was never launched.

“From tomorrow (Wednesday), the trail will be active for tourists. Tenzing Norgay had traversed the route to practise trekking several decades ago,” he said.

Mount Kanchenjungha as seen from Tiger Hill, the last destination of the trail. File picture

The trail, Sharma said, will start from Chowrasta, the popular promenade in the heart of the hill town, and move through picturesque landscapes and charming villages.

“It will move through the quaint hamlet of Toongsung and people can experience the serenity of Lambadara and immerse themselves in the rich cultural tapestry of Gurung Gaon,” the GTA PRO said.

After Gurung Gaon, tourists will experience the adventure of crossing the Rungdung river.

“As one descends, the trail leads him/her to Rangeyroong, offering panoramic vistas of the majestic Himalayan peaks,” Sharma said.

In the final leg, a tourist or a trekker will move to Gaddikhan while the last destination will be Tiger Hill.

“We would like to invite tourists to experience the legacy of Tenzing Norgay and celebrate the spirit of mountaineering on the Tenzing Norgay Hiking Trail,” he added.

Sources said the hiking trail would be 12km long. “This trail is a moderate challenge and requires around five to six hours of walking at a height of 8,500ft. Along the way, tourists can witness diverse flora and fauna, including rare orchids and vibrant birds,” said a source.

Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, the coordinator of adventure tourism at the GTA, said: “Trekking is for long trips while day-hiking is a one-day trip. We recommend it for tourists with families. We are also launching a second trail tomorrow (Wednesday),” he said.

Sherpa said the Tibetan Museum, the house of Tenzing Norgay, the Ava Art Gallery and the historic Burdwan Palace (Rajbari) fall along the second trail.

He said tourists could have a tea break at Shiv Eco-Camp before venturing through the serene Arya tea estate where they could check out the process of making the world-famous Darjeeling Tea.

Tourists will also visit the Sidrapong hydro-electrical project, which is recognised as Asia’s first hydroelectric project. From Sidrapong, tourists will drive back to Darjeeling via the Orange Valley tea estate.

“This will be a 10km-long trail with moderate difficulty level. The altitude will be from 6,800 feet to 3,600 feet. This adventure walk offers a unique opportunity to explore the region's cultural, historical and natural heritage while promoting eco-tourism and sustainable travel practices,” said Sherpa.

Tourism stakeholders said many visitors to Darjeeling would prefer short treks.

“Usually, trekkers head for Sandakphu (the highest point in Bengal). But it takes four to five days to cover the entire route and many couldn’t afford it because of the lack of time and health reasons. They will now have the option to join these shorter treks,” said a tour operator based in Siliguri.