Rock Garden and Gangamaya Park

The Rock Garden also known as Barbotey Rock Garden is located some 10km (or 6.2 miles) away from Darjeeling town in a valley down below. In about 25 minutes, this narrow winding downhill road descends by several thousand feet to a valley where the rock garden is located. This tourist spot has recently been added to the long list of tourist attractions of Dargelling by The Gorkha Hill Council Tourism Department and a road to the garden has been constructed. Rock Garden is a show piece meant to lure tourists back to Darjeeling after political agitations disrupted the visit by tourists in the 1980s. There is another rock garden in Darjeeling known as Sir John Anderson Rock Garden, which is part of Lloyd's Botanical Garden. There are sharp hairpin bends on the way and the gradient of the road is very steep. However the view of Darjeeling's landscape and the mountain range from the road is unparalleled. As you walk towards the garden, you will know why this is called Rock Garden. Because the entire garden area has been created by cutting rocks at different levels and making terraced seating arrangements at various levels. At Rock Garden there is a wonderful waterfall that comes all the way from the top and over the rocks to down below. You will need to keep climbing stairs, go up the ramp and cross small bridges across the rocks to reach up to the top. From the bottom, it's not possible to see the point where this water flow is entering the garden. However, there are beautiful flower gardens, trees and shrubbery at all levels along with nice seating arrangements. So you can rest and relax, enjoy the views around as you go up. A new park called Ganga Maya Park has come up just below the Barbotey Rock Garden which is gaining an immense popularity in the area. The Ganga Maya Park is situated further down the road from the Rock Garden, 3 km away. Ganga Maya is more spread out and has a beautiful stream flowing through it on a valley, has flower gardens, fountains and more.

Serving as a popular picnic spot for locals and tourists alike, these lovely places are known for their cascading waterfalls, lush green scenery and innumerable species of beautiful flowers and ornamental plants-- that are bound to take your breath away. Here, tourists can be seen indulging themselves in a host of local delicacies, enjoying a relaxing boat ride, taking pictures in the backdrop of the stunning Himalayas or picking little souvenirs and mementoes for their loved ones back home. You are not charged for taking photographs, so go ahead and shoot as many as you can.

Visitors should make arrangement for transportation to this place. This distance of 10 kilometres is usually covered on foot by the locals and trekkers that give an opportunity to enjoy the cool and lovely ambience of Darjeeling. You may also take jeeps which are available all over Darjeeling and mostly around the railway stations and the Chowrasta.