Mirik is a hill station in the Darjeeling district. It is located at an altitude of about 1500 meters or 4500 feet. The small town is centred around a 1.25 km long lake known as Lake Samendu. The pristine lake is surrounded by high forested hills and tea gardens. Boating in the lake is a fascinating activity for tourists. Mirik is also famous for its tea estates, orange orchards, and cardamom plantations.
Orientation
The town is dominated by the large Mirik lake. The southern part of the lake is the tourist town where almost all the hotels are located. The Northern part of the lake is more local and on the Northernmost fringe is the crowded Mirik market. This area is also more prone to traffic jams and people jostling as they travel for work. Just go beyond the market and another Mirik opens up to you, non-touristic, calm and serene. This is the area where most of the beautiful homestays and lodges are located that offer great experiences to travellers. The touristic south and the local north are connected by the main road that passes through the eastern fringe of the lake and continues from Siliguri to Darjeeling. All important offices, police stations, post office, Mirik monastery etc. are located on this road or around.
Getting There
Bagdogra Airport and NJP rail station are the nearest points of arrival and departure. Whereas Bagdogra is 50 km and takes an hour and a half to reach, NJP at about 60 km distance takes a tad longer.
We recommend a minimum one-night stay at Mirik to explore the beauty of the place. However, if you are hard-pressed for time and want to cover maximum destinations. You can visit Mirik on the way to Bagdogra / NJP from Darjeeling. Travelling to Darjeeling via Mirik would increase your travel distance by about 30 odd kilometres. But this extra drive is worth every penny as the route is more beautiful too.
Some visitors also undertake day excursions to Mirik from Darjeeling. This is a full-day activity with a 45 km or one and a half hours drive (without traffic) each way.
To See
Lake Samendu - The primary attraction of the small hilly town is Lake Samendu, popularly referred to as Mirik Lake. It is an artificial lake constructed during the late 1970s to promote tourism here. There is a floating fountain in the middle of the lake and an 80 ft long arch-type footbridge on the lake. The lake is provided with a paddle boating facility. There is a paved path around the lake which makes for a beautiful leisurely trail. Horse rides are also available on the open ground in front of the lake.
Kawlay Dara View Point:- This viewpoint about 8 km from Mirik is also known as the Soureni viewpoint, Ting Ling viewpoint etc. The viewpoint is located on the Siliguri Mirik main road at a point where Soureni, Ting Ling and Phaguri tea gardens have met. The natural beauty of the place, especially the view of the tea garden, along with its prominent location on the main road, makes it one of the most popular viewpoints in the area. Many great pictures of the Darjeeling tea gardens are taken here. Beautiful views of sunrise and sunset can also be seen from here.
Mirik Helipad:- Parched on top of the hill, the Mirik helipad is more of an attraction for tourists and locals than an actual spot for Helicopter landing. The entire stretch of Mirik lake, as well as the town, is visible from here, so places much beyond including parts of Nepal and the ranges of Mt. Kanchenjunga. The helipad is about 2kms from the lake area where most of the hotels are located and can be reached by 15 mins walk.
Boker Monastery – The Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling Monastery is commonly referred to as Mirik monastery or simply as “Gomba” or “Gumfa” by the locals. The colourful yet peaceful and serene environment of the monastery makes it a prime attraction among tourists. The monastery also attracts tourists because it is one of the best viewpoints in the area.
Map of Mirik
Accommodation
There are two types of accommodation available in Mirik. One is the typical hotels that dot the Southern fringe of Mirik lake. The hotels are built next to one another and except for a few, they mostly offer value-for-money accommodation. You may contact our helpdesk team by filling up any of the forms on this page for assistance in booking your hotel, transport etc.
A second option for tourists is to stay in some of the unique accommodations in the area. This includes homestays, small resorts, eco-lodges etc. These are spread over a large area beyond the Mirik market. Mirik has been a pioneer in alternative accommodation and experiential travel as the first homestay came up here in the early 80s. For further information, you may visit Humro Home which is an initiative to arrange authentic alternative tourist accommodation in the area. You may also ask our helpdesk assistance regarding booking of Humro Home accommodation in Mirik.
