Tenzing Rock and Gombu Rock
Tenzing Rock is a
gigantic rock in Darjeeling. This rock has been named after the first person to
climb Mount Everest, Mr. Tenzing Norgay Sherpa with Mr. Edmund Hillary in the
year 1953. There is another rock just opposite to the Tenzing Rock which has
been named as Gombu Rock in order to pay homage to Mr. Nawang Gombu (Tenzin’s
nephew) who climbed Mount Everest twice in the years 1963 and 1965
respectively. It is enlisted under the seven point of the Darjeeling Tour. The
left side of the humongous rock is for the training of the rock climbers and
the right side is for testing their mountaineering skills.
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| Tenzing Rock,darjeeling |
Location of Tenzin
Rock and Gombu rock
Tenzin and Gombu
rocks are located in Darjeeling. Its main address is at Jawahar Parvat,
Darjeeling – 734104.
Timings of Tenzin
Rock
It remains open
from 8 AM in the morning to 5 PM in the evening for all adventure sports.
One should note
that it remains closed on Thursdays.
What is the entry
fee?
Nominal fees might
be required if you hire a local guide. Rupees 100/- is charged for experiencing
the rock climbing.
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| TOURIST ENJOYING THE CLIMB |
History of Rock Climbing: Tenzin Rock
Rock climbing has
its traces in the 1800s to China and Europe where mountaineers began to tests
themselves in climbing steep rocks and later got encourages and marked its way
for exploration and overcome technical hurdles. After the successful summit of
Mount Everest, Mr. Tenzin Sherpa brought significant recognition to India on
global records. He was made the Director of HMI after the construction of this
institute. Since then Tenzing Norgay Sherpa used to give training to the
students of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute on this rock. Mr. Tenzin had
once demonstrated the climb without any basic safety gears during the visit of
Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This rock hence, stands as the
legendary rock where the first person to climb Mount Everest used to practice
himself and motivate rests to follow his footsteps. That’s how we got Mr.
Nawang Gombu, his nephew to become the first man to climb the magnificent
highest peak of the world twice. Mr. Gombu became the next director of HMI
after Tenzin’s retirement in 1976.
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| PEOPLE ENJOYING |
Best Time to Visit Tenzing Rock
The peak season
ranges from April to June and then October to December every year. January to
March can also be as enjoyable due to the chilled weather and may be exciting
for the adventurers who would like to get an extra dose of adrenalin pump.
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| NEW ROCK |
Monsoon should be definitely avoided due to the heavy downpour along with the extremely slippery texture of the rock. It will invite accidents for the ones who take the risks. Hence, the guide and supervisors won’t allow the tourists to do any sort of climbing in these rocks. They can however, visit here just to take a snap for collecting memories.
The most favourable
hours to visit Tenzing and Gombu Rocks would be from 7 AM to 12 Noon as one can
fully participate in the sports associated with rock climbing and then take a
good rest after the superb experience.
Time required to visit
Tenzin Rock
Good hours of 1.5
to 2 is enough to visit and enjoy here.
Travel Tips for visiting Tenzing Rock
Wear sturdy shoes
while you plan to visit here. Proper clothes for climbing purpose are advisable
if you want to try the new adventure of rock climbing. Trek till the rock has
many streams on the way, hence, one should be prepared with necessary clothes
and shoes for the same.
Why is Tenzing Rock
famous?
Tenzin Norgay used
to practice here and that is the main reason behind Tenzin Rock to be so
popular. This is a famous training area for the professional rock climbers and
amateurs. Rock Climbing competition is organised every year by the Indian Army.
It becomes very interesting to watch the rock climbers display their superb
skills on this day.
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| TEMPLE AT TENZING ROCK |
How to reach
Tenzing Rock?
Flight – Bagdogra
is the nearest airport which is 90 kms away. This airport is well connected
with the major cities. A shared cab or rented taxi can be an option to choose
for a wonderful road trip to reach the main town of Darjeeling.
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| GOMBU ROCK |
Train – There are two prominent stations at the distance of 88 km from Darjeeling Railway station in New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri. These stations have direct railway connections with Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi and other prime cities of the country. There is a toy train service from NJP to Darjeeling Railways Station but it takes a long time of 6-7 hours to reach the final destination. Hence, maximum tourists prefer to take the vehicle ride that takes 2.5-3 hours to reach Darjeeling.
Road –One can hire
a cab or shared taxi from Siliguri junction or Darjeeling More to reach
Darjeeling via road. Buses are available from Tenzin Norgay Bus Stand, Siliguri
as well. Covering a distance of 77 kms from Siliguri one can enjoy the foothill
national highway till the hill.
From Darjeeling
main town the distance is only about 20 mins in vehicle till Tenzin Rock.
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| GOMBU ROCK |
What to do in
Tenzing Rock?
Tourists can enjoy
climbing this rock under professional supervision. A guide will always be there
to teach the basics and show you the directions. The climb would not be that
easy for the beginners. The view of the natural surrounding with greenery as
you climb is sure to fill you with amusement. You can experience natural rock
climbing. The supervisors here are professionals and very friendly. The
welcoming board mentioned as HMI Rock Climbing Area will let you observe the
professionals enjoying the climb along with the trainees trying their best to
upscale their skills.
How far is Tenzing
Rock from the main market?
Tenzin Rock is just
20 minutes away from the main market of Darjeeling.
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| SMALL SHOPS AT TENZING ROCK |
It is a thrilling
adventure for the unprofessional climbers. It is a motivational ground for the
learners to gain knowledge about climbing and pursue such skills. It can be
visited as a part of Tea Garden visits. This is a great place for the adventure
enthusiasts. The professional trainers add more security and the climbers
return home with a new experience. It’s an amazing learner’s point to hone
their skills of mountaineering.
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