Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Zoo

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) on Jawahar Parbat in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, was founded in 1954, a year after the first ascent of Mount Everest, with Tenzing Norgay as its first Director of Field Training. The institute trains climbers and runs courses in mountaineering, and its grounds hold a museum of mountaineering history, a memorial to Tenzing Norgay with his statue and grave, and a viewing area facing the Kangchenjunga range. The museum displays old climbing equipment, oxygen sets, ropes, clothing and photographs from early expeditions, along with models of the Himalayan ranges and a section on the geology and wildlife of the region. Next door, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park keeps cold-climate species such as snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan black bears, Siberian tigers and various pheasants and goral. It is known for its breeding programme for snow leopards and red pandas. The zoo is built on steep, wooded slopes, so paths involve climbing and descending, and a full visit including the HMI museum takes two to three hours. The grounds are open from about 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and the zoo is closed on Thursdays. Combined admission is roughly INR 100 for the museum and zoo, with reduced fares for children and separate fees for cameras. Mornings are best, when animals are more active and the Himalayan views are clearer. Weekends, school holidays and the peak tourist seasons of spring and autumn are busiest. It is a short taxi ride or a walk from Chowrasta.