Darjeeling: Travel Guide and Tour Itineraries

Meet your driver at Bagdogra airport or New Jalpaiguri station for the drive up through Siliguri and the hills, roughly 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Check in, rest, and take a gentle evening stroll around Chowrasta and the Mall.

Leave before dawn for Tiger Hill, roughly 11 km from town, for a sunrise that depends on the weather. Return for breakfast, then visit Ghoom Monastery and the Batasia Loop. Add the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in the afternoon if time allows.

Spend the morning at a tea estate such as Happy Valley, subject to access, with a tasting. After lunch, explore Observatory Hill, Bhutia Busty Monastery and local lanes. A short toy train ride is possible, subject to services.

After breakfast, drive back to Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri, allowing around 4 hours plus a buffer for flights or trains.

Transfer from Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, a drive of roughly 3.5 to 4.5 hours, with a tea stop on the way if you wish. Settle into your stay and take an early evening walk near the Mall.

A guided walk through Chowrasta, Observatory Hill and the older lanes, taking in churches, shops and colonial-era buildings. Visit Bhutia Busty Monastery. The afternoon is free.

Spend the morning at a tea estate, learning how the leaf is grown and processed, subject to the estate's visiting arrangements. Return for a long lunch and a tasting of different flushes. Use the evening to rest.

Start with an optional sunrise at a nearby viewpoint, then drive to Ghoom Monastery and the Batasia Loop. Add the Peace Pagoda in the afternoon, and take a short ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway if services allow.

Enjoy a slow breakfast, then drive to Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri, allowing around 4 hours plus a buffer.

A short drive of roughly 1.5 to 2 hours takes you to Kurseong, a tea-growing town at the foot of the higher hills. Settle in, then take a gentle walk or tea tasting.

Explore Kurseong's tea gardens and Dow Hill area in the morning. Drive on to Darjeeling, roughly 1.5 hours, and settle in with an easy evening around the Mall.

Choose an early start for Tiger Hill, or a slower morning with Ghoom Monastery and the Batasia Loop. Spend the afternoon on a heritage walk and Observatory Hill, with time to rest.

Take the hill road towards Mirik via Sukhiapokhri and nearby villages, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours depending on conditions. Settle in, then walk around the lake area in the late afternoon.

A relaxed day of short walks, tea gardens and viewpoints around Mirik, plus a local village visit. Take time for rest and views.

Drive to Bagdogra, roughly 2 hours, for onward flights or trains.

Meet your driver at Bagdogra (IXB) or NJP and drive up through the foothills, around 3 to 4 hours. Walk to Chowrasta and the Mall in the late afternoon and have tea at a local cafe.

Leave before dawn for Tiger Hill and its sunrise view, weather permitting. On the way back, stop at the Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop. After lunch, visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the nearby zoo, subject to opening days, then a tea estate if time allows.

A slow breakfast and some last shopping for tea. Drive back to Bagdogra or NJP, allowing a safe margin for traffic before onward travel.

Meet your driver at Bagdogra (IXB) or NJP and drive around 3 to 4 hours to Darjeeling. Evening stroll around Chowrasta.

Early drive to Tiger Hill for sunrise, weather permitting, then Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop. Afternoon at a tea estate or the Mountaineering Institute.

Drive around 2.5 to 3 hours via the Teesta valley to Kalimpong. In the afternoon, visit a plant nursery and the Durpin Dara hilltop.

Visit Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery, Thongsa Gompa and the old market, plus a heritage building or two. Time for a slow cafe stop.

Drive around 3 to 4 hours back, with a stop at a viewpoint over the Teesta if time allows. Book onward travel for the afternoon or evening.

Meet your driver at Bagdogra (IXB) or NJP and drive around 4.5 to 5.5 hours to Gangtok. Evening on MG Marg.

Enchey Monastery, the Do-Drul Chorten and a viewpoint, subject to weather. Afternoon at leisure.

A day trip to Tsomgo (Changu) Lake, permit and weather permitting, or to Rumtek Monastery.

Drive around 4.5 to 5.5 hours via Rangpo and the Teesta valley. Evening stroll around Chowrasta.

Sunrise at Tiger Hill, weather permitting, then Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop. Afternoon at a tea estate or the Mountaineering Institute.

Drive around 3 to 4 hours to Bagdogra or NJP, with a margin for traffic.

Drive around 3 to 4 hours from Bagdogra or NJP to Darjeeling. Evening walk on the Mall.

Sunrise at Tiger Hill, weather permitting, then Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop. Free afternoon.

A tea estate visit, the Mountaineering Institute and the old town, subject to opening days.

Drive around 2.5 to 3 hours. Afternoon at a plant nursery or the Durpin Dara hilltop.

Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery, Thongsa Gompa and old-town lanes at a slow pace.

Drive around 3.5 hours to Gangtok. Evening on MG Marg.

Enchey Monastery, Do-Drul Chorten and a viewpoint. Optional Tsomgo Lake or Rumtek, subject to permits and weather.

Drive around 5 to 6 hours via Ravangla and the Buddha Park.

Pemayangtse Monastery, Rabdentse ruins and a viewpoint, weather permitting.

Drive around 5 to 6 hours to Bagdogra or NJP for onward travel.

Meet your driver at Bagdogra (IXB) or NJP and drive about 3 to 4 hours to Darjeeling. Evening walk around Chowrasta.

An early outing to Tiger Hill for sunrise, weather permitting, then Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop. Afternoon at leisure.

Visit a working tea estate, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the zoo area, subject to opening days. Evening in town.

Drive about 4 to 5 hours via Rangpo to Gangtok. Evening walk along MG Marg.

Rumtek Monastery (about 24 km out), Enchey Monastery and a viewpoint. Optional Tsomgo (Changu) Lake needs a permit and is subject to weather (check current rules).

Drive about 5 to 6 hours towards West Sikkim via Ravangla, with a stop at viewpoints. Evening rest in Pelling.

Pemayangtse Monastery, Rabdentse ruins and Sanga Choeling, with Kanchenjunga views weather permitting.

A long drive of about 5 to 6 hours back to Bagdogra or NJP. Book onward travel for the evening or next day.

Arrive at Kolkata (CCU) and check in. Late afternoon at the river and Howrah Bridge.

Victoria Memorial, the colonial quarter and an Indian Museum or north-Kolkata visit, subject to opening days.

Fly to Bagdogra (IXB) or take an overnight train to NJP, then drive around 3 to 4 hours up to Darjeeling. Evening walk on the Mall.

Sunrise at Tiger Hill, weather permitting, then Ghoom monastery and the Batasia Loop.

A tea estate visit, the Mountaineering Institute and the old town, subject to opening days.

An optional heritage walk or toy-train outing subject to operator schedules, or a free day.

Drive back to Bagdogra or NJP for your onward flight or train. Allow a safe margin.