Chat withour concierge
Northeast TourismNortheast Tourism

SECTION 02 · B

The hill station of mist, tea and toy trains

Darjeeling

Above the Mahanadi at 6,700 ft, Darjeeling has been the summer retreat of choice since 1828 — for the British, the Bengali aristocracy, and now for travellers who still believe a steam-hauled narrow-gauge train, a clear morning of Kanchenjunga, and a single estate first-flush are the right way to begin a journey. Share your number to receive the printable one-pager and we'll follow up with a tailored itinerary.

Darjeeling — The Queen of Hills. Infographic showing Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), Tiger Hill sunrise point (2,500 m), Sandakphu (world's highest trekking point), the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (UNESCO World Heritage), Ghoom Monastery, Japanese Peace Pagoda, Batasia Loop, Bhutia Busty waterfall, Kurseong (land of white orchids), Mirik Lake, Rangeet Valley, the world-famous tea gardens, momos and Darjeeling tea, Losar and Buddha Purnima festivals, with population 6.13 lakh+, altitude 610–2,590 m, area 3,149 km² and best time to visit March–June and September–November.
Darjeeling — The Queen of Hills · A printable one-page guide

EIGHT ROUTES THROUGH DARJEELING

Curated Darjeeling Itineraries

From a 3-night weekender to the full Singalila ridge trek. Every route is private, fully customisable, and pairs well with Sikkim or the Dooars. Tap any card to open a WhatsApp enquiry.

  1. 01 / 08

    Darjeeling · Tiger Hill · Tea Estates

    The Darjeeling Classic

    3 Nights · 4 Days

    From ₹ 17,500 · per person

    BEST Mar – Jun, Sep – Dec

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra arrival. Drive up via Kurseong. Mall Road evening.
    2. Day 2 — Tiger Hill sunrise. Ghoom monastery. Toy Train joy ride.
    3. Day 3 — Happy Valley tea estate, Padmaja Naidu zoo, HMI museum.
    4. Day 4 — Drive down to Bagdogra. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  2. 02 / 08

    Siliguri · Kurseong · Ghoom · Darjeeling

    The Toy Train Heritage Tour

    4 Nights · 5 Days

    From ₹ 28,800 · per person

    BEST Oct – May

    1. Day 1 — Board the Darjeeling Mail. NJP arrival.
    2. Day 2 — Steam-hauled joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom & back.
    3. Day 3 — Heritage walk: Kurseong DHR station, Cochrane Place.
    4. Day 4 — Batasia Loop, Ghoom Museum, the Eagle's Crag viewpoint.
    5. Day 5 — Return to NJP via the Hill Cart Road. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  3. 03 / 08

    Makaibari · Happy Valley · Glenburn

    The First Flush Tea Tour

    4 Nights · 5 Days

    From ₹ 38,500 · per person

    BEST Mar – Apr (first flush) · May – Jun (second flush)

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra to Makaibari estate. Planters' bungalow stay.
    2. Day 2 — Tea factory tour, plucking demo, cupping session.
    3. Day 3 — Drive to Glenburn / Happy Valley. Estate walk.
    4. Day 4 — Tea auction at Siliguri (Tuesdays). Estate lunch.
    5. Day 5 — Return to Bagdogra. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  4. 04 / 08

    Darjeeling · Lava · Lolegaon · Kalimpong

    The Darjeeling + Kalimpong Loop

    5 Nights · 6 Days

    From ₹ 31,200 · per person

    BEST Oct – May

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra to Darjeeling via Mirik. Lake walk.
    2. Day 2 — Tiger Hill, Mall Road, Chowrasta.
    3. Day 3 — Drive to Lava (7,200 ft). Pine forest cottage stay.
    4. Day 4 — Lolegaon canopy walk. Rishyap viewpoint.
    5. Day 5 — Kalimpong: Durpin Dara, Cactus Nursery, flower farms.
    6. Day 6 — Drive to Bagdogra via Teesta bazaar. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  5. 05 / 08

    Sandakphu · Phalut · Gorkhey

    The Singalila Ridge Trek

    6 Nights · 7 Days

    From ₹ 36,500 · per person

    BEST Apr – May · Oct – Nov

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra to Manebhanjan (7,054 ft). Trek briefing.
    2. Day 2 — Manebhanjan to Tumling via Meghma. 11 km.
    3. Day 3 — Tumling to Kalipokhri via Garibas. 12 km.
    4. Day 4 — Climb to Sandakphu (11,929 ft). Sunrise over four 8,000ers.
    5. Day 5 — Ridge walk to Phalut. Open meadows.
    6. Day 6 — Descend to Gorkhey village. Riverside camp.
    7. Day 7 — Drive out via Rimbik. Bagdogra departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  6. 06 / 08

    Darjeeling · Glenburn · Kalimpong

    The Darjeeling Honeymoon

    5 Nights · 6 Days

    From ₹ 58,500 · per couple inclusive

    BEST Mar – May · Sep – Nov

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra to a heritage suite at Mayfair. Candle-lit dinner.
    2. Day 2 — Private Tiger Hill viewing. Couple's tea ceremony.
    3. Day 3 — Drive to Glenburn tea estate. Riverside walk.
    4. Day 4 — Estate fishing, private picnic at the Rangeet sandbank.
    5. Day 5 — Drive to Kalimpong. Hilltop boutique stay.
    6. Day 6 — Return to Bagdogra. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  7. 07 / 08

    Darjeeling · Mirik · Kurseong

    The Family Holiday

    4 Nights · 5 Days

    From ₹ 24,800 · per person

    BEST Apr – Jun · Sep – Nov

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra to Mirik. Lake boating. Sumendu evening.
    2. Day 2 — Drive to Darjeeling via Pashupati market.
    3. Day 3 — Toy Train, zoo, ropeway over the Singla valley.
    4. Day 4 — Tiger Hill. Tea garden picnic.
    5. Day 5 — Drive down to Bagdogra. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

  8. 08 / 08

    Darjeeling · Pelling · Gangtok

    The Darjeeling + Sikkim Combined

    7 Nights · 8 Days

    From ₹ 52,500 · per person

    BEST Mar – Jun · Sep – Nov

    1. Day 1 — Bagdogra to Darjeeling. Mall Road evening.
    2. Day 2 — Tiger Hill. Toy Train. Happy Valley estate.
    3. Day 3 — Drive to Pelling via Jorethang. West Sikkim views.
    4. Day 4 — Pemayangtse, Khecheopalri, the Pelling Skywalk.
    5. Day 5 — Drive to Gangtok via Singshore bridge.
    6. Day 6 — MG Marg, Rumtek monastery, Tashi viewpoint.
    7. Day 7 — Tsomgo Lake, optional Nathula Pass.
    8. Day 8 — Drive to Bagdogra. Departure.
    Enquire on WhatsApp →

Planning a Darjeeling Tour — A Short Guide

Darjeeling sits at 6,700 ft on a steep Himalayan spur in West Bengal's northern reaches, just 88 km from Bagdogra airport (IXB) and 88 km from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station. The town anchors a hill region that includes Kurseong, Mirik, Sonada, Ghoom and Kalimpong — five distinct climates within a two-hour drive. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, opened in 1881 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, still runs daily steam-hauled joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom past the Batasia Loop.

The region is famous for its tea — 87 working estates produce the most prized black tea in the world, with first-flush teas from Makaibari, Happy Valley, Glenburn, Castleton and Margaret's Hope fetching auction records every March. Most estates accept visitors for factory tours, plucking demonstrations and cupping sessions.

Best time to visit Darjeeling

March to June for clear mornings, rhododendron in bloom and the first and second flush teas. September to November for the sharpest autumn skies and an unbroken view of Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) from Tiger Hill. December to February brings cold but crisp days and occasional snow at Sandakphu. We generally avoid July and August — the monsoon makes the Hill Cart Road landslide-prone.

How to reach Darjeeling

The nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB) in Siliguri — 88 km / 3 hours by road via Sukna and Kurseong. Direct flights operate from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. The nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri (NJP) — the Darjeeling Mail from Kolkata arrives at 8 a.m. From either, the toy train climbs to Darjeeling in 7 hours; the road takes 3 hours.

What to eat in Darjeeling

Momos (steamed and fried), thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup), shaphalay (Tibetan meat pie), churpi soup, sel roti, gundruk, and aloo dum from the Chowrasta vendors. Glenary's for breakfast pastries, Keventer's for sausages on the terrace, Sonam's Kitchen for momo dumplings, and a pot of estate-direct first flush at Nathmull's. The Old Bellevue and Mayfair both serve British colonial-era tea menus.