Darjeeling and its surroundings are full of things to see. You can start with the Tiger Hill sunrise, an 11km drive from Darjeeling town, to see the first light hit the peak of Kanchenjunga.
Spend a day exploring a working tea garden like Happy Valley or Glenburn Tea Estate. You can walk through the fields, see the tea-plucking process, and finish with a tasting session.
For a unique journey, take the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage toy train. The two-hour Ghum loop joyride is a slow, scenic trip through the hills, offering a different perspective of the landscape.
If you're up for a trek, the Singalila ridge is the goal. The trek to Sandakphu offers a rare panorama of five of the world's highest peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Kabru.
In town, you can visit the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, known for its red panda and snow leopard conservation programs. It's co-located with the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), founded by Tenzing Norgay.
By air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB), around 90km from Darjeeling. The drive takes about 3 hours, either via the scenic route through Mirik or the main road through Kurseong.
By rail: New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the main railhead for the region, located 88km from Darjeeling. It connects to major cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Guwahati. From NJP, you can hire a taxi or take a shared jeep. The historic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway also runs from NJP, but it's a slow, scenic journey best treated as an experience rather than a transfer.
By road: Siliguri, 75km away, is the main road hub in the plains. From here, you can find frequent shared jeeps and private taxis to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Mirik.
The best time to visit is from October to mid-June. These months offer clear skies, pleasant weather, and the sharpest views of the Himalayas. Winters are cold but crisp. The monsoon season, from late June to September, brings heavy rain, which can cause landslides on the main highways like NH10 and the Pankhabari road, often leading to travel disruptions.