The home is a good starting point for exploring the Darjeeling region. A pre-dawn drive of about 11 km will get you to Tiger Hill, famous for the first rays of sun hitting the peak of Kanchenjunga. For a taste of the region’s main crop, the working tea gardens at Happy Valley and Glenburn estates offer tours and tastings. You can see the whole process, from leaf to cup.
For a slower, more scenic journey, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers a two-hour ‘joyride’ on the toy train through the Ghum loop. More serious trekkers can head for the Singalila ridge trek to Sandakphu. From this point, on a clear day, you can see five of the world's highest peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Kabru. Back in town, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (once Tenzing Norgay's home) are right next to each other and worth a visit.
The main entry points are in the plains below. The nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB), about 90 km from Darjeeling, which is a 3-hour drive via the winding roads through either Mirik or Kurseong. The closest major railhead is New Jalpaiguri (NJP), 88 km away. From NJP or the nearby road hub of Siliguri (75 km), you can hire a private car or take a shared jeep up to Darjeeling town. The historic toy train also runs from NJP, but it is a slow, scenic journey that takes most of the day.
The best time to visit is from October to mid-June, when the skies are generally clear and the weather is pleasant. The post-monsoon months of October and November offer crisp air and excellent mountain views. Spring, from March to May, is also beautiful with blooming rhododendrons. The monsoon season, from late June to September, brings heavy rain, which can cause landslides and road closures on the main highways like NH10 and the Pankhabari road.