Darjeeling Travelers Recommend

Two days in Darjeeling gives you enough time to take in most of the must-visits, from tea plantations to the toy train, with time left over to dig a little deeper into the local culture of the region. Here's how to plan your time.

Day 1: Darjeeling Highlights

**Morning:**Wake up before dawn and head up to Tiger Hill on the outskirts of town to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas; you may even be able to see Everest on clear days. Tiger Hill tours typically also include a visit to the Ghum Buddhist Monastery nearby. 

**Afternoon:**Spend your afternoon visiting one of Darjeeling's many tea estates, where you can learn everything about tea production, from planting to processing. Many tours include the chance to visit tea fields, see the various stages of tea processing, and taste different types of tea. For added convenience, opt for a tour that includes round-trip hotel transfers.

**Night:**On your first evening, head to Chowrasta (aka the Band Stand), one of Darjeeling's main squares, for some evening people watching. Lined with benches and with great views over the hills, this pedestrian-only area has plenty of restaurants to choose from once you’re ready for dinner.

Day 2: Spiritual Life, Toy Train, and Dinner with Locals

**Morning:**A religiously diverse city, Darjeeling has many monasteries, temples, churches, and mosques. Spend your second morning learning about the city's different traditions, with visits to places of worship such as the Mahakal Temple, the Japanese Pagoda, and St. Andrew’s Church; look for tours that stop at holy sites or customize one of your own.   

**Afternoon:**One of Darjeeling's most popular attractions, especially with kids, is its "toy train," a narrow-gauge, 19th-century train that chugs all the way to Ghum, the highest railway station in India. Just note that it can fill up fast, so make sure to prebook tickets to avoid disappointment.

**Night:**On your final evening, consider signing up for a dinner experience in the home of a local family. These sometimes include cooking demonstrations or even classes, but the focus is often more on cultural interchange and the chance to sample delicious, home-cooked North Indian fare.

If you’re willing to wake up early, you can pack a lot into just one day in Darjeeling. You’ll have time to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas, learn all about tea production, and spend time immersing yourself in Indian culture. Here’s how to make the most out of 24 hours in Darjeeling.

Morning: Tiger Hill and Around

Start your day in Darjeeling bright and early with a trip up to nearby Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas. Because of the hill's position, you can see select peaks illuminated by the early morning sun, and on clear days, Mount Everest is visible. Most visitors come here on private tours that include predawn hotel pickups and return transfers. Some tours also  include postsunrise visits to the nearby Ghum Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, followed by a stop to look at the Batasia Loop, a spiral railway designed to make getting up the steep hill below Ghum more manageable.

Afternoon: Darjeeling Tea

Darjeeling is known the world over for its fine teas, and there are plenty of opportunities to learn about the tea-production process at one of the area's many tea estates. Tours generally start with visits to tea fields, followed by the chance to learn about how tea leaves are processed; some even allow visitors to look right out on the factory floor. Tea tours typically wrap up with tea-tasting opportunities. While some plantations allow walk-in visitors, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by prebooking a tea tour, which includes round-trip transportation from your Darjeeling hotel. 

Evening: Dine with Locals

While Darjeeling is full of restaurants serving up fresh Indian and Tibetan fare, for something a bit more culturally immersive, consider spending your last night in town attending a cooking demonstration or dinner in the home of a local family. These experiences are popular throughout India, and though they vary quite a bit depending on your hosts, more often than not they include the chance to learn about what goes into making a (usually vegetarian) North Indian meal. You’ll also get the chance to learn about life in Darjeeling from locals and maybe even get some insider tips on off-the-beaten path spots to visit.

With three days in Darjeeling, you'll be able to check off many of the city's most popular attractions and still have time left over to go trekking or do some sightseeing in the surrounding area. Here's how to make the most of three days in Darjeeling.

Day 1: Tiger Hill and Tea

Start your Darjeeling experience off bright and early with a visit to Tiger Hill, a popular vista point just outside the city that’s best known for its sunrise views over the Himalayan Mountains. Sunrise tours generally also include a stop at the nearby Ghum Monastery plus round-trip transfers from your Darjeeling hotel. Many visitors come to Darjeeling because of its tea heritage, and visiting a tea plantation is a quintessential part of any visit to the city. Many area plantations offer guided visits that cover the entire tea-production process, from field to cup. As plantations are often on the outskirts of town, tours that include transportation from your hotel are a hassle-free way to visit.

Day 2: The Toy Train and the Peace Pagoda

On your second day, take a ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, aka the "toy train," a narrow-gauge train that zigzags all the way up to the highest railway station in India, at Ghum. If you take the morning departure, you can spend the afternoon visiting some of the city's religious sites, including the popular Japanese Peace Pagoda, which features a series of sculptures depicting the life of the Buddha. You can go one-way or round-trip, but be sure to book your seats in advance, as this popular activity can sell out. Consider rounding off the day with a culinary experience in the home of a local family. You’ll learn firsthand about life in Darjeeling while sitting down to a delicious, home-cooked meal.  

Day 3: Day Trip from Darjeeling

On your final day, take advantage of Darjeeling’s unique location in the foothills of the Himalayas on a scenic day trip. Active travelers might want to consider a day hike with a local guide; one popular route runs from Maneybhanjang near Darjeeling all the way up to the 9,840-foot-high (3,000-meter-high) peak of Tonglu, in Singalila National Park. The region also offers plenty of areas for mountain biking and wildlife spotting, particularly in Sinchel Wildlife Sanctuary, just east of town. Alternatively, head to the nearby town of Kalimpong to visit temples, monasteries, hillside overlooks, and even plant nurseries.