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Darjeeling

Darjeeling

hill station · West Bengal

State
West Bengal
Type
Hill Station
Best season
Summer
Things to do
3+

Darjeeling sits at about 2,042 metres on a steep mountain ridge of the Lesser Himalayas in northern West Bengal, under the snow mass of Mount Kanchenjunga, the third-highest peak on earth. The colonial-era tea estates run in loops down the slopes below the town. Chowrasta Mall, a pedestrian square, is the commercial heart of the place — vintage bookshops, old tea lounges and handicraft stalls around it. The town is built in layers: British colonial masonry, Tibetan Buddhist monastic architecture, and the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the toy train, threading between them.

A short history

Developed by the British in the 1830s-40s as a sanatorium and hill retreat, after they acquired the land from the Chogyal of Sikkim, Darjeeling grew around Scottish-run tea estates from the 1850s onward. The narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway opened in 1881 to move planters and tea to the plains.

Why Darjeeling matters

Famous for its tea gardens and the UNESCO-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, with views of Kanchenjunga on clear days.

How many people come

15 lakh

hill town in 2024 · WB Tourism (estimate)

When to go

March to May for spring blooms, October to December for crisp, clear mountain views.

Why visit

The tea and the Kanchenjunga skyline are the draw. The Tiger Hill sunrise everyone books is several hundred cars in a queue at four in the morning, and the view from Batasia Loop or your own roof is almost as good.

Cultural notes

The ridge was quiet mountain country, home to the indigenous Lepcha and Gorkha clans, until the British East India Company built a summer sanatorium here in the early 19th century. In 1841 Dr Campbell planted the first Chinese tea bushes, and out of that grew an international luxury trade in leaves with their distinctive Muscatel flavour.

How to reach

The closest airport is Bagdogra International Airport, 70 km down the hill, while New Jalpaiguri Junction is the major railway hub (72 km). You can come up on the historic narrow-gauge UNESCO toy train, or by winding mountain highway in a shared or private taxi.

Darjeeling in 2 days

See the full itinerary

2 days in Darjeeling

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Day 1

Day 1

Toy-train joy ride

Toy-train joy ride

Day 1

Happy Valley tea garden

Happy Valley tea garden

Day 1

Peace Pagoda

Peace Pagoda

Day 1

Chowrasta Mall evening

Chowrasta Mall evening

Day 2

Day 2

Tiger Hill sunrise (Kanchenjunga)

Tiger Hill sunrise (Kanchenjunga)

Day 2

Batasia Loop & War Memorial

Batasia Loop & War Memorial

Day 2

Ghoom Monastery

Ghoom Monastery

Day 2

Himalayan Zoo & HMI

Himalayan Zoo & HMI

Darjeeling guide & itineraries

Darjeeling is perfect for

naturecouplesfamily

What & where to eat

Darjeeling tea

Darjeeling tea

World-famous first-flush tea

Chowrasta street snacks

Chowrasta / Mall

Chowrasta street snacks

Momos and hot bites at the Mall

Momos

Momos

Tibetan dumplings and noodle soup

Thukpa

Thukpa

Tibetan dumplings and noodle soup

Sha Phaley

Sha Phaley

Spiced potatoes and fried meat bread

Aloo Dum

Aloo Dum

Spiced potatoes and fried meat bread

Tibetan/Naga thali

Tibetan/Naga thali

Hearty hill meals

Nearby getaways

Gangtok (SK)

~4 hrs

Kurseong

~1 hr

Things to do

How to spend your time in Darjeeling.

Tiger Hill sunrise

Tiger Hill sunrise

Sunrise over Kanchenjunga

Happy Valley tea gardens

Happy Valley tea gardens

Walk the famous Darjeeling tea estates

Peace Pagoda & Chowrasta Mall

Peace Pagoda & Chowrasta Mall

Pagoda and the town square

Popular attractions

The places in Darjeeling most people come for.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Experience

Tiger Hill Viewpoint

Tiger Hill Viewpoint

Viewpoint

Happy Valley Tea Estate

Happy Valley Tea Estate

Experience

See all attractions

Frequently asked questions

What is Darjeeling famous for?

Its tea, the UNESCO toy train, and sunrise views of Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill.

Best time for Darjeeling?

March to May and October to November for clear mountain views.

Been to Darjeeling?

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