Darjeeling's main sights fit in two days by cab. Day one starts before dawn: the Tiger Hill sunrise, Ghoom Monastery, Batasia Loop, the Japanese Temple and the Rock Garden, back by breakfast. Day two covers the Happy Valley tea estate, the zoo and mountaineering institute, the ropeway and the Tibetan centre. Chowrasta and the Mall are closed to cars, so walk them in the evening.
Each plan is a real route by cab, timed against opening hours.
Call or message a local Darjeeling operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
We are still listing Darjeeling operators. Write to [email protected] and we will put you in touch.
With the best time to go and how long to stay.
| Place | Open | Best time | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Hill | Open from before dawn for the sunrise; cars go up from about 03:30 | Sunrise, from October to May. From mid June to September cloud usually hides the peaks. | 1 h 30 min |
| Ghoom Monastery (Yiga Choeling) | From early morning to about 17:00; one listing says it opens at 09:00? | Early morning, on the way back from Tiger Hill. | 30 min |
| Batasia Loop and War Memorial | About 05:00 or 06:00 until 17:00 or later; listings differ? | Early morning, on the way back from Tiger Hill, when Kanchenjunga is clear. | 30 min |
| Rock Garden (Barbotey) | About 08:00 to 17:00 (one listing says 09:00) | Morning, before the day-trip crowds. | 1 h |
| Japanese Temple and Peace Pagoda | About 04:30 to 19:00; prayers about 04:30 to 06:00 and 16:30 to 18:30 | Morning, or for the evening prayer from about 16:30. | 45 min |
| Happy Valley Tea Estate | About 08:00 to 16:00 (district site: 16:30); closed Sundays and Mondays | Morning, from March to November, when the factory is working. | 1 h |
| Himalayan Zoo and Mountaineering Institute | About 08:30 or 09:00 to 16:00 (CZA: 16:30); closed Thursdays | Morning, when the animals are out. | 2 h 30 min |
| Tenzing Rock | Roadside rock; go in daylight? | Daytime. | 15 min |
| Darjeeling Ropeway (Singamari) | About 10:00 to 16:00; stops in heavy rain or fog and for maintenance | Late morning, after the queue for the first rides. | 1 h |
| Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre | About 09:00 to 16:30; closed Sundays | Weekday mornings, when the workshops are busy. | 45 min |
A hilltop at about 2,590 m, 11 km from town, where people gather before dawn to watch the first light turn Kanchenjunga pink and then gold. On a very clear day you can see Everest far to the west. There is a viewing building with paid seats and a free open deck.
In the 1-day planThe oldest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Darjeeling hills, built in 1850 at Ghum. Its prayer hall holds a 15 foot statue of Maitreya, the Buddha who is still to come, and old books and paintings.
In the 1-day planA spiral where the toy train loops round a garden to climb the hill. In the middle stands the Gorkha war memorial, and the garden looks straight across to Kanchenjunga.
In the 1-day planTerraced gardens built round a mountain stream that drops over the rocks in a series of small falls. Paths and steps climb beside the water, with tea gardens on the slopes around.
Day 1 of the 2-day planA small Japanese Buddhist temple where visitors can join the drum prayers, and next to it the white Peace Pagoda, with golden statues of the Buddha set into its sides. From the pagoda's terrace you see the town and, on clear days, the snow peaks.
In the 1-day planOne of the oldest tea gardens in Darjeeling, on the slope just below town. You can walk among the bushes and take a guided tour of the factory to see how the leaves are withered, rolled and dried, then taste the tea.
Day 2 of the 2-day planThe Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park keeps snow leopards, red pandas, Tibetan wolves and Himalayan black bears. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute shares the grounds. Its museum tells the story of Everest climbs, with Tenzing Norgay's gear, and his grave is just outside.
In the 1-day planA big boulder beside Lebong Cart Road, named after Tenzing Norgay, where the mountaineering institute trains climbers. Gombu Rock, named after the climber Nawang Gombu, faces it. You may see students practising on it.
In the 1-day planA cable car that drops from Singamari, above town, down to the Rangeet valley over steep tea gardens. The ride is slow and quiet, with Kanchenjunga ahead on clear days.
In the 1-day planSet up in 1959 for Tibetans who had fled to India. You can watch carpets being woven and wool being spun and dyed in the workshops, and buy carpets, jackets and handicrafts in the shop.
Day 2 of the 2-day planA hillside garden started in 1878, just below the market, with orchids, rhododendrons, Himalayan trees and a glasshouse of cacti and ferns. It is quiet and few tour groups go.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.Chowrasta is the open square at the top of town, where four roads meet, with benches, pony rides and a stage. The Mall runs round the hill from it, lined with old shops, cafes and bookshops, and on clear mornings it looks out at Kanchenjunga.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.The hill above Chowrasta where Darjeeling began. On top is the Mahakal temple, a shrine where Hindu priests and Buddhist lamas pray side by side under thousands of prayer flags.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.Two days covers the main sights: one early day for the Tiger Hill sunrise, Ghum, Batasia Loop and the Rock Garden, and one day for tea, the zoo, the mountaineering institute and the ropeway. One long day can cover the sunrise, the zoo and the ropeway.
Cabs leave town at about 03:30 in summer and about 04:30 in winter, so you are on the hill before the sky gets light. Sunrise is around 04:45 in June and around 06:15 in December. The plans here use 04:00.
Yes. The number of cars allowed up is capped, and taxis get a coupon for it a day ahead, so book the cab the day before. Self-drive and rental cars are not allowed up.
October to May, with October to December the clearest. From mid June to September the monsoon cloud usually hides the peaks.
The zoo and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute close on Thursdays. The Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre closes on Sundays. The Happy Valley tea estate closes on Sundays and Mondays.
No. Chowrasta and the Mall are closed to cars. The cab picks you up at the Clubside taxi stand, a few minutes' walk below Chowrasta, or near your hotel.
Yes. Joy rides run from Darjeeling station to Ghum and back, stopping at Batasia Loop, in about 2 hours. Departure times change with the season, so check and book on IRCTC. It fits on a free afternoon after the sunrise day.
Yes, as a day of its own. Mirik is about 49 km each way past tea gardens, with a lake, a lakeside walk and Bokar Monastery. Expect a long day of about 100 km on winding roads.