Darjeeling in the Eastern Himalayas is one of the most picturesque hill stations in India. The mountainous town overlooks the third largest mountain peak in the world, the splendid Kanchenjunga. Apart from the mountains, the Queen of Hills has much more to offer. Darjeeling is home to lush green tea estates, dreamy railway stations, cosy mountain cafes and also India’s highest high altitude zoo. Prasad Nakhawa had a solo backpacking trip to Darjeeling from Mumbai and he has shared his amazing travel story with team Curly Tales. Here’s Prasad taking over to narrate his journey:
A Detailed Darjeeling Itinerary
To give you a brief perspective, Darjeeling comes under West Bengal state and Gangtok in Sikkim state and these two cities mark the start-point of the North East region. Frankly, a 12-15 day visit to this region may in itself feel too short considering the magnitude of this region and the numerous vivid landscapes and experiences this place has to offer! During my 12 day stay, I could roughly cover 60% of the entire region.
So here’s my experience from this trip and itinerary for all those who are planning for a short/long trip or it’s a choice between Sikkim and Darjeeling or both. I’ll be covering day wise itinerary including how to travel, where to stay, what not to miss etc.
The order of my travel route was Mumbai – Bagdogara (nearest airport) – Kurseong – Darjeeling – Mirik – Gangtok – Namchi – Bagdogara – Mumbai. The best time to visit Darjeeling is from April to July. It’s beautiful during winters too but you end up missing out on many of the tourist attractions as the roads are closed due to snow.
Day 1: Mumbai – Bagdogra Airport – Kurseong
Boarded the flight from Mumbai at 8.40 am and reached Bagdogara airport at around 11.30 am. Leaving behind the skyscrapers of Mumbai and landing into lush green landscapes definitely had left my mind in a better space. As you get out of Bagdogra Airport, you can head straight out and take an auto/share cab to Siliguri and ask the driver to drop you at the shared taxi stand. This will cost Rs 100-200. From Siliguri Taxi stand, look for a shared jeep (if you are on budget and travelling solo) go to Gangtok/Darjeeling. A shared ride to Darjeeling/Gangtok from Siliguri should not cost you more than Rs. 200/300. The journey will take up to 5 hours.
I took a share cab till Kurseong from Siliguri station as it was my first destination of the trip and took me around 2 hours to reach. I had to wait for around 1 and half hour to get a share cab as there is limited fleet available to Kurseong. Ride in the share cab is very uncomfortable as they fill in around 12 people in 8 seater cab, so be prepared for that if you want to save some bucks. But the entire route is so beautiful through the mighty mountains that you end up forgetting how you are travelling.
Pro Trip: If you want to travel comfortably and have good budget in hand, best option is to book a share cab through www.wizzride.com portal. They operate cabs directly from Bagdogara airport till Darjeeling, Gangtok and nearby famous places. It’s pretty comfortable as they have limited seating (4 people in 1 Innova). It would cost you around 550 bucks. P.s. I got to know about this service later on otherwise I would have definitely opted for it.
I reached Kurseong at around 4 p.m. I must say, it’s a hidden beauty. A hill station also known as ‘Land of White Orchids’ and is a sub-division of Darjeeling district. Historically, in 1835 it was handed over to the British by the King of Sikkim.
As this place is not too touristy, there are no hostels, so I had booked a homestay (Newang Makaibari Homestay) which was around 10 mins by cab from the main city, located in a remote village surrounded by tea estate. Beautiful family welcomed me to their quaint house and offered me freshly brewed black tea from their tea estate. Trust me, it was the best black tea I ever had.
Best part about staying in a homestay is that you get to experience their local culture, food, language and the lifestyle. To me the best way to understand and get to know everything about a place is by understanding the roots of that place.
This is a lovely viewpoint and a garden on top of a hill. You can actually take the narrow lane next to Kurseong station and walk up to Eagle Craig. It will take about 25 minutes of walk. The viewpoint and the parkland is located at the end of the road which is the highest point on this mountain.
Dow Hill, Dow Hill Park, Forest Museum, Dow Hill Girls School, Victoria Boys School
If you want to experience those historic schools of British times which you normally see in the movies, head straight to this place. Take a share cab from market which will drop you to the nearest point and then walk up through the jungle. Trust me you will fall in love with this landscape and feel like you are actually watching a movie. The place is very quiet, peaceful and you will hardly find any tourists here.
If time allows, you can also visit Giddapahar View Point (7 km), Ambootia Tea Garden (7 km), St. Mary’s Hill (3 km).
There are not many hotels and cafes here. I had my breakfast and dinner at the homestay and ate some snack at local shop near train station. You can also get some yummy Momo’s here.
Also Read: I Stayed At This Homestay In Lachung Perched At 12,000 Ft That Isn’t Traceable On The Internet
Day 2: Kurseong to Darjeeling By Toy Train
After spending some quality time in Kurseong, I headed to my next destination, Darjeeling and the journey was one of the highlights of this trip. I took a toy train from Kurseong to Darjeeling. This UNESCO heritage train ply from Siliguri to Darjeeling every day and goes through mountains & roads at the speed of around 30 kmph. An experience you shouldn’t miss if you are visiting Darjeeling. The train ride will be through mountains and villages, you will get to see small little stations, foggy ride and experience of lifetime.
Pro Tip: Book the ticket of the last compartment as you will get to see the entire train from there and it’s best to click pictures and videos.
Hideout Backpackers Hostel
You will find a lot of options here for stay right from hotels, resorts, homestays & hostels. As I was travelling solo, I booked a hostel named Hideout Backpackers Hostel which was 7 mins walk from the mall road.
Meeting Other Travellers With Similar Plans
The best part about hostel life is you get to meet a lot of travellers around the world with whom you can exchange your travel experiences and to an extent, life stories. You could find local Indians who have come for only the first/second time on a solo trip or ones who are seasoned, a lot of foreigners who came to India on a backpacking trip of say 30-90 days and exploring most parts of our country.
At times conversations get really interesting as you would be talking to a complete stranger and understating his background, culture, language and what not and end up becoming good friends. On this trip, I met Harshit from Gujarat and Nidhi from Pune in the hostel and our ‘Solo trip’ lasted merely for 2/3 days. 3 of us bonded so well that we end up visiting most of the places together. Coincidently we had a very similar itinerary for 12 days of our trip.
Reaching Darjeeling
I reached at around 5.30 PM in Darjeeling and the sun was almost set. It was quite dark. I walked for about 20 mins to reach the Hideout Hostel where I was staying for the next 3 days. I settled in and without wasting any further time, I ventured out straight to the Mall Road. One of my favourite places in the hills, yes, the market area in mountains are famously known as the Mall Road. So, what makes it so special? Quint age-old cafes from British times, small local shops selling Tibetian stuff, roadside food stalls, and chilled windy weather. Man, I can actually imagine myself at the mall road, as I write.
While I was wandering on mall road, I already started planning my next day in my head. The first thing on my list in Darjeeling was Tiger Point where you get to see the mesmerizing view of Kanchenjunga Peak, which is at its full glory when the sun rises. The sun rays hitting the peak and it turning in to orange shade is the most satisfying thing to witness. And this phenomenon occurs at around 5.30 am to 6 am in the morning and if you want to witness it, you have to get up by 3 am, leave from Darjeeling by 3.30-4.00 am and reach the tiger point by 5 am to find the best spot to stand and see the magic, Kanchenjunga in its full glory.
Darjeeling Sightseeing: The Barfi Shooting Spot
I got up at 3 am as planned. Went to the taxi stand, probably I was the first one to reach. There were various private taxi operators who were charging around 2,000 for the trip. But I looked for a share cab and found one. He asked me to wait till he finds 4/5 more people to accompany else he won’t go. I waited, waited and waited and in around 1 hours’ time only one or two guys turned up who were looking for a share cab. By the time it was already 4.15, and the cabbie guy suggested to try my luck the next day as it won’t make sense to go there after the sunrise. So I went back to the hostel, a bit disappointed but with the hope to find some more people the next day who can accompany me.
After taking some rest, I came back to the mall road for the breakfast at famous Keventer’s café where one of the scenes from Barfi Movie was shot. After my morning coffee and breakfast here, I was all charged up to explore the surroundings of beautiful Darjeeling.
Note: I explored major attractions in Darjeeling on foot. If you are in a group, would suggest hiring a cab for a day that can show you in and around Darjeeling including Tiger Hill in the morning. They would charge something in between 3-5K.
Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park
This is the only specialized Zoo in the country and is internationally recognized for its conservation breeding programs of Red Panda, Snow Leopards, Tibetan Wolf and other highly endangered animal species of Eastern Himalaya. A must visit when you are in Darjeeling. Darjeeling Zoo Is India’s Largest High-Altitude Zoo!
Also Read: We Stayed At This Cosy Homestay Near Darjeeling During Pandemic & It Was Worth Every Risk
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute & Museum
Situated inside Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI Darjeeling) was established on 4 November 1954 to encourage mountaineering as an organized sport in India. The first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary sparked a keen interest in establishing mountaineering as a well-respected endeavor for people in the region. The museum is beautifully maintained which will tell you the glorious stories about the mountaineers and their achievements and will give you goosebumps.
HMI regularly conducts Adventure, Basic and Advanced Mountaineering courses. These are very comprehensive courses. They are also highly subsidized to encourage mountaineering as a sport.
Witnessing The Panoramic View Of The Mountain Estate From The Rangeet Valley Ropeway
If you love panoramic views and want to see an aerial view of Darjeeling and its tea estates, Rangeet Valley ropeway is the place to visit.
After your breathtaking ropeway ride, take small steps down to St. Joseph’s college and take a share cab to Chauk Bazaar and get down at Happy Valley tea estate. Here you will get to experience end to end process of how tea is made and after the tour of the entire tea making process, you will be taken for tea testing with 8-10 types of different teas for your taste buds.
Tibetan refugees in Darjeeling set up this place after they followed Dalai Lama and escaped from Tibet. They followed the principle of self-help so that they could become self-independent and rehabilitate themselves in India.
You will need a whole day to explore all these places. Enjoy it at your own pace but also don’t forget that these places get shut by 4 PM as sun sets early in the East. After a satisfying day, I spent some time at Chauk Bazaar. Chauk Bazaar is the main market of Darjeeling where you can shop for souvenirs, winter wear, shoes etc. Also you can get share cabs from here for various long-distance places like Siliguri, Gangtok, Pelling etc.
Japanese Buddhist Temple
Also known as the Japanese peace pagoda, it is located in the exteriors of the main city and takes quite an uphill walk. It’s better if you could hire a cab to reach there. It’s quite a peaceful place. A must visit if you have time in hand.
Glenary’s Cafe: Later in the evening, I had my dinner at the most famous and the oldest café in Darjeeling, Glenary’s. This Café cum restaurant is over 100 years old and was established during the British colonial days. This place is very famous for fabulous bakery products and some amazing breakfast it serves. The bakery and cafe are on the ground floor and the restaurant on the upper floor. Also, you get a very nice view of Darjeeling from this place. A must visit place when you are in Darjeeling.
Keventer’s Cafe: Another cafe quite famous for the non-veg breakfast it serves. It is located right at the mall and has open terrace seating. One of the scene from the Barfi movie was shot here. Darjeeling Has The Most Beautiful Cafes That Offer Music, Food And Books!
Day 4: Darjeeling – Tiger Hill & Mirik
You need to be very lucky and the weather needs to be very clear if you want to witness a magnificent view of Kanchenjunga Peak from Tiger Hill. I met few guys in the hostel who also wanted to visit the Tiger hill. I told them the plan, how to reach there and how we can save a buck if we go by a share cab and they got convinced. We tried our luck the next day morning (2nd time for me) at 3.30 am, reached the cab station, there were already 3 people waiting in the share cab and we 4 of us joined them. Got lucky this time.
But we had different challenge waiting for us. We reached the base of Tiger Hill at 4.30 am but it was full of fog, couldn’t see anything beyond 50 meters and it was very crowded. Our driver told us that you guys will be very lucky if you get to see the sunrise in this fog, chances are very slim, like 5%. We reached the hilltop, waited till 6.30 am, sunrise was all but done, but the fog was still the same. Another day, another disappointment. And then we headed back to Darjeeling.
On our way back, we visited 2 places (these places are included in the package of Tiger Hill to and fro trip)
Ghum Monastery: Yiga Choeling Monastery in Ghoom is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Darjeeling built in 1850. This monastery belongs to the Yellow Hat sect also known as the Gelupka.
Batasia Loop: If you are taking a toy train ride from Darjeeling or coming from Siliguri, you will pass by this surreal loop. You can also reach here by a cab while coming back from Tiger Hill. This place has a lovely garden and will give you 360-degree view of Darjeeling and surrounding mountains. Batasia loop was an engineering requirement for the toy train to be able to handle a steep gradient. In all sense, it’s an engineering masterstroke to make toy train operational in the mountains.
Pro Tip: If you are not interested in visiting Mirik and haven’t travelled by toy train, you can take a short ride from Darjeeling to Ghum by toy train. It’s an experience of a lifetime.
Mirik, The Pretty Hilly Town
Mirik is a picturesque small town nestled in the serene hills of Darjeeling. Once you reach Mirik, first visit Mirik Monastery on top and then Mirik Lake. This small town is very peaceful and you can sit along the bank of the lake and relax. Later you can walk over the arching footbridge and move to the other side and take a walk through dhupi forest.
Other places you can visit on the way during your day trip to Mirik
Jorpokhri: Tiny place on the hilltop has twin lakes, surrounded by forest and offers a magnificent view of Kanchenjunga.
Simana Viewpoint: Simana means border. This is the Indo-Nepal border area. The road belongs to India and viewing falls in Nepal but you can freely cross over to get the view.
Gopaldhara Tea estate: Get the wonderful view of tea gardens all around through this place. You can also taste tea here or can also buy packaged tea of the gardens from here.
Pashupati Market – Nepal: Mirik is on the border of Nepal, so while returning back from Mirik, we visited the famous Pashupati market in Nepal which famous for shopping. The main market is about 1Km walk from the border. You can either walk or take a cab. You will need to complete some formalities and product your identity proof to enter Nepal. The market is full of imported electronic gadgets, jackets, perfumes, cosmetics, accessories and clothes. This stuff is quite cheap here but you will need to bargain a lot.
If you are travelling by share cab, ensure you inquire about the timings of the share cab as these cabs will not run beyond 4.30 PM.
Day 5: Darjeeling – Another Attempt To Experience Sunrise At Tiger Hill
So this was my last day in Darjeeling and my last chance to experience sunrise and get a glimpse of Kanchenjunga Peak. Again we got up at 3 am (3rd day in a row for me), got into a share cab from mall road and headed towards Tiger hill. This time expectations were low but there was some hope. We were almost 3 km away from the destination and another obstacle came in between. Roads were closed due to heavy snowfall the previous night and the driver said now there is no chance that you will get to experience the sunrise considering the weather. The road was full of snow. We had to take a call. We decided to walk that remaining 3 km through snow and take that slightest chance of witnessing the beauty from the hilltop.
We had quite a fun while walking through the snow. We decided not to get upset if we don’t get the sunrise and just live in the moment and enjoy the snow. Finally, we reached the top. Took the best place and the waiting game begun in that foggy weather.
And the miracle happened. Suddenly weather got cleared just before sunrise and we got lucky. Third time lucky. All the efforts paid off. Sun started coming out slowly and the sky started changing its colour from blue to red to orange and to yellow. It was beautiful, it was like living a dream. And finally, we got to see Kanchenjunga Peak in its full glory. Fresh sun rays falling on the tip of Kanchenjunga, it was magical. By far one of the best experience on the trip.
The sense of satisfaction that I felt after that very moment was truly memorable. It still gives me goosebumps while I write this.
Also Read: I Explored Gangtok To Rinchenpong In Sikkim In 5 Days & Here’s How I Did It
We had our last breakfast in Darjeeling with pancakes, tea and more before finally leaving for Gangtok.
As told to Suchismita Pal