Hello friends! Let’s explore the dreamy hill station of Darjeeling. Misty mountains, bright sunshine, and fragrant tea gardens make this West Bengal gem a captivating destination. Join me as I guide you through this enchanting town.

Table of Contents

What You Need to Know Before Traveling to Darjeeling

There are a few things you need to know before you go to this place.

For citizens of India:

ID proof: Aadhar Card, Voter ID, Driving License, or any one document is needed for identification.
Online Permits: Some places, such as Tiger Hill, Batasia Loop and Gorkha War Memorial, may require an online permit.

For foreign nationals:

Passport and Visa: It is mandatory to carry the passport along with the Indian visa.
You need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) to travel to certain places in Darjeeling, like Gangtok.

The general guidelines are:

The weather of this place is very pleasant. So before you go, make sure you check the weather and climate of this place. It’s best to wear warm clothes.
Transport: Trains, buses, cars – everything is available to go to this place. Travel guides from Kolkata to this place are available online. Cars are available to go to Darjeeling from NJP.
Budget: Choose hotels and restaurants according to your budget. Luxury hotels, mid-budget hotels, and budget hotels are all available in this place. There are also many homestays.
Health: Being in a hilly area, some people may have breathing problems. So bring the necessary medications along with you.

Best Places to visit in Darjeeling

There are many sightseeing to visit in Darjeeling. Here’s a list of popular places for you:

Tiger Hill: Tiger Hill is a great place for watching the sunrise. To see the red glow of Kanchenjunga you must go to Tiger Hill in the morning.
Batasia Loop and Gorkha War Memorial: You can visit here too. From here, you can see beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. In the center, a memorial stands dedicated to the memory of the martyred soldiers.
Darjeeling Mall or Chowrasta: This is the heart of this place. There are many shops, restaurants, and cafes. It’s fun to hang out here in the evenings.
Darjeeling Zoo and HMI: Darjeeling Zoo has a variety of mountain animals including Red Panda and Snow Leopard. HMI or Himalayan Mountaineering Institute provides training in trekking.
Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park: These two parks are the most beautiful parks in this place. There are many kinds of flowers in the garden. You can boat in Ganga Maya Park.
Japanese Temple and Peace Pagoda: On going to these two places the mind becomes calm. The architecture here is wonderful.
Happy Valley Tea Estate: Happy Valley is one of the famous tea gardens of this place. Here you can see the tea-making process.
Observatory Hill and Mahakal Temple: This Hill offers a breathtaking view of Kanchenjunga. Mahakal Temple is a holy place.
Ghoom Monastery: This monastery is very sacred to the Buddhists and there is a big temple.
Tenzing and Gombu Rock: We train for trekking by climbing these two rocks.

Hotels and Homestays

There are various hotels and homestays available to stay in this place.

Luxury hotels:

MAYFAIR Darjeeling
The Windamere Hotel
Central Gleneagles Heritage Resort

The Mid-Budget Hotel:

Hotel Central Plaza
Summit Hermon Hotel & Spa
cedar inn

The budget hotel:

Hotel Mount Royale
The Pinewood Hotel
Snow View Hotel

Homestay:

Darjeeling Homestay
Greenery Homestay
Gurung homestay

More information about the trip

The weather and climate :

The weather in this place remains pleasant throughout the year. In summer (March to May) the temperature remains 15-25 degree Celsius. The temperature in winter (November to February) is 0-10 ° C. The rainy season (June to September) is very good.

The Culture of Darjeeling:

The culture of this place is also excellent. People of different nation, including Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha and Bengali live here. It has its own culture which is a mixture of all these cultures.

The history of Darjeeling:

The history of Darjeeling is quite eventful. In the 19th century, the British took this place from the Sikhs. Then the tea garden begins. After India became independent in 1947, this place became a part of West Bengal.

Himalayan Railway Toy Train:

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Toy Train is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taking this train offers a wonderful view of the mountains.

Trekking in Darjeeling:

There are many trekking routes in this place. The most popular route is the Sandakphu trek. From this trek, you can see many mountains, including Kanchenjunga, Everest, and Makalu.

Darjeeling Tea Tourism:

Darjeeling tea is famous all over the world. Many tourists come here to visit the tea gardens and learn the process of making tea.

Nightlife in Darjeeling:

The nightlife in this place is not so great. But there are some bars and pubs where you can hang out.

Flora and Fauna of Darjeeling:

A different variety of flora and fauna can be found in this place. Red Pandas, Snow Leopards, Himalayan Black Bears, and various types of birds are the main attractions here.

Restaurants and local cuisine:

There are many restaurants in this place. Indian, Chinese, Tibetan, and Continental cuisines are all available here. Momos, thukpa, and chowmein are popular dishes here.

How to get to Darjeeling

Traveling from Gangtok to Darjeeling

Darjeeling is about 96 km from Gangtok. It takes 4-5 hours by car.

Traveling from Kolkata to Darjeeling:

Darjeeling is about 637 km from Kolkata. It takes 12-14 hours by train and 10-12 hours by car.

From NJP to Darjeeling:

Darjeeling is about 72.8 km from New Jalpaiguri(NJP). It takes 3-4 hours by car.

The Best Time to Visit Darjeeling

The best time to visit Darjeeling is March to May and September to November. At this time, the weather is very pleasant.

So, friends, I hope you have got a lot of information about this place after reading this blog post.

So why late? Pack your bags, the magical hills of this place are waiting for you.

A few tips for a trip

A few tips to make a trip to this place more beautiful and memorable:

Book your train/bus/car tickets in advance: Before you go to this place, book your hotel, and bus/train tickets in advance. Booking in advance is essential, especially if you’re travelling during the holiday season.
Hire a local tour guide: You can hire a local tour guide to get a better understanding of all the places in this place.
Enjoy the Toy Train: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: A ride on the Toy Train is an essential part of the Dar-jeeling trip. You have to enjoy the toy train ride.
Tea Gardens: Don’t forget to visit the famous tea gardens of this place.
Eat local food: Momos, thukpa, and chowmein are some of the local foods that you must try.
Talk to the locals: The people of this place are very hospitable. Talk to them and learn about their culture.
Take care of the environment: Try to maintain the beauty of this place. So don’t use plastics.

Precautions to take while travelling to Darjeeling

Although this place is a safe city, it is important to take some precautions:

The rainy season: During the rainy season, the hills in this place can collapse. So keep an eye on the weather and postpone travel if necessary.
Difficulty in breathing at high altitudes: Some people have difficulty breathing when they go to high altitudes. So, take your medicines with you and consult a doctor.
Do not take food or drink from strangers: This can put you in danger.
Keep valuables carefully: There is a possibility of pickpockets in the crowd.
Don’t go out alone, especially at night.

The cost of a trip to Darjeeling

The cost of the trip depends on your budget. But generally, the daily expenditure of a person is between 1500-2000 rupees.

Memories of a Trip to Darjeeling

You can buy different type of things from this place, such as:

Darjeeling Tea: The famous tea of this place can be a great gift for your friends and family.
Handicrafts: The handicrafts of this place are very beautiful. You can buy a variety of handicraft items, such as thangka paintings, wooden items, woollen items, etc.
Prayer Wheel: The prayer wheel is very sacred to Buddhists. You can buy the prayer wheel from here.

A trip to Darjeeling

A trip to this place will be an memorable experience of your life. The natural beauty, culture, and people will surprise you. So why late? Plan your trip this time.

Local language

Different communities of people live here. People speak many languages here. The main language is Nepali. They also speak English, Hindi and Bengali.

Travel Network

Mobile networks are available in most parts of this place. However, there may be some network problems.

Packaging for a trip to Darjeeling

Don’t forget to pack your bags for your trip to this place.

Warm Clothes: The weather in this place is very cold. Therefore, it is important to wear warm clothes.
Raincoat / Umbrella: This place receives good rainfall during the monsoon season. So it is important to have a raincoat or umbrella.
Comfortable Shoes: This place has lots of places where you have to walk. Therefore, it is important to wear comfortable shoes.
Sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats: It is important to have sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats to protect from the sun.
Medications: Take your medications as needed.
ID proof: Aadhar Card, Voter ID, Driving License, Passport

Places to visit near Darjeeling

There are many places worth seeing outside this city

Kurseong: This is a small hill town located about 30 km from Darjeeling. You can see flower gardens, tea gardens, and some bungalows from the British period here.
Mirik: Mirik, located about 39.4 km from Darjeeling, offers a stunning view of Kanchenjunga. There are also orange gardens, tea gardens and Sumendu Lake.
Kalimpong: Kalimpong is a historic town located about 51.2 km from Darjeeling. There are many temples, churches and monasteries here.
Pelling: Pelling is a small town in the state of Sikkim, about 69.4 km from Darjeeling. From here you can see wonderful scenery. Apart from this Ravangla Monastery, Singshore Bridge, Changu Lake etc. are also worth seeing.

Local Transport

You can use these modes of transport to get around this place town:

Jeep: Jeep is the most popular mode of transport in this place. Both share and reserve jeeps are available.
Cabs: cabs are also available, but cost a little more than a jeep.
There is also a local bus service.
This place is not a big city. So you can also walk to visit many places.

Shopping

Chowrasta is the best place to shop in this place. There are various shops here from where you can buy clothes, shoes, bags, souvenirs etc.

Volunteering

There are many NGOs in this place where you can volunteer. In this, you will get to know more about the lifestyle of the people of this place and you will also be able to help them.

Photography

The natural beauty of this place is amazing. There are lots of photo opportunities here. You can take pictures of mountains, tea gardens, local people, monasteries, temples, etc.

The cost of a trip : an approximate calculation of 4 days and 3 nights

The cost of a trip to this place depends on your travel pattern, accommodation, choice of food and duration of stay. We calculated the approximate cost of a 4-day, 3-night trip as follows:

Travel:

Train: The fare of the train from Kolkata to Darjeeling can be Rs. 700-1000 in sleeper class and Rs. 2000-3000 in AC class.
Bus: The bus fare from Kolkata to Darjeeling can be Rs 1500-2500 in Volvo buses and Rs 800-1200 in non-AC buses.
Car Rental: Rental depends on the type of car and the distance. Usually, it can be 8000-15000 rupees.

Stay:

Budget hotels: Rs 500-1000 per night.
Mid-range hotels: Rs 1500-3000 per night.
Luxury hotels: Rs 5,000 or more per night.
Homestay: Rs 1000-2000 per night.

The food:

Local Food: Rs 200-500 per day.
Restaurant Food: Rs 500-1000 per day.

Places of interest:

Entry fee: Rs 50-200 per place.
Toy train fare: Rs 800-1500.
Tour guide: Rs 500-1000 per day.

Shopping:

It depends on your choice. However, it can be around 500-2000 rupees to buy souvenirs.

Total cost (estimated)

Budget Trip: Rs 12,000-18,000
Mid-range trip: Rs 24,000-36,000
Luxury trip: Rs 60,000 or more.

Ways to reduce costs:

Travel in the off-season: During the busy season, hotel and transport fares are much higher.
Travel with friends: Sharing the cost of hotel room and transport saves a lot of money.
Eat local food: Local food is much cheaper than restaurant food.
Use public transport: Public transport is much cheaper than hiring a taxi or a car.
Look for discounts online: Hotel and transport discounts are available on many websites.

Remember, this is an estimate. Your costs may be higher or lower.

Conclusion

Darjeeling is a paradise for nature lovers. The natural beauty, the culture, the people – all together will give you a unique experience. So why late? Plan your trip this time.

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