The queen of the hills as the famous town of Darjeeling has been known to the world is a site to behold. Jaw-dropping locales, mesmerising sunrises, the untouched beauty of the hills, the old-world charm of the past, and the welcoming smiles of the local people all sum up to make Darjeeling one of the most beautiful hill stations in the eastern part of India. It’s a true respite from the hot and humid summers of India.
The extremely famous toy train or the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, is one of the few hill railways still operating in India. This train made its first journey in September 1881 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site ever since 1999. It runs all the way from the lower parts of the mountains to Darjeeling town. The full journey takes nearly a whole day. However, shorter joy rides are possible. There are also two-hour joy-rides during the high season from Darjeeling. It stops for half an hour at Ghum which is India’s highest railway station. Moving at a snail like pace over the hilly terrain, it is an experience nobody wants to miss.
Tiger Hill is most famous for its spectacular sight of sunrise from where you can see the peaks of Kanchenjunga illuminate before the sun. This surreal view of the snow-capped mountains sitting amidst cotton clouds attracts tourists to Tiger Hill from all over the country. The starting time from Darjeeling is 3.30 AM to reach tiger hill by 4.15 AM. The starting time becomes 4.15 AM in winters due to delayed sunrise time.
The roads get blocked by a convoy of jeeps and cars during the peak season. To get up to the sunrise spot, it requires a short climb on foot from the parking spot.
How crazy would it be if you just walk above the creamy clouds of Darjeeling in the best trekking tours on the eastern Himalayas? To witness some of the highest peaks of the Himalayas like Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest will surely be more than an enthralling experience. Offering you a sweeping view of four out of the five highest peaks of the world Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Lhotse, all in a single stretch, Darjeeling offers some of the best and most unique trekking routes in the world. It is the first hill station that is struck by visitors who come to explore the northeast or the seven sisters. The getaway to every other hill station in the east is more than mesmerizing, with some of the best trekking tours in Darjeeling attracting the largest chunk of visitors here.
Some popular trekking tours:
- Sandakphu Trek
- Dzongri Trek, Sikkim
- Day Trek to Kamala Falls
- Trek to Rohini in Darjeeling
Feeling more adventurous?? Go to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI Darjeeling), founded by the late Tenzing Norgay. Aspiring mountaineers from all over the world come to this institute to develop and hone their skills. HMI regularly conducts Adventure, Basic and Advanced levels of mountaineering courses which are quite comprehensive courses in themselves. There’s a comparatively easier to climb indoor rock wall as well as the more strenuous outdoor rock climbing to practice there.
Tiger Hill is most famous for its spectacular sight of sunrise from where you can see the peaks of Kanchenjunga illuminate before the sun. This surreal view of the snow-capped mountains sitting amidst cotton clouds attracts tourists to Tiger Hill from all over the country. The starting time from Darjeeling is 3.30 AM to reach tiger hill by 4.15 AM. The starting time becomes 4.15 AM in winters due to delayed sunrise time.
The roads get blocked by a convoy of jeeps and cars during the peak season. To get up to the sunrise spot, it requires a short climb on foot from the parking spot.
- Carry a set of warm clothes including thick jackets and sweaters, mufflers, ear muffs, beanies, etc. to keep the cold weather of this town at bay while you enjoy your stay.
- Bring along a sunscreen (SPF 30 or above) along as the sun’s rays get stronger at high altitudes.
- Lip Balm to keep your lips moisturised as they could get really dry in the cold chilly weather of Darjeeling.
Rent the GoPro Hero 8 to capture a birds eye view of the city while you paraglide away into the cold skies of the queen of the hills. Take a time lapse of the early blissful sunrise at tiger hill or simply mount the camera on your wrist or forehead while you rock climb.
Binoculars in order to truly witness the sight of some of the rare and endangered species of animals in the world, you need to witness them up close. And what better way to do that than just renting a binocular to the red panda, snow leopard, the Himalayan wolf to name a few up close.
s are the best equipment out there, we also have Olympus and Quechua if you fancy one of them.
If you plan to venture out in the night (which we highly recommend!) or stay in a tent, a fleece jacket is a must. If you are travelling between Oct-Jun, a fleece jacket is the minimum you will need irrespective of your plans in Ladakh.
These jackets are light and can keep you warm even up till minus 4 degree. Our jackets are professionally dry-cleaned after every rental cycle, so don’t worry about hygiene and rent it here
If you are going to trek and partake in adventure related activities, you must have a backpack so that you are able to travel light and efficiently in order to maximise your time during your stay.
Mountain Walking Pole while trekking and walking along the rough terrains of some of the less “urban” parts of Darjeeling, its highly recommended to carry a walking pole with you in order to give you a better grip and foothold. After all, you will be walking quite a lot!
As the roads get pitch dark in the nights with very few areas being well lit