Read before you go
Planning guides
What things cost, when to go, how to get there, what to eat and the history behind what you will see. Written by people who live in these hills.
Darjeeling & Ghoom
The best time to visit Darjeeling is mid-October to early December, when skies clear after the monsoon and Kanchenjunga shows most mornings. March and …
food · 5 min read Darjeeling Food: Momos, Thukpa, Sel Roti and TeaDarjeeling food is Tibetan, Nepali and old hill-station British on one ridge. Eat momos, thukpa and thenthuk in the market lanes, sel roti at …
planning · 5 min read Getting to Darjeeling from NJP, Bagdogra and SiliguriMost travellers reach Darjeeling from NJP railway station or Bagdogra airport, both near Siliguri, by shared jeep (₹250–350 a seat, about 3–3.5 hours) or …
history · 5 min read Darjeeling History: From Thunderbolt Hill to TeaDarjeeling grew from a Buddhist shrine on a Sikkimese ridge into a British sanatorium after the 1835 deed of grant, then a tea district …
stays · 5 min read Homestay Villages Around Darjeeling ComparedThe villages within 20–35 km of Darjeeling offer quiet homestays at about ₹1,500–2,500 a person with dinner and breakfast. Lepchajagat and Chatakpur are high …
culture · 5 min read Monasteries of Darjeeling and Ghoom: A Visitor's GuideDarjeeling's best-known monastery is Yiga Choeling at Ghoom, founded in 1850, with a 15 ft statue of the future Buddha. Pair it with Samten …
budget · 5 min read Darjeeling on a Budget: What Things Really CostDarjeeling costs ₹1,200–2,000 a person a day on a shoestring and about ₹2,500–4,000 at a comfortable value level, if you ride shared jeeps, walk …
treks · 5 min read Short Walks and Day Hikes Around DarjeelingDarjeeling is a walking town. Start with the flat Mall loop and Observatory Hill, walk the toy train line from Batasia to Ghoom, then …
culture · 5 min read Darjeeling Tea Gardens: Flushes, Visits and BuyingDarjeeling has about 87 tea gardens, and you can walk to one, Happy Valley, from the town centre. Visit between March and November, when …
practical · 6 min read Darjeeling Toy Train: Joyrides, Fares and BookingMost visitors ride the toy train as a two-hour joyride from Darjeeling to Ghoom and back, by steam (about ₹1,500–1,800) or diesel (about ₹1,000–1,300), …
Kurseong, Mirik & the tea valleys
Dow Hill is the forested ridge above Kurseong, home to Victoria Boys' School, founded in 1879, and Dow Hill School. Its quiet conifer forest …
history · 5 min read Kurseong and Mirik History: Tea, Schools and NetajiKurseong and Mirik were Lepcha and Sikkimese hill country that passed through Nepali and British hands before tea arrived in the 1850s. Makaibari's factory …
seasons · 5 min read Best Time to Visit Kurseong and Mirik, Month by MonthOctober to December is the best time for clear mountain views, with November the quietest month. March to May is best for first flush …
food · 5 min read Kurseong and Mirik Food: Momos, Gundruk and OrangesFood in Kurseong and Mirik is Nepali hill cooking with Tibetan and Bengali touches: momos, thukpa, dal-bhat, gundruk, kinema, chhurpi and dalle chilli pickle, …
planning · 5 min read Getting to Kurseong and Mirik from NJP and BagdograFly to Bagdogra or take a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP), then go via Siliguri. Shared jeeps reach Kurseong in 1.5–2.5 hours and Mirik …
budget · 5 min read Kurseong and Mirik on a Budget: What Things CostKurseong, Mirik and the tea valleys cost about ₹1,500–2,000 a person a day on a shoestring and ₹3,000–5,000 at a comfortable level. Shared jeeps …
culture · 5 min read Sittong and Latpanchar: Oranges, Hornbills and HomestaysSittong and Latpanchar are farming villages in the Riyang valley east of Kurseong, known for Darjeeling mandarins, cinchona plantations and hornbill forests at the …
stays · 5 min read Kurseong and Mirik Tea Gardens and Estate StaysKurseong and Mirik sit among some of the best-known Darjeeling tea gardens, including Makaibari, Castleton, Goomtee, Jungpana, Gopaldhara and Sourenee. Visit from March to …
treks · 5 min read Kurseong Walks and Toy Train StationsKurseong is the best walking base in the middle Darjeeling hills. Eagle's Crag is 15–20 minutes from the station, Makaibari 45 minutes down the …
culture · 5 min read Mirik Lake, Bokar Monastery and the Tea RoadMirik is a small lake town at about 1,495 m, 52 km from Siliguri, built around Sumendu Lake, which opened in 1979. Walk the …
Kalimpong, Lava & Lolegaon
The best time to visit Kalimpong is October to mid-December, when the monsoon has cleared and Kanchenjunga shows on most mornings. March to May …
food · 5 min read Kalimpong Food: Cheese, Momos, Churpi and Village KitchensEat momos, thukpa and sha phaley in Kalimpong's bazaar, buy Kalimpong cheese and milk lollipops, and try churpi, gundruk, kinema and squash shoots in …
practical · 5 min read Getting to Kalimpong: NJP, Bagdogra and NH10Most travellers reach Kalimpong from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station or Bagdogra airport, about 70–80 km away. A shared jeep from Siliguri costs ₹200–300 a …
history · 5 min read Kalimpong History: Wool Trade, Missions and MonksKalimpong was ruled by Sikkim, then Bhutan, and passed to the British after the Treaty of Sinchula in 1865. For almost a century it …
stays · 5 min read Kalimpong Homestay Villages ComparedThe villages around Kalimpong offer homestays at about ₹1,300–2,200 a person with dinner and breakfast. Ramdhura, Icchey Gaon and Sillery Gaon face the Teesta …
culture · 5 min read Monasteries and Churches of KalimpongKalimpong's faith map follows its history. Bhutanese rule left Thongsa (1692) and Pedong's Sangchen Dorjee; Tibetan teachers built Zang Dhok Palri on Durpin from …
wildlife · 5 min read Neora Valley and Red Pandas: An Honest GuideNeora Valley National Park, set up in 1986, climbs from 183 m to about 3,200 m east of Lava. You enter from Lava with …
culture · 5 min read Kalimpong Nurseries, Crafts and Markets: What to BuyKalimpong is the shopping town of these hills, with an older reason than tourism: it was India's main market for Tibetan wool until 1962. …
budget · 5 min read Kalimpong on a Budget: What Things Really CostKalimpong costs about ₹1,300–2,000 a person a day on a shoestring and ₹2,500–4,000 at a comfortable level, if you ride shared jeeps, sleep in …
treks · 5 min read Village Walks and Day Hikes Around KalimpongThe best walking around Kalimpong is on village paths, not long treks: Lava to Rishyap through forest (about 4 km, 400 m up), dawn …
Sandakphu & the Singalila Ridge
Go in October to early December for the clearest views of Everest and Kanchenjunga, and in April and May for rhododendrons in flower with …
planning · 5 min read Sandakphu by Land Rover or on FootWalking to Sandakphu takes three days, costs about ₹2,000–2,500 a day each for a pair, and lets your body adjust to 3,636 m. A …
practical · 5 min read Sandakphu Packing List and Altitude SafetyPack light, about 7–9 kg, because lodges give you bedding and meals: layers, a down jacket, a rain shell, good boots, a filter bottle, …
treks · 5 min read The Sandakphu Trek Day by DayThe classic Sandakphu trek walks about 31 km in three days from Maneybhanjan (2,150 m) via Tumling and Kalipokhri to Sandakphu (3,636 m). From …
food · 5 min read Food on the Sandakphu Trek: Dal-bhat to TongbaOn the Sandakphu trek you eat what the lodge family cooks: dal-bhat with refills, noodle soup, eggs, Tibetan bread and endless tea, in a …
planning · 5 min read Getting to Maneybhanjan and Out from RimbikTake a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP) or fly to Bagdogra, ride a shared jeep up to Darjeeling for ₹250–350, then another to Maneybhanjan, …
history · 5 min read The Singalila Ridge: Border, Poison Hill and Land RoversThe Singalila Ridge has been a frontier since the Anglo-Nepalese war of 1814–16, a reserve forest since the British bought it from Sikkim in …
wildlife · 5 min read Red Pandas and Birds of Singalila National ParkSingalila National Park, about 78.6 square kilometres of the ridge, is one of India's best places to see a wild red panda, along with …
treks · 5 min read Phalut to Rimbik: The Long Way DownBeyond Sandakphu, the Singalila trail runs 21 km along the ridge to Phalut, where West Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal meet, then drops about 1,200 …
budget · 5 min read What the Sandakphu Trek Really CostsA walking trekker sharing a guide with one friend spends about ₹2,000–2,500 a day on the Singalila Ridge, and ₹3,000–4,000 with a private room …
Gangtok & East Sikkim
The best time to visit Gangtok is October to mid-December, when skies are clear and Kanchenjunga shows from the ridge. March to May brings …
planning · 5 min read Day Trips from Gangtok: Tsomgo, Nathu La, RumtekFrom Gangtok the classic day trip is Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir, with Nathu La added for Indian travellers. Rumtek and Lingdum make an …
food · 5 min read Gangtok Food: Momos, Phagshapa, Gundruk and ChhurpiEat momos, thukpa and sha phaley in Gangtok's cafés, try phagshapa, gundruk, sinki and chhurpi in Sikkimese and Nepali kitchens, and drink Temi tea …
planning · 5 min read Getting to Gangtok: NJP, Bagdogra, Jeeps and BusesGangtok is about 114 km and 4–5 hours from Siliguri. Shared jeeps from the SNT stand and Panitanki More cost ₹350–500 a seat, SNT …
history · 5 min read Gangtok History: From Tumlong to StatehoodGangtok was a small hamlet with a hilltop gompa until 1894, when Chogyal Thutob Namgyal moved Sikkim's capital here from Tumlong under British influence. …
culture · 5 min read Gangtok Monasteries: Rumtek, Enchey, Lingdum and MoreGangtok's monasteries tell Sikkim's history in a day. See Enchey, on a site blessed in the 1840s and rebuilt in 1909; Do-drul Chorten, raised …
budget · 6 min read Gangtok on a Budget: What Things Really CostGangtok and East Sikkim cost about ₹1,500–2,500 a person a day on a shoestring, ₹2,500–4,000 at a value level and ₹4,000–6,500 for comfort. Shared …
practical · 5 min read Sikkim Permits Explained: Tsomgo, Nathu La, Silk RouteIndians need no permit for Gangtok, but Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La, the Silk Route and North Sikkim need permits arranged through registered operators with …
planning · 5 min read The Old Silk Route via Zuluk: A Practical GuideThe Old Silk Route climbs from Rongli through Padamchen and Zuluk to Gnathang and Kupup, on the mule road that once carried Tibetan wool …
stays · 5 min read Where to Stay in Gangtok: MG Marg, Tadong and BeyondFor a first visit, stay on or near MG Marg and Tibet Road, where you can walk to food, shops and tour desks; rooms …
North Sikkim: Lachung & Lachen
Dzongu, the Lepcha reserve across the Teesta from Mangan, has no hotels, only family homestays in villages such as Lingthem, Passingdang and Hee Gyathang. …
practical · 5 min read Gurudongmar Lake from Lachen: Altitude and SafetyGurudongmar Lake sits at about 5,180 m, reached from Lachen at about 2,750 m by a 3 am start and a 3-hour drive. Stay …
planning · 5 min read Lachung or Lachen: Which Valley to ChooseLachung, at about 2,700 m, is the base for Yumthang Valley and Zero Point, with more rooms and an easier altitude. Lachen, at about …
planning · 5 min read Yumthang Valley and Zero Point from LachungYumthang Valley, 24 km above Lachung at 3,564 m, is the rhododendron valley of North Sikkim; Zero Point at Yumesamdong, 23 km further at …
seasons · 5 min read Best Time to Visit North Sikkim, Month by MonthThe best months for North Sikkim are March to May and October to November. March brings snow, late April and May the Yumthang rhododendrons, …
food · 5 min read North Sikkim Food: Thukpa, Chhurpi and Lepcha KitchensFood in North Sikkim follows altitude. Lodges in Lachung and Lachen serve rice, dal, vegetables and egg or chicken curry; stalls at Thangu and …
planning · 5 min read Getting to North Sikkim: Gangtok, Permits and the RoadAll trips to North Sikkim start in Gangtok. Reach it from NJP or Bagdogra by shared jeep on NH10 in 4–5 hours, spend a …
history · 5 min read North Sikkim History: Lepcha Dzongu, Dzumsa and the LakeNorth Sikkim holds Sikkim's founding oath at Kabi Lungchok, the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu, and two Bhutia villages, Lachung and Lachen, that still govern …
budget · 5 min read North Sikkim on a Budget: How Gangtok Tours WorkA shared 3-day, 2-night North Sikkim tour from Gangtok costs about ₹6,000–8,000 per person with permit, vehicle seat, lodge rooms and simple meals. A …
practical · 5 min read North Sikkim Permits Explained for Indians and ForeignersIndian visitors need a North Sikkim permit, applied for by a registered Gangtok tour operator, for Lachung, Yumthang, Zero Point, Lachen, Thangu, Chopta and …
Pelling, Yuksom & South Sikkim
Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary is a gentle 4 km, 1.5–2 hour walk from Hilley through rhododendron forest on the Singalila range, best from mid-March to …
treks · 6 min read Goecha La and Dzongri trek: stage by stage from YuksomGoecha La is an 8–10 day return trek from Yuksom into Khangchendzonga National Park, climbing via Tshoka and Dzongri to View Point 1 at …
seasons · 6 min read Best Time to Visit Pelling, Yuksom and South SikkimOctober to mid-December is the best time for Kanchenjunga views from Pelling, Rinchenpong and Ravangla, with dry roads and cool, clear mornings. March and …
history · 6 min read The Chogyals of Sikkim: A History Told in West SikkimSikkim's kingdom began in West Sikkim. In 1642 three lamas crowned Phuntsog Namgyal the first Chogyal at Norbugang in Yuksom, and for almost two …
food · 6 min read West Sikkim Food: Churpi, Gundruk, Tongba and MoreThe best food in West and South Sikkim is home cooking: churpi cheese with ningro ferns, gundruk soup, kinema, sel roti and warm tongba …
planning · 5 min read How to Reach Pelling, Yuksom, Ravangla and NamchiFly to Bagdogra or take a train to New Jalpaiguri, then go by road: a shared jeep from Siliguri to Jorethang and on to …
stays · 5 min read West Sikkim homestays: villages, prices and what to askA West Sikkim homestay costs about ₹1,500–2,500 per person a night with dinner and breakfast, in a family house in a farming village. The …
culture · 6 min read West Sikkim monastery circuit: from Yuksom to NamchiWest and South Sikkim hold the oldest monasteries in the state: Dubdi, Sanga Choeling, Pemayangtse and Tashiding, all tied to the 1642 coronation at …
budget · 6 min read West Sikkim on a Budget: What Things Really CostWest and South Sikkim can be done on ₹1,500–2,000 a person a day if you ride shared jeeps, stay in small hotels or village …
practical · 6 min read West Sikkim permits and practical tips for 2025–26Indians need no permit for Pelling, Yuksom, Ravangla or Namchi; foreigners need a free Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, and Goecha La or Dzongri need …
The Dooars & Siliguri
November to March is the best time to visit the Dooars: parks are open, days are dry and 22–27 °C, and the grass is …
treks · 5 min read Buxa and Jayanti Treks: Fort, Ridge, Cave and LakeThe best walking in the Dooars is in Buxa Tiger Reserve. A 5 km stone path climbs from Santalabari to Buxa Fort; Lepchakha's ridge …
food · 5 min read What to Eat in the Dooars: Boroli, Shidol and MomosDooars food is river fish, rice and greens, cooked three or four ways. Rajbanshi homes make shidol and pelka, Bengali dhabas serve boroli fish …
stays · 5 min read Forest-Village Stays in the Dooars: Where to SleepSleep beside the forest, not on the highway. Murti's riverside forest corporation cottages and Lataguri's homestays serve Gorumara; Mendabari at Chilapata sits deep in …
practical · 5 min read Getting to the Dooars: Trains, Buses and CarsReach the Dooars from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station, Bagdogra airport or Siliguri. Reserved cars cost ₹3,000–3,800 to Lataguri and ₹4,000–5,000 to Madarihat. Buses from …
wildlife · 5 min read Gorumara Safaris Explained: Towers, Slots and BookingA Gorumara safari is a short jeep ride from Lataguri to one watchtower, where you sit for an hour or so over a salt …
history · 5 min read Doors to Bhutan: A Short History of the DooarsThe Dooars take their name from the doors, or passes, into Bhutan. Bhutan held the plains below them until the British won the Duar …
wildlife · 5 min read Jaldapara Rhinos: Jeep and Elephant SafarisJaldapara, on the Torsa river near Madarihat, holds about 330 one-horned rhinos, more than anywhere in India outside Assam. Jeep safaris for six cost …
budget · 5 min read The Dooars on a Budget: What Things Really CostThe Dooars cost about ₹1,800–2,500 a person a day on a shoestring and ₹2,500–4,000 at a comfortable value level, if you share safari jeeps, …
culture · 5 min read The Dooars Tea Estates: CTC, Gardens and Garden LinesTea gardens cover much of the Dooars between the Teesta and the Sankosh, almost all making CTC tea for strong, milky chai. The first …