Darjeeling's tea estates, toy train and sunrise at Tiger Hill pair with Sikkim's monasteries, Gangtok's cafes and glacial lakes. April to June and September to November offer clear mountain views.
Good to know
- Tiger Hill sunrise needs a very early start; book a taxi the night before.
- Foreigners need Sikkim permits (Inner Line Permit) for restricted areas.
- Carry layers; temperatures drop fast at altitude.
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Pre-dawn jeep ride to see sunrise light up the Kanchenjunga range.
UNESCO toy train steaming through tea gardens and hill towns.
Tour a working tea garden and taste first-flush Darjeeling.
Snow leopards, red pandas and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
Try steamed and fried momos with spicy chutney in tiny cafes.
Spiral rail loop with a garden and Gorkha war memorial.
High-altitude glacial lake at 3,800 meters, with yak rides.
Border pass with Indo-China trade history, permit required.
Pedestrian promenade with cafes, plus the large Rumtek monastery nearby.
Ancient monastery with Kanchenjunga views from the ridge.
Tibetan Buddhist monastery with a giant Maitreya statue.
Multi-day trek along the ridge with views of four of the five highest peaks.