When the British arrived, the Lepcha people living on the ridge called it Dorje-ling, the place of the thunderbolt. The name Darjeeling comes from this Tibetan-rooted word for the vajra.
Source: Darjeeling
Hill station in Darjeeling & Kalimpong
Darjeeling
The thunderbolt ridge, its tea and its two-foot railway
Darjeeling is a hill town at about 2,045 m on a ridge facing Kangchenjunga, 74 km away. Stay 3 nights to ride the toy train to Ghum, watch sunrise from Tiger Hill and walk a tea garden. Come in October–November or March–May. Saver stays start near ₹2,000 a night; Windamere sits at the top end.
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsDarjeeling sits on a Y-shaped ridge running north from Ghum. The town centre is Chowrasta, a flat square at the top of the Mall, where pony men wait, the bookshop opens late and, on a clear morning, Kangchenjunga fills the northern sky. Below it, streets drop in steep steps to the motor stand, Chowk Bazaar and the railway station. The Lepcha name for the ridge was Dorje-ling, the place of the thunderbolt.
The modern town began in 1835, when the East India Company leased a strip of these hills from the Chogyal of Sikkim as a sanatorium. Within 50 years it had tea gardens on every slope, boarding schools such as St Paul's (moved here in 1864) and St Joseph's (1888), and a 2 ft gauge railway from the plains. After 1947 the cottages passed to Indian families, the tea gardens to Indian companies, and Darjeeling became the home town of Tenzing Norgay and a centre of Gorkha culture.
Today it is busy, steep and crowded in May and October, and quiet and cold in winter. We recommend 3 nights: one morning for Tiger Hill, one for the toy train and a tea garden, and one free for monasteries, the zoo and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. Stay near Chowrasta if you can; walking uphill at 2,000 m with luggage is hard work.
Say it like a local · Lepcha and TibetanDorje-ling
place of the thunderbolt, the old name of the Darjeeling ridge
What to do in Darjeeling
Chowrasta and the Mall at first light
Walk up to Chowrasta before 7 am, when the square is empty and the mountains are clearest. Observatory Hill rises behind it, with the Mahakal shrine, where Hindu and Buddhist priests share one site among prayer flags. Keventers and Glenary's, both old Darjeeling names, are a few minutes' walk away.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Founded on 4 November 1954 after the first ascent of Everest, the institute had Tenzing Norgay as its first director of field training. Its museum displays expedition gear and maps. It shares the hillside with the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, which breeds red pandas and snow leopards.
Ghum Monastery
Yiga Choeling, popularly called Ghum Monastery, is a Gelug monastery started in 1850 by the Mongolian monk Sokpo Sherab Gyatso. Its 15 ft statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, was commissioned by his successor. It is a short walk from Ghum station on the toy train line.
Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre
Set up on 2 October 1959 at Lebong, after the Dalai Lama left Tibet, the centre still runs carpet weaving and handicraft workshops. You can watch weavers at work and buy carpets, which can be shipped. Go on a weekday morning to see the workshops running.
Peace Pagoda on Jalapahar
The white Peace Pagoda, 28.5 m high, was built by the Japanese Nipponzan-Myohoji order and inaugurated in 1992. It stands on the Jalapahar slopes, a 30-minute walk from the Mall, with views down the ridge to Ghum. The drumming at the neighbouring Japanese temple is open to visitors.
Lloyd's Botanical Garden
Established in 1878 on 40 acres given by William Lloyd, the garden was an outpost of the Calcutta Botanical Garden. It has an orchid house, Himalayan trees and quiet paths below the town. Entry is cheap and the garden is a good half-day for anyone who likes plants.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Darjeeling
In 1835 the East India Company leased a strip of land about 40 km by 10 km from the Chogyal of Sikkim to build a sanatorium. In 1849 the British annexed some 1,700 sq km more.
Source: Darjeeling
Happy Valley Tea Estate, 3 km from town, was established in 1854. It is Darjeeling's second oldest estate after Steinthal (1852), and its factory at about 2,100 m is among the highest tea factories in the world.
Source: Happy Valley Tea Estate
Experiences
Three days worth having in Darjeeling
Photo: Souviksen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Darjeeling · 2 hours
Toy train joy ride to Ghum and Batasia Loop
A 2-hour round trip on the 2 ft gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, climbing from Darjeeling to Ghum station at about 2…
₹1,000 diesel; ₹1,500–1,700 steam (indicative)
Photo: Shahnoor Habib Munmun · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Darjeeling · 3–4 hours, from 3.30 am
Sunrise on Kangchenjunga from Tiger Hill
Drive before dawn to Tiger Hill, 2,590 m and about 11 km from Darjeeling, to watch first light hit Kangchenjunga. On cl…
Shared jeep ₹300–500 return; private car ₹1,500–2,500; small en…
Photo: Matt Stabile · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Darjeeling · 2–3 hours
Happy Valley tea garden walk and tasting
Walk down to Happy Valley Tea Estate, 3 km from Chowrasta, the closest garden to Darjeeling town. Founded in 1854, it i…
Factory tour fee ₹100–300; taxi ₹300–500 or walk
Real prices
What things cost in Darjeeling
ItemIndicative 2026
Shared jeep seat, NJP or Siliguri to Darjeeling₹250–400
Toy train joy ride to Ghum and back₹1,000 diesel; ₹1,500–1,700 steam
Shared jeep seat to Tiger Hill for sunrise₹300–500 return
Plate of momos in a local cafe₹80–180
Zoo and HMI combined entry (Indian adult)₹100–150
Budget hotel or government lodge double₹2,000–4,000 a night
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Darjeeling
Air
Bagdogra Airport (IXB) is about 75 km away. Prepaid taxis to Darjeeling cost about ₹3,500–4,500 and take 3–3.5 hours. For a cheaper ride, take a taxi to Siliguri and a shared jeep up.
Rail
New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the nearest major station, with overnight trains from Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati. The toy train also runs from NJP on some days, taking 7 hours or more; check current status before you travel.
Road
Shared jeeps leave NJP station and Siliguri for Darjeeling when full, about ₹250–400 a seat, 3–3.5 hours via Rohini or Kurseong. A reserved car costs about ₹3,000–4,000. NBSTC buses run from Siliguri's Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Darjeeling
Saver: the WBTDC Meghbalika Tourism Property is a simple government lodge in town, and many family-run budget hotels sit along Gandhi Road and below Chowrasta at ₹2,000–3,500 a night. Comfort: Dekeling Hotel on Gandhi Road is a long-running Tibetan family hotel with mountain-facing rooms; The Elgin and Mayfair Darjeeling are larger upmarket options near the Mall. Signature: Windamere Hotel on Observatory Hill is the town's classic heritage address, and Glenburn Tea Estate, about 1.5 hours away, is a planter's bungalow stay inside a working garden.
Photo: Subhrajyoti07 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
Government tourist bungalow · Darjeeling
Meghbalika Tourism Property (WBTDC)
The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation's lodge in Darjeeling town, formerly the Darjeeling Tourist Lodge.…
₹2,000–4,500 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid
Guesthouse · Darjeeling
Dekeling Hotel
A long-running family hotel run by a Tibetan family on Gandhi Road, a few minutes below Chowrasta, with simple, wa…
₹3,000–6,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Heritage hotel · Darjeeling
Windamere Hotel
A colonial hotel on Observatory Hill above Chowrasta, built in 1841 as Ada Villa, later a boarding house for tea p…
₹15,000–30,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: A. J. T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NCF · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Tea estate bungalow · Darjeeling
Glenburn Tea Estate & Boutique Hotel
Planter's bungalows inside a working tea estate founded in 1859, on slopes above the Rangeet river about 1.5 hours…
₹35,000–70,000 a night for a double, usually all-inclusive …
Trips that stop here
See Darjeeling on a trip
Photo: Auli Raha (অলি রাহা) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Darjeeling & Kalimpong · 7 nights · sleeps to 2,045 m
Sittong, Takdah and Kalimpong villages
Private car with driver
From, per person₹44,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Jan
Photo: Mayukh Ghose · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Darjeeling & Kalimpong · 5 nights · sleeps to 2,045 m
Tea and toy train: Kurseong and Darjeeling
Private car with driver
From, per person₹38,000Mar – May · Oct – Nov
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Darjeeling & Kalimpong · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,590 m
Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Lava by shared jeep
Shared jeeps, one short reserved car
From, per person₹17,500Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Darjeeling & Kalimpong · 3 nights · sleeps to 2,045 m
Darjeeling long weekend from Kolkata
Overnight train, shared jeeps, toy train joy ride
From, per person₹9,500Mar – May · Oct – Nov
Photo: Mayukh Ghose · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Darjeeling & Kalimpong · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,045 m
Taj Chia Kutir, Windamere and Glenburn
Private SUV with driver
From, per person₹1,20,000Mar – May · Oct – Nov
Photo: Arne Hückelheim 2010-09-21 12:41:53 This is a … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Darjeeling & Kalimpong · 7 nights · sleeps to 3,636 m
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Windamere, Sandakphu and Taj Chia Kutir
Private SUV with driver; reserved Land Rover on the Singalila Ridge
From, per person₹1,10,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Questions
Darjeeling, answered
How many days are enough for Darjeeling?
Three nights is right for most visitors. Use one morning for Tiger Hill and Ghum Monastery, one for the toy train joy ride and a tea garden, and one for the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the zoo and the Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre. Add Kalimpong, Mirik or a village such as Takdah for a 5 to 7 night trip.
What is the cheapest way to get from NJP to Darjeeling?
Take a shared jeep from the stand outside New Jalpaiguri station or from Siliguri. A seat costs about ₹250–400 and the drive takes 3–3.5 hours. Jeeps leave when full, so mornings are fastest. NBSTC buses from Siliguri are slightly cheaper but slower. Fares are indicative 2026; check current status before you travel.
Where should I stay in Darjeeling?
Stay near Chowrasta and the Mall if you can; most sights and cafes are within walking distance and cars are restricted. Gandhi Road and the lanes below the Mall have budget and mid-range hotels. Observatory Hill has Windamere. Avoid hotels far down Hill Cart Road unless you have a car, since the climbs are steep.
What is the weather like in Darjeeling?
Darjeeling is mild in summer, around 12 to 19 °C in May, and cold in winter, around 2 to 9 °C in January. It gets about 3,100 mm of rain a year, 80 percent of it between June and September. October to December is the driest and clearest period. Even in good months, mornings are clearer than afternoons.
Can I see Everest from Darjeeling?
Not from the town itself. From Tiger Hill, 11 km away, Everest is a small peak on the western horizon on clear mornings. For a closer and wider view, go to Sandakphu on the Singalila Ridge, where Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Kangchenjunga line up across the skyline. From Darjeeling town you see Kangchenjunga.
Is there an ATM and good network in Darjeeling?
Yes. There are several ATMs along Hill Cart Road, Laden La Road and near the Mall, and mobile data on major networks works well in town. UPI is accepted in most shops and cafes. Carry some cash for jeeps, homestays and small stalls, and for trips to villages where ATMs are scarce.
Is Darjeeling good for a honeymoon?
Yes, especially in October–November and March–April. Book a room with a mountain view near Chowrasta or at Windamere, add a tea-estate night at Glenburn or Taj Chia Kutir for privacy, and plan a sunrise at Tiger Hill or Chowrasta. Avoid May and the Puja holidays if you want quiet, when the Mall is crowded.
What food should I try in Darjeeling?
Try momos and thukpa in small Tibetan cafes, sel roti and aloo dum from street stalls, and churpee soup or cheese where you find it. Keventers is known for breakfasts and Glenary's, founded around 1885, for bakes and tea. Drink the local tea plain, without milk, to taste the flush.
Is Darjeeling crowded in October during Puja?
Yes. The Durga Puja and Dashain holidays bring many visitors from Bengal, and hotels, jeeps and toy train seats sell out. Prices rise and traffic jams on Hill Cart Road are common. Book two to three months ahead, or come in early November, when the weather is still excellent and crowds have thinned.