Travel guide · Darjeeling & Sikkim
Darjeeling & Sikkim Travel Guide
Darjeeling and Sikkim tour packages combine Gangtok, Darjeeling, Pelling and Kalimpong with high-altitude excursions to Tsomgo Lake, Lachung, Yumthang and Gurudongmar Lake. Newer itineraries add Nathu La, Namchi and Ravangla, Yuksom, the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu, Rinchenpong, Uttarey and the Barsey rhododendrons, Kurseong, Sittong, Tinchuley, Sandakphu, and Lava and Lolegaon. Our itineraries run 3 to 11 days, starting and ending at Siliguri (Bagdogra airport or New Jalpaiguri station).
By Holiday Guru Travel · Updated 8 Oct 2026
In short: Kanchenjunga views, mountain lakes, tea and toy train and monasteries and culture. Sunrise over Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill in Darjeeling and from Pelling. March to May and October to December are the best times to visit Darjeeling and Sikkim.
Darjeeling & Sikkim quick facts
- Trip length
- 3–11 days (34 itineraries)
- Best time
- March to May and October to December are the best times to visit Darjeeling and Sikkim.
- Key places
- Gangtok, Darjeeling, Pelling, Kalimpong, Lachung & Lachen
- Tours start in
- Bagdogra, Siliguri (NJP / Bagdogra)
- Travel style
- Private cab on 9 of 34
- Hotels
- Standard / 3-star equivalent on 25 of 34; Deluxe on 9 of 34
- Meal plans
- Breakfast on all 34 itineraries
- Suits
- Families, Couples, Mountain lovers
Best places to visit in Darjeeling & Sikkim
Gangtok, Darjeeling, Pelling, Kalimpong and Lachung & Lachen are the places our Darjeeling & Sikkim itineraries are built around.
Gangtok
Sikkim’s capital: MG Marg, monasteries and viewpoints, and the base for Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir.
Darjeeling
Tiger Hill sunrise, tea gardens, the Batasia Loop and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
Pelling
Close views of Kanchenjunga, Pemayangtse Monastery and the Rabdentse ruins.
Kalimpong
A quieter hill town with monasteries, nurseries and valley views.
Lachung & Lachen
North Sikkim villages; Yumthang Valley from Lachung and Gurudongmar Lake from Lachen.
Things to do
- Watch sunrise over Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill
- Visit Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir
- Ride the Darjeeling toy train
- Walk MG Marg in Gangtok
- See Yumthang Valley and Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim
- Tour a Darjeeling tea garden
How many days do you need?
Four days covers Darjeeling and Gangtok; allow 6–8 days to add Pelling, Kalimpong or North Sikkim (Lachung and Lachen), and 10–11 days for the full circuit.
| Trip length | What it covers | Our itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| 4 days | Darjeeling and Gangtok | Darjeeling Gangtok Tour – 3N/4D |
| 5 days | Pelling and Gangtok with Tsomgo Lake | Gangtok Pelling Tour |
| 6 days | Gangtok with Lachen, Lachung, Gurudongmar and Yumthang | Gangtok with lachen and Lachung Tour |
| 10 days | Gangtok, Lachung, Pelling, Kalimpong and Darjeeling | Darjeeling with Kalimpong pelling Lachung and gangtok Tour |
Best time to visit Darjeeling & Sikkim
March to May and October to December are the best times to visit Darjeeling and Sikkim.
| Months | Season | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| March – May | Spring | Rhododendrons in bloom, clear mornings and pleasant days — a popular season. |
| June – September | Monsoon | Heavy rain and landslides can close roads, especially in North Sikkim. |
| October – December | Autumn & early winter | The clearest mountain views of the year; cold nights. |
| January – February | Winter | Cold, with snow at higher places; some high roads may close. |
Suggested Darjeeling & Sikkim routes
Routes from our own Darjeeling & Sikkim itineraries, by trip length.
- 2 Nights / 3 Days: Bagdogra → Kurseong → Makaibari → Dow Hill — Kurseong Tea Hills
- 3 Nights / 4 Days: Darjeeling → Gangtok — Darjeeling Gangtok Tour – 3N/4D
- 4 Nights / 5 Days: Darjeeling → Gangtok — Darjeeling Gangtok Tour – 4N/5D
- 5 Nights / 6 Days: Darjeeling → Gangtok — Darjeeling and Gangtok Tour
- 6 Nights / 7 Days: Gangtok → Lachen → Lachung → Gangtok — Gangtok with lachen and Lachung Tour
- 7 Nights / 8 Days: Darjeeling → Gangtok → Lachung → Gangtok — Darjeeling with Lachung and gangtok Tour
Things to consider
Getting there and around: Packages start and end at Siliguri — Bagdogra airport (IXB) or New Jalpaiguri (NJP) railway station — with transfers and sightseeing as specified on each package. North Sikkim and Tsomgo Lake need permits, arranged locally.
Where you stay: Standard / 3-star equivalent or deluxe hotels as listed on each package; stays in Lachung, Lachen and Zuluk are simpler mountain lodges or homestays.
- Carry photo ID (and passport photos) for Sikkim permits; foreign nationals need a special permit to enter Sikkim.
- High lakes such as Tsomgo and Gurudongmar are cold and high — dress warmly and avoid exertion.
- Roads in North Sikkim can close after landslides or snow; itineraries may change on the day.
- Book early for April–May and Durga Puja/Diwali holidays.
Darjeeling & Sikkim travel questions
What is Darjeeling & Sikkim known for?
Kanchenjunga views, mountain lakes, tea and toy train and monasteries and culture. Sunrise over Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill in Darjeeling and from Pelling.
How many days should I spend in Darjeeling & Sikkim?
Four days covers Darjeeling and Gangtok; allow 6–8 days to add Pelling, Kalimpong or North Sikkim (Lachung and Lachen), and 10–11 days for the full circuit. Our Darjeeling & Sikkim itineraries run 3–11 days.
What is the best time to visit Darjeeling & Sikkim?
March to May and October to December are the best times to visit Darjeeling and Sikkim.
Which places should I include in a Darjeeling & Sikkim trip?
Gangtok, Darjeeling, Pelling, Kalimpong and Lachung & Lachen. Gangtok: Sikkim’s capital: MG Marg, monasteries and viewpoints, and the base for Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir.
Which Holiday Guru Travel packages cover Darjeeling & Sikkim?
34 itineraries: Kurseong Tea Hills (2 Nights / 3 Days); Darjeeling Gangtok Tour – 3N/4D (3 Nights / 4 Days); Darjeeling Holiday (3 Nights / 4 Days); Darjeeling Kalimpong Tour (3 Nights / 4 Days); Sittong and Lamahatta (3 Nights / 4 Days); Tinchuley and Takdah (3 Nights / 4 Days); and 28 more listed below.
Can a Darjeeling & Sikkim itinerary be customised?
Yes. Any of our Darjeeling & Sikkim itineraries can be changed — add or remove nights, change the hotel category or add sightseeing. Tell us what you need and we send a quote for your dates.
Darjeeling & Sikkim holiday packages
All 34 Holiday Guru Travel itineraries for Darjeeling & Sikkim, shortest first. Each can be customised.
| Package ID | Package | Duration | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0584 | Kurseong Tea Hills | 2 Nights / 3 Days | Bagdogra → Kurseong → Makaibari → Dow Hill |
| 0064 | Darjeeling Gangtok Tour – 3N/4D | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Darjeeling → Gangtok |
| 0163 | Darjeeling Holiday | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Darjeeling → Tiger Hill → Ghoom |
| 0065 | Darjeeling Kalimpong Tour | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Darjeeling → Kalimpong |
| 0585 | Sittong and Lamahatta | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Sittong → Lamahatta |
| 0586 | Tinchuley and Takdah | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Tinchuley → Takdah |
| 0588 | Kalimpong, Lava and Lolegaon | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Kalimpong → Lava → Lolegaon |
| 0581 | Dzongu: the Lepcha Reserve | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Bagdogra → Mangan → Dzongu → Lingzya Falls |
| 0162 | Gangtok and Tsomgo Lake Tour | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Gangtok → Tsomgo Lake → Rumtek |
| 0578 | Gangtok with Nathu La | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Bagdogra → Gangtok → Tsomgo Lake → Nathu La → Baba Mandir |
| 0579 | Namchi and Ravangla | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Namchi → Ravangla |
| 0582 | Rinchenpong and Kaluk | 3 Nights / 4 Days | Rinchenpong → Kaluk |
| 0067 | Darjeeling Gangtok Tour – 4N/5D | 4 Nights / 5 Days | Darjeeling → Gangtok |
| 0166 | Darjeeling and Mirik Tour | 4 Nights / 5 Days | Darjeeling → Mirik |
| 0587 | Sandakphu by Land Rover | 4 Nights / 5 Days | Manebhanjan → Tumling → Sandakphu → Darjeeling |
| 0068 | Gangtok Pelling Tour | 4 Nights / 5 Days | Pelling → Gangtok |
| 0583 | Uttarey, Okhrey and the Barsey Rhododendrons | 4 Nights / 5 Days | Uttarey → Okhrey |
| 0580 | Pelling and Yuksom | 4 Nights / 5 Days | Pelling → Yuksom |
| 0066 | Darjeeling and Gangtok Tour | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Darjeeling → Gangtok |
| 0170 | Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Mirik Tour | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Kalimpong → Darjeeling → Mirik |
| 0069 | Darjeeling with Kalimpong and Gangtok Tour | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Darjeeling → Kalimpong → Gangtok |
| 0070 | Darjeeling with Pelling and Gangtok Tour | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Darjeeling → Pelling → Gangtok |
| 0164 | Gangtok and Lachung with Yumthang Valley | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Gangtok → Lachung → Gangtok |
| 0168 | Gangtok and Zuluk: Old Silk Route | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Gangtok → Zuluk → Gangtok |
| 0169 | Pelling and Darjeeling Tour | 5 Nights / 6 Days | Pelling → Darjeeling |
| 0071 | Gangtok with lachen and Lachung Tour | 6 Nights / 7 Days | Gangtok → Lachen → Lachung → Gangtok |
| 0072 | Gangtok with Pelling and Kalimpong Tour | 6 Nights / 7 Days | Gangtok → Pelling → Kalimpong |
| 0167 | Gangtok, Ravangla and Pelling Tour | 6 Nights / 7 Days | Gangtok → Ravangla → Pelling |
| 0073 | Darjeeling with Lachung and gangtok Tour | 7 Nights / 8 Days | Darjeeling → Gangtok → Lachung → Gangtok |
| 0074 | Gangtok with Lachung Pelling and Darjeeling Tour | 7 Nights / 8 Days | Gangtok → Lachung → Gangtok → Pelling → Darjeeling |
| 0075 | Kalimpong With Gangtok pelling and darjeeling Tour | 7 Nights / 8 Days | Kalimpong → Gangtok → Pelling → Darjeeling |
| 0165 | North Sikkim and Pelling Tour | 8 Nights / 9 Days | Gangtok → Lachen → Lachung → Gangtok → Pelling |
| 0076 | Darjeeling with Kalimpong pelling Lachung and gangtok Tour | 9 Nights / 10 Days | Gangtok → Lachung → Gangtok → Pelling → Darjeeling |
| 0171 | Grand Sikkim and Darjeeling Tour | 10 Nights / 11 Days | Gangtok → Lachung → Gangtok → Ravangla → Pelling → Darjeeling |
Related reading
Darjeeling & Sikkim articles
- Darjeeling and Gangtok: planning your first trip
- North Sikkim: Lachung, Yumthang and Gurudongmar Lake