A Darjeeling itinerary works at three useful lengths — 3 nights, 5 nights, and 7 nights. Two nights is doable but rushed; anything longer than 7 nights is better spent adding Kalimpong or extending into Sikkim. The 3-night version is the most-booked among first-time visitors; the 5-night version is what we recommend for tea-and-views travellers; the 7-night version is for trekkers, photographers and slow-travel guests. Below is the day-by-day breakdown for each.
The 3-night Darjeeling itinerary
Three nights is the minimum useful Darjeeling trip. Covers Tiger Hill, the Toy Train, Happy Valley Tea Estate, HMI Mountaineering Museum + Padmaja Naidu Zoo, the Mall and Chowrasta, and one monastery. Suitable for first-time visitors testing the region or a pre/post-trip addition to a Sikkim or Bhutan tour.
- Day 1 — Arrive Bagdogra/NJP → drive to Darjeeling (3 hours, 90 km). Check in, late lunch at Glenary's. Evening on Chowrasta.
- Day 2 — Tiger Hill sunrise (wake 3:30 a.m., back by 7 a.m.). Late breakfast. Toy Train 10:40 a.m. departure to Ghum via Batasia Loop. Lunch at Keventer's (or skip and try Sonam's Kitchen). Afternoon: Happy Valley Tea Estate factory tour.
- Day 3 — HMI Mountaineering Museum + Padmaja Naidu Zoo (allow 3-4 hours combined). Afternoon at the Japanese Peace Pagoda. Evening: Mall Road walk + dinner.
- Day 4 — Drive Darjeeling → Bagdogra (3 hours). Departure.
The 5-night Darjeeling itinerary
Five nights is the comfortable version. Adds Mirik day trip, monastery circuit (Ghum-Dali-Bhutia Busty), and either a tea-estate overnight at Glenburn/Makaibari or the Kurseong tea-trail extension. This is the version we recommend for guests who specifically come for tea or photography. Bigger spread of hotel options too — you can split between a Mall-area hotel and a tea-estate stay.
- Day 1 — Bagdogra → Darjeeling. Evening Chowrasta.
- Day 2 — Tiger Hill sunrise, Toy Train, Happy Valley.
- Day 3 — HMI + Zoo, Japanese Peace Pagoda, Mall Road.
- Day 4 — Mirik day trip (49 km, 90 min each way). Sumendu Lake, Bokar Monastery, lunch at Mirik. Back by evening.
- Day 5 — Monastery circuit: Ghum Monastery, Dali Monastery, Bhutia Busty. Afternoon at Rock Garden or relaxed shopping on Mall.
- Day 6 — Drive Darjeeling → Bagdogra (3 hours). Departure.
The 7-night Darjeeling itinerary
Seven nights is for serious travellers — trekkers, photographers, slow-travellers. Adds either the Sandakphu approach (the Singalila ridge trek base) or a 2-night Kalimpong extension. Suitable for retired couples on a deep India trip, photographers chasing tea-season light, or repeat Darjeeling visitors wanting to go deeper.
- Days 1-3 — Same as the 3-night version (Tiger Hill, Toy Train, tea estate, HMI, Mall)
- Day 4 — Mirik day trip OR drive to Kalimpong (3 hours), overnight at Himalayan Eagle's Nest or similar
- Day 5 — Kalimpong sights: Durpin Monastery, Cactus Nursery, Crawford Market. Drive back to Darjeeling
- Day 6 — Sandakphu approach via Manebhanjan: drive to Manebhanjan (32 km, 90 min), Land Rover ride up to Tonglu/Sandakphu base (depending on season). Overnight at Tonglu
- Day 7 — Tonglu morning at altitude, descent, back to Darjeeling
- Day 8 — Drive Darjeeling → Bagdogra. Departure
When to extend beyond Darjeeling itself
If you have more than 7 nights, you should not spend them all in Darjeeling. The natural extensions are: east into Sikkim (4-5 hours via Teesta Bazar — see our Sikkim+Darjeeling 10-day itinerary), south to Kalimpong (3 hours, gentler hill station, good for slow travel), or further south to Kurseong (1.5 hours, tea-trail) before flying out from Bagdogra. The 10- and 14-day combinations are dominated by the Sikkim side.
What each itinerary costs
- 3-night Darjeeling: ₹16,000 to ₹26,000 per person (mid-tier, two sharing)
- 5-night Darjeeling: ₹28,000 to ₹42,000 per person
- 5-night with Glenburn 2N: ₹52,000 to ₹68,000 per person
- 7-night Darjeeling + Sandakphu/Kalimpong: ₹38,000 to ₹62,000 per person
- Premium tier (Mayfair Darjeeling or Glenburn primary): add ₹15,000-22,000 per person
- May (school holidays) adds 30-40 per cent. November-February drops 20-25 per cent below standard
