Best family trips in Darjeeling hills

Darjeeling, Mirik and Kalimpong lead a list of 5. Places in Darjeeling hills that work with children or parents along.

Ranked from our own destination data on season, difficulty, altitude, cost and who each place suits. Not paid for, and not the same as “most popular”.

1. 1Darjeeling hills · Darjeeling, West BengalDarjeeling2,590 m, easy, 3–4 days.Tea estates, the UNESCO toy train and sunrise over Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Crowded and traffic-heavy in May–June and around Durga Puja.
2. 2Darjeeling hills · Darjeeling, West BengalMirik1,600 m, easy, 2 days.A lake town ringed by tea gardens and orange orchards, near the Nepal border.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Small — most people only spend a few hours.
3. 3Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalKalimpong1,700 m, easy, 2–3 days.A quieter hill town of flower nurseries, monasteries and old colonial buildings.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Lower and warmer; fewer big peak views from town.
4. 4Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalLava & Lolegaon2,350 m, easy, 3–4 days.Forest villages at the edge of Neora Valley National Park, with a canopy walk and birding trails.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Simple stays and very little nightlife; views come and go with the cloud.
5. 5Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalRishyap (Rishop)2,600 m, easy, 2–3 days.A hamlet of homestays on a ridge with a wide Kanchenjunga panorama.Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Mar, Apr · Why not: Very basic; you come for the view and the quiet.