Top 7 Activities that SHOULD be in your Darjeeling Trip Checklist

Engage in this amazing experience of rafting in the River Teesta and Rangeet, Darjeeling. This gorgeous river offers both the beginner and the expert a thrilling rafting experience.Feel your adrenaline rush as you fight the raging wave’s grades of descent levels that will challenge your wits. The short trip is a 5 Kms stretch while the other longer takes you 8 Km through exciting white water rapids. These rafting trips are conducted daily and you don’t need to know swimming to join in the fun.  

Hop in the gondola, float through the air, and savour supreme mountain views in all of Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Ropeway provides a panoramic view of tea gardens, houses, and always amazing Himalayas. For incomparable views of Darjeeling and its alpine ambience, the Darjeeling Ropeway offers vistas and sights that are befitting of postcards.  Perched at a height of 4,260m, this ropeway is considered as the longest and highest ropeway ride in Asia. It was initially established to cater to the tea gardens at the valleys below which did not otherwise have an easy entrance. It Started with just one cable car or a gondola and was later upgraded to accommodate 16 cable cars each having a capacity of six persons.

It is an outstanding engineering marvel, noted for being the best example of a hill passenger railway. This narrow (2 feet) train, listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO, takes you on 83 km long rail journey from Darjeeling to the railhead in Siliguri. This journey is an amazing way to ascent hilly terrains and to behold stunning views of the majestic Himalayas. En route, the train passes through many loops, the prominent one being the Batasia Loop, where the toy train makes a 360 degree turn. At this point, you will feel as if you have stepped into a fantasy world, where the bewitching panorama is simply out of the world. It offers a hop on and hop off experience and one can get down at any station and get back again.

Anybody who climbs upon the Tiger Hill in Darjeeling becomes a poet. Visit the Hill, right before the time of Sunrise, the sight will be just adorable. As the sun slowly rises up from the horizon, the sky becomes vibrantly coloured illuminating the peaks. Get lost in the sight at the Tiger Hill, which cannot be comprehended in words. Although the event lasts only for a few minutes, it will be the favourite memory, a memory of a lifetime. Stand facing the eastern side and wait for the clouds to get brighter and brighter. The Sky changes its colours from purple to pink to orange. As the sun rises from the mist-clad hills, the peaks of Kanchenjunga and Everest glimmers happily.

Tea plantations are little more than just a piece of terrace farming.  Darjeeling is called as the Mecca of Tea. Darjeeling has more than 80 plantations scaling thousands of acres of lands along the slopes. You can find high grade first flush tea to exotic flavoured teas here. Some activities you can enjoy here are: dress up as tea pluckers and pluck tea leaves, visit the factory where the tea is dried, rolled and packed, photography and staying in tea plantations.

The Singalila National Park is just 36 km from Darjeeling. Can you hear the jeeps inside the park? If not, then visit the park and grab a seat in a jeep. For safari comes and lets you explore Himalayan wildlife including the beloved Red Panda. In terms of flora, you will be amazed by the acres of ferns, magnolias and orchids. Wait, there’s more – there is a portion of the park from where you can clearly get a peek of the Kanchenjunga snow peaks. Safari is one of the most  underrated adventure activities in Darjeeling. One of the toughest and challenging adventure sports in Darjeeling are climbing the several rock sites. As you might be familiar with Tenzing Rock, is the most popular rock climbing spot. Named after the first Everest climber, Tenzing Norgay, the spot was first practiced by him. You will get climbing lessons at all the skill levels including novices to experts

Any holiday is incomplete without shopping some famous things you can shop for in Darjeeling are hand knitted items in Mahakal market, Carpets at Tibetan Help centre,Handicrafts & Souvenirs at Chowrasta, Tea from various plantations etc.