Darjeeling is a strong add-on before or after Sikkim — colonial charm, tea estates, and short viewpoints without extreme altitude on day one.
Sunrise at Tiger Hill
Start early; cloud cover is common. Keep the rest of the day light — mall road and tea tasting work well after.
Tea estate visits
Book one estate tour with tasting rather than multiple stops. Quality over quantity keeps the day relaxed.
Combining with Sikkim
Many Kolkata itineraries do 2N Darjeeling + 4N Gangtok. Road time matters — we sequence transfers to avoid night mountain arrivals.
