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A red panda with russet fur curled asleep on a mossy tree branch among leaves at the Darjeeling zoo
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Photo: Slyronit · CC BY-SA 4.0
1 night · 2 daysfamilies with childrenfamilyrelaxed

Darjeeling with kids in two days — red pandas, a toy train and a tea garden

Darjeeling with children in two easy days: red pandas at the zoo, the mountaineering museum, a bird museum, the toy train over Batasia Loop, a tea garden.
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Two short days in Darjeeling built around what children enjoy: red pandas at the zoo, the climbers' museum at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the toy train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway over the Batasia Loop, and a walk in the Happy Valley Tea Estate. Drives are short, so naps and snacks fit easily.

Photos: Slyronit (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vikramjit Kakati (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Pinakpani (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Families with children of any age who want slow days with short drives and plenty to look at.

Day by day

Day 1

Animals, mountaineers and a museum of birds

4 stops · 7 min on the road

Short hops inside the town: everything today is within about 8 minutes of the centre on our routing.

  1. 09:00
    Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
    park · 8 min from Darjeeling · about 2 h there
    The zoo on Birch Hill, opened in 1958, with red pandas, snow leopards and Himalayan wolves. Go early, when the animals are most active; the paths are steep for small legs.
  2. ↓ 2 min by road · 1 km
    11:30
    Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
    museum · 6 min from Darjeeling · about 1 h there
    Next door to the zoo: the institute's campus and its mountaineering museum.
  3. ↓ a short walk
    14:30
    Bengal Natural History Museum
    museum · 6 min from Darjeeling · about 1 h 30 min there
    A museum founded in 1903 with specimens of over 400 species of birds, plus eggs, snakes and fish, about 6 minutes from the centre.
  4. ↓ 4 min by road · 2 km
    16:30
    Chowrasta
    area · 4 min from Darjeeling · about 1 h there
    The open square on the ridge, traffic-free, for a run-around and a snack before dark.
Day 2

The toy train and a tea garden

4 stops · 42 min on the road

Ride the little train over the loop, see the engines at Ghum, and finish among tea bushes.

  1. 09:30
    Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
    monument · 4 min from Darjeeling · about 1 h 30 min there
    The tourist train runs from Darjeeling to Ghum and back, crossing the double loop at Batasia on the way. Check the day's departures at Darjeeling station.
  2. ↓ 12 min by road · 5 km
    11:15
    Batasia Loop
    monument · 9 min from Darjeeling · about 30 min there
    The spiral of track from 1919, with a garden and a memorial to Gorkha soldiers; watch the train wind round.
  3. ↓ 5 min by road · 2 km
    12:00
    DHR Ghum Museum
    museum · 14 min from Darjeeling · about 1 h 30 min there
    The railway museum at Ghum station, about 2,260 m up, the highest point of the line.
  4. ↓ 25 min by road · 10 km
    14:45
    Happy Valley Tea Estate
    park · 11 min from Darjeeling · about 1 h there
    A tea garden on the slope below the town, about 11 minutes from the centre; ask at the gate about a visit to the factory.

Getting there

See how to reach Darjeeling for the train and road times from New Jalpaiguri and Bagdogra, when to visit for the season and things to do in Darjeeling for more.

Where to stay

Stay near the Mall and Chowrasta so the square is a short walk. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.

Know before you go

  • Darjeeling is at about 2,045 m; mornings and evenings are cold, so pack layers for the children even in spring.
  • We have no verified opening hours, fares or ticket rules for the zoo, the museums or the train; check on the day.
  • Keep the toy train for a clear day, when the views are best.

Places on this route

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
monument · 4 min from Darjeeling
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
area · 4 min from Darjeeling
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling — the school founded after Everest
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling — the school founded after Everest
museum · 6 min from Darjeeling
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
park · 8 min from Darjeeling
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
monument · 9 min from Darjeeling
Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling — the town's second oldest tea garden
Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling — the town's second oldest tea garden
park · 11 min from Darjeeling

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

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Other ways to do it

All Darjeeling itineraries →
A Darjeeling half-day — the zoo, the mountaineering institute and the botanical garden
A Darjeeling half-day — the zoo, the mountaineering institute and the botanical garden
Day plan · Family · leisure
A Darjeeling half-day for families: the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Lloyd's Botanical Garden.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
Two days in Darjeeling — the old town, the tea estate and the toy train
Two days in Darjeeling — the old town, the tea estate and the toy train
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Temples & heritage
A two-day Darjeeling plan: Chowrasta, the Mahakal temple, St Andrew's Church, the botanical garden and tea, then the toy train to Ghum, the loop and pagoda.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
Darjeeling in three days — Tiger Hill and Senchal, the zoo and the tea, and the old town
Darjeeling in three days — Tiger Hill and Senchal, the zoo and the tea, and the old town
2 nights · 3 days · Family · Classic
A three-day Darjeeling plan: Tiger Hill sunrise, Batasia Loop and Senchal Lake, the zoo and HMI, Happy Valley Tea Estate and the old town on foot. Copy it.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Darjeeling →
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
temple · 296 m away
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
monument · 306 m away
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
monument · 430 m away
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
temple · 528 m away
Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar
Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar
temple · 1.8 km away
Tiger Hill, Darjeeling — the sunrise viewpoint for Kangchenjunga and Everest
Tiger Hill, Darjeeling — the sunrise viewpoint for Kangchenjunga and Everest
viewpoint · 3.5 km away
Siddhesvara Dham, Namchi — the Char Dham with its 108-foot Shiva on Solophok hill
Siddhesvara Dham, Namchi — the Char Dham with its 108-foot Shiva on Solophok hill
monument · 14 km away
Mirik Lake (Sumendu Lake) — the lake town among the tea gardens below Darjeeling
Mirik Lake (Sumendu Lake) — the lake town among the tea gardens below Darjeeling
lake · 15 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The huge copper-coloured seated statue of Guru Padmasambhava on its painted base on Samdruptse hill under a grey sky
Namchi
18 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
A long snow-covered Kanchenjunga ridge in blue morning light above dark forested hills with a few wisps of cloud
Pelling
29 km away · 3 itineraries · 8 places
The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
Ravangla
32 km away · 1 itineraries · 3 places
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
48 km away · 5 itineraries · 11 places
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Questions people ask

What is there for kids in Darjeeling?

Plenty. The zoo on Birch Hill has red pandas and snow leopards, with the mountaineering museum next door, and the Bengal Natural History Museum shows more than 400 species of birds. Then there is the toy train to Ghum over the Batasia Loop, and the open square at Chowrasta. Drives between them are short, mostly under 15 minutes.

Can children ride the Darjeeling toy train?

Yes. Besides the long run up from New Jalpaiguri, a tourist train goes from Darjeeling to Ghum and back, crossing the Batasia Loop. It is the easiest way for a family to ride the line in a morning. We have no verified fares or departure times, so ask at Darjeeling station a day ahead.

When is the best time to visit Darjeeling with kids?

Autumn and spring: Wikipedia names September to November and April to May as the two peak seasons, and the views are clearest in October and November. The monsoon months are wet and misty, and winter nights are cold for small children. Whatever the month, pack warm layers, because Darjeeling sits at about 2,045 m and evenings turn chilly.