With the arrival of the spring season, this astonishing hill station gets decorated by the colourful rhododendrons. Along with a pleasant climatic condition, a highly heavenly ambience along with a smile on the faces of people makes Darjeeling a highly friendly hill station in India for nature lovers and holidaymakers.

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If you wish for a holiday in the hypnotic hills, then you should head to Darjeeling in Summer as the city will provide you with the much-needed break from the summer heat.

The beautiful hill town immerses into a highly captivating natural beauty during summer. Being located in West Bengal on the lap of the soaring Kanchan Junga, you will feel blessed with the emerald greenery all around the place.

The city has a lot in store for all avid travellers and adrenaline junkies. To help you plan a terrific summer vacay, here is a detailed guide which you ought to go through before you set out on your mission to beat the summer heat and have some fun!

Weather In Darjeeling In Summer

Wondering about Darjeeling temperature in Summer? Summers in Darjeeling starts in April and ends in June and the best time to visit Darjeeling is in the month of May. Darjeeling in the month of May is all about a lively and fun vacation for all those who are looking for relief from the scorching summer heat.

Weather May – July (Summer in Darjeeling)

Summer starts in May and lasts until July. The average temperature during summer varies between 11°C to 19°C. While May remains a popular tourist month in Darjeeling, there are good chances of showers and hails during this time. The Monsoon in Darjeeling starts in June and it starts getting misty quite frequently. So, by June most of the tourists would have left.

Things to Do In Darjeeling in Summer

Enough about the weather and summers, let’s find out what all you can do on your holiday in Darjeeling in May? Here is a list of all the fun activities and you must take a look at them!

  1. Trekking

This one is for all those who crave for thrill and adventure. Darjeeling will surely become your favourite destination if you head on a trek amidst the stunning hills. While Darjeeling Hilltown is a small densely populated area, the district of Darjeeling spans across more than 3,000 sq. kms and offers some of the best trekking routes in the world.

The first such season is between April to May, which is the spring and beginning of summertime. The temperature is quite comfortable and varies from a minimum of 6°C to a maximum of 12°C. There may be some chances of rain, but usually short showers.

There are many treks you can enrol in but the best ones are the trek to Rohini and the Kamala Falls trek. The Kamala Falls trek will take you on a journey where you can witness the marvellous waterfalls, Shiv Temple, Bridge and you can also take a dip into the lake. A visit to Darjeeling is incomplete if you don’t explore the tea estates in the city. The Rohini trek will take you through the tea estates where you can soak in the aroma of authentic tea. Choose the trek which you find enticing enough and go have fun amidst nature.

Village Tour & Trek

Visit the virgin villages in the Kalimpong area, walk through several villages to experience the local Nepali village life, their culture and traditions as you interact with villagers. Stay overnight to get a deeper insight into their local customs, music & dance, have traditional Nepali food and enjoy the forest walks & nature with your friendly guide.

  1. White Water Rafting

If you are visiting Darjeeling or Sikkim, one of the popular adventure activities that you can undertake along with your family members is white water river rafting. River Teesta and Rangeet gush down The Himalayan Mountains and create foaming white water and stretches with varying rapids that are excellent for rafting for both beginners and seasoned rafters.

The Rangeet river, on the other hand, has more turbulence compared to Teesta. Its multi-dimensional rapids can be very challenging at times. Both these rivers are fed by melting snow in the summer months and rainwater in the monsoon. They are perennial rivers. In monsoon, the rivers swell.

Famous Rafting Courses in River Teesta

For tourists, a popular rafting point is Teesta Bazaar. Rafting begins from Tarkhola and goes up to Kalijhora. The market is accessible via jeep or taxi from Darjeeling, and the journey is of around 1.5 hours. Famous rafting courses in River Teesta are:

If you know swimming:

  • Tarkhola – Melli (2 hours)
  • Tarkhola – 29 Mile (3 hours)

If you are a non-swimmer:

  • Melli – 29th Mile (1.5 hours)
  • Melli – Kalijhora (3 hours)

Apart from this, there are other courses too with longer duration. One such incident is Boring – 29th Mile with grade 2-4 rapids and t Best time for rafting in Darjeeling

Best time for rafting in Darjeeling

It is best to avoid the monsoon months of July and September. In extreme winters too, rafting becomes difficult due to icy cold waters. In other months, you can enjoy rafting here. January to June and October to December are the ideal months for rafting in Darjeeling. aking 4.5 hours to get completed.

  1. Paragliding

This is the closest you can get to flying like a bird. And imagine you are flying with the Himalayan Mountains in the backdrop.

As you look below, you will see the rows of local houses like tiny dots on the mountain landscapes, and if look along the horizon, you will get marvellous views of Kanchenjunga snow peaks and even Everest, and all that from the sky. Sounds interesting? Then take a paragliding flight in Darjeeling.

Who said you can only witness the lush green hills and tea estate of Darjeeling on foot. Go soak in the impressive views by engaging in paragliding. Your flying trip will take around 10 to 30 minutes and in these minutes you can experience true bliss.

About the Activity:

Soar through the clear blue skies while you paraglide over the scenic beauty of the northeastern tea gardens of Darjeeling.

Take off from Lebong, one of the best viewing spot in Darjeeling which offers prime views of towering mountains at sunrise and sunset.

The flying trip ranges from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the wind conditions. During the flight, you will be rewarded with the awesome views of the Darjeeling peaks and its wildlife.

Gliding is a weather dependent sport and it is suggested to fly in fine weather which commences from April to June and again in October.

  1. Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking in Darjeeling is drawing a growing interest among both locals and tourists. Several adventure activity operators have ramped up their stock of mountain cycles with good quality modern bikes and are offering both organized group cycling tours in Darjeeling hills as well as rentals.

One of the best things to do in Darjeeling in Summer is to go for Mountain biking. If you are a thrill seeker then you should definitely try it once. You can look for a mountain biking organizer and enrol with them. They have different packages according to the level you are at. If you need an easy route for biking they will help you with it. Get ready to have an amazing experience!

Darjeeling became the only place in the country to have a Mountain Biking Park. The heart-pumping trail is reached by a fun 30-minute cruise through the city of Darjeeling to the entry gate of the park. Then, you are lead 20km through the Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary. Keep your eyes peeled for some exotic animals, including the barking deer, Himalayan black bear, wild boar, leopard, jungle cat, common rhesus monkey, and more! Our Darjeeling to Chatakpur Mountain Biking trip extends the trail further to reach the small, scenic village of Chatakpur, from where we have lunch and take a different route back to Darjeeling.

Another option is the Darjeeling Tiger Hill Mountain Biking trip, where you pedal uphill to the best viewpoint in the area – Tiger Hill (2590 meters). From there, you can see two of the planet’s highest peaks, Mount Everest (8848 meters/29,029 feet) and Kanchenjunga (8586 meters/28,169 feet).  See local villages, unique wildlife, and dense green forests on your cruise!

  1. Toy Train

Whether it’s summers or any other season, if you are in Darjeeling you must take the toy train ride of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways. This train is a heritage transport and you should not miss this ride for anything else in the world. Go take this ride and get ready to savour the pretty landscapes of this pristine hill station. [Read More]

Places to Visit in Darjeeling this Summer

The temperate climate needs to be appreciated! Darjeeling is being treated as the most popular summer resort in the British era. Below are some highlighted epic spots to pay a visit to beat the heat of the sun during summer:

Tiger Hill

Are you an adventure lover? Then it is high time for you to head towards the Tiger Hill to enjoy adventurous activities like trekking, hiking and much more. Besides providing amazing views of the Kanchenjunga Range, it is well known for rendering perfect views of sunrise early in the morning. The chilly cold wind will leave you in a shivering and enjoyable state!

Your trip is not successful until you have seen the sunrise at Tiger Hill. The beautiful lookout at an altitude of 8482 feet offers blessed views of the sun rising over the majestic snow-covered mountains of Himalayas. Especially the peak of Mt. Kanchenjunga shines like a beauty beyond words and illuminate it in gorgeous colours, that view is simply breath-taking.

Peace Pagoda

Sitting atop the Charlemont Hill, Darjeeling’s Peace Pagoda is one of the 30 such pagodas in the world that were established by the Japanese Buddhist monk Nichidatsu Fujii as a way of promoting World Peace and harmony.

The Peace Pagoda’s was built for the purpose to promote peace. The divine site allows a uniting space in the search for world peace. It is a perfect place to escape the busy schedules and experience a spiritual connection. Visit the pagoda for an outright serene and tranquil experience.

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute located at Jawahar Parvat in Darjeeling conducts a number of mountaineering and adventure courses at various levels ranging from beginners to expert.

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is a pilgrimage for all climbing enthusiasts. Adventure lovers from all over the world, wishing to scale the heights of Mt Kanchenjunga cannot miss a visit. The institute, in essence, is an inspiration to trek some of the highest mountain peaks in the world. HMI has Rock Climbing and other basic activities for one-time tourists who do not want to get into the full-fledged courses and are visiting the town only for a few days. Be it the nature lovers, adventure junkies or any visitor, this is a popular tourist attraction of Darjeeling.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

Located in the famous town of Darjeeling, exploring the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is one of the top things to do near Darjeeling. Built on the mountainside, the hilly landscapes copy the inhabitants’ natural habitat.

Look for red pandas, Tibetan wolves, Himalayan black bears, the beautiful clouded leopard and other big cats. The natural setting helps the species of northeastern Himalayas survive without difficulty.

Mirik

Mirik has been well known to be a highly serene tourist spot in the midst of Darjeeling hills. Driving through beautiful picturesque valleys and astounding green meadows will make your tour to the place a memorable one. Sumendu Lake will help you to soak in the beautiful vistas and relax. Most popular activities include boating and canoeing.

Batasia Loop

The Batasia Loop is the best place for shopping enthusiasts. Here shopkeepers with their little makeshift stalls along with curio-spreads on railway lines have wrapped up their businesses with superb agility. You may traverse the whole loop by hiring a toy train along with enjoying a crystal clear view of valley and mountains surrounding the same.

 

What To Pack?

Darjeeling in the month of May has a pleasant climate. The maximum temperature can go up to 19 °C and the minimum is 11 °C. You can pack cotton clothes for the day time and carry a stole or a jacket for the night as the temperature is low. Don’t forget to carry cash and necessary items like medicines, comfortable shoes, and sunscreen. The hotels where you will stay may require a valid identity document and you must carry your passport and tickets.

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