Travel guides

Travel smart in the hills

Straight advice from people who live here: what’s worth your time, what to skip, how permits really work, and the scams that catch visitors out every season.

Panorama from Tiger Hill over the Darjeeling hills to the snow peaks, with prayer flags

West Bengal

Darjeeling

Tea gardens, the toy train and Kangchenjunga at sunrise.

Read the Darjeeling guide →

Snow peaks reflected in a partly frozen Gurudongmar Lake, North Sikkim

Sikkim

Sikkim

Monasteries, high lakes and permit-only valleys.

Read the Sikkim guide →

Forested hills and valley seen from Jhandi, Kalimpong

West Bengal

Kalimpong

Quieter hills, monasteries, nurseries and village stays.

Read the Kalimpong guide →

A one-horned rhino in the forest on a misty morning in the Dooars

West Bengal

Dooars

Jungle safaris, rivers and tea at the foot of the hills.

Read the Dooars guide →

Before you pay anyone

Common travel scams and how to avoid them

Fake homestays, disappearing permit agents, taxi touts, fake helplines and UPI “refund” tricks. Know them before you book.

Last reviewed September 2026. Permit rules, park dates, fares and road conditions change, so confirm locally before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Photo credits

  • Panorama from Tiger Hill over the Darjeeling hills to the snow peaks, with prayer flags. Photo: DaLoetz · CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Snow peaks reflected in a partly frozen Gurudongmar Lake, North Sikkim. Photo: Yoghya · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Forested hills and valley seen from Jhandi, Kalimpong. Photo: Samratdas4u · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • A one-horned rhino in the forest on a misty morning in the Dooars. Photo: mainak pal · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons