Having earned a global acclaim for producing the Champagne of Teas, Darjeeling is a beautiful town nestling in the foothills of Himalayas. With its lofty mountains, dense forests and cascading rivers, it is easily the most loved locale in the region. A good place to get relaxed and completely rejuvenated, explore this serene town long with walks near the Mall and the crossroads in Upper Darjeeling. Don’t forget browsing through the numerous stalls and shops that line the area selling a wide range of charms and artifacts. The town also has ample scope for a host of sporting activities like trekking, mountaineering and river rafting.

• Tiger Hill: This is probably the most visited place in Darjeeling as it offers brilliant views of the third highest peak in the world, Mt. Kanchenjunga. The best time to visit the spot is early in the morning as the first rays of the sun turn the Kanchenjunga into a sight to behold. On clearer days, you could even catch a look of the Mount Everest too.

• Deolo Hill, Kalimpong: A lovely picnic spot in Darjeeling, it offers brilliant views of the verdant tea gardens that stretch endlessly below it. This scenic landscape is guarded by high mountains on all sides making it a picture-perfect scene. A must go for all nature lovers and picnickers.

• Lake Mirik: A good place to spend a fun-filled evening, it offers a range of activities including horse riding and boating. There are a number of restaurants by the side which offer decent meals.

• The Mall: An interesting spot in Darjeeling, the entire town is centered around this marketplace. Lovely walkways start from here, making it the best place to begin your tour from. It is an ideal place to shop too with a range of small shops and stalls selling Tibetan handicrafts and souvenirs, Himalayan artifacts, antiques and a large number of other curios. The Chowrasta or Town-Square is known for its picturesque views of the Kanchenjunga range.

• Observatory Hill: This is a popular hill located near the Mall. It is particularly famous for the brilliant views of the Kanchenjunga that it offers. The famous Bhutia Busty monastery was located on this hill. Take a pony ride around to enjoy the beauty of the hill.

• Himalayan Mountaineering Institute: An institute founded by the first conqueror of the Mount Everest, Tenzing Norgay. The institute undertakes many mountain expeditions and has to its credit a number of records. You could get enrolled here for various mountaineering courses.

• Ghoom Monastery: Ghoom is the popular name of Sampten Choling Monastery or Yiga Choeling Monastery. Belonging to the Yellow sect of Buddhists, it houses a 15 feet high statue of the Maitreya Buddha or the Future Buddha. The statue is imposing and is painted in gold. The walls and roofs have been painted in a way which is believed to scare away evil spirits.

• Bhutia Basti Gompa: Located in the Observatory Hill, this is an important Tibetan monastery. It was built by Lama Dorje-rinzing in the 18th century. Today it houses some important Buddhist scriptures including the original volume of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

• Darjeeling Toy Train: This is simply an engineering marvel in the world of miniature rails. It covers more than 80 kms in about 8 hours, and the experience is thrilling. It takes you to Ghoom, Asia’s highest railway station and then downhill to Darjeeling. The toy train today is a world heritage site.

You cannot get the real flavor of Darjeeling without sampling its traditional delicacy, Momos, offered almost by all eating joints. Food stalls in the Lower Bazaar are the best to sample these. If you are on a lookout for non-vegetarian food, head out to Keventer’s - they serve mouthwatering breakfast and snacks. Hotel Lunar is the best vegetarian option in town. For a traditional Bengali meal hit Hotel Chanakya, it serves vegetarian and non-vegetarian both. Glenary’s is known for its most tempting chocolate rolls, pastries and tarts. Get the creamiest handmade ice-creams at SuperSoft Ice-Cream Parlour or move to Stardust for the most irresistible hot chocolate. Just take care to eat early as shops close down around nine in Darjeeling.

A trip to Darjeeling is incomplete unless you get a bag of its teas from Darjeeling. The Mall is lined with shops selling various varieties of aromatic teas. Nathumull Tea Merchants on Laden La Road is the best place to get almost all varieties under one roof. First Flush and Golden-Tipped Orange Pekoe are some of the best varieties to get. Tibetan and Himalayan culture makes Darjeeling flourish in curios like thangkas, miniature monasteries and garments made from yak wool. Tibetan Refugee Centre is a good place to pick these. Try bargaining at Hayden Hall and Third Eye for some exotic Tibetan carpets.