GBFrom the United Kingdom
Darjeeling and Sikkim, from the United Kingdom
Planters' bungalows, a hill railway and the Planters' Club: the hills keep a long British memory. Here is the practical side of getting there from Britain.
In short
How do I plan a Darjeeling and Sikkim trip from the UK?
British passports qualify for India's e-Tourist Visa, applied online at least four days before travel; one- and five-year visas allow up to 180 days a visit. Fly from London to Delhi, about nine hours nonstop, then two hours to Bagdogra and three by road. October half-term and the run-up to Christmas are the clearest weeks. Sikkim needs its online permit about 30 days ahead.
At a glance
What changes for your passport
The numbers that are different for you. Everything else on this site applies as written.
- Visa
- e-Tourist VisaOnline, at least four days before you fly. On a 1- or 5-year visa, British citizens may stay up to 180 days a visit.
- Long haul
- London to Delhi, about 9 hNonstop from London; from Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh, usually one stop via the Gulf.
- Last leg
- Delhi to Bagdogra, about 2 hOr via Kolkata, one hour, if your connection lands there.
- Time difference
- India is 4h30 or 5h30 ahead5h30 ahead of GMT from 25 October 2026, 4h30 during British Summer Time.
- Best weeks for you
- October half-termPost-monsoon skies; the run-up to Christmas is clearer still.
- Bhutan on a UK passport
- US$100 a night + US$40 visaThe nightly fee is half for children 6 to 12.
- Sikkim
- Online permit, 30 days aheadRestricted Area Permit via e-FRRO. No fee is reported.
Door to the hills
Your route, stop by stop
Long-haul to Delhi or Kolkata, a short flight to Bagdogra, and the hill road. We meet every flight.
- Day 0 London Heathrow Or your nearest airport with a connection to Delhi
- About 9 h Delhi Overnight flights from London land in the morning or early afternoon; clear immigration on your e-Visa
- About 2 h Bagdogra (IXB) An afternoon domestic flight; your driver waits at arrivals
- About 3 h by road Darjeeling, 2,045 m Tea from Kurseong upwards, and the toy train's line beside the road
Your holidays, our seasons
When your time off meets clear skies
Your school and public holidays set against the hills' weather. October to mid-December is the clearest; June to September is monsoon.
- October
- Half-termThe season opens
The clearest family week of the school year, after the monsoon has gone.
- Half-termThe season opens
- December
- Christmas and New YearCold and very clear
Fires in the old planters' bungalows and the mountain at its sharpest.
- Christmas and New YearCold and very clear
- February
- Half-termWinter light
Cold, quiet and clear, with snow some years on the high ridges.
- Half-termWinter light
- March
- Easter holidaysRhododendrons and first flush
Easter 2027 falls on 28 March: rhododendrons on the ridge and the first tea of the year.
- Easter holidaysRhododendrons and first flush
- May
- Bank holidays and half-termWarm, hazier
Good walking and gardens; the views close in as the monsoon approaches.
- Bank holidays and half-termWarm, hazier
- August
- Summer holidaysMonsoon
The hardest time for the hills. We would suggest Easter or October instead.
- Summer holidaysMonsoon
Sikkim on the same trip
Darjeeling and Sikkim, one permit apart
Foreign passports need Sikkim's Restricted Area Permit before the border at Rangpo or Melli. Since January 2026 it is issued only online, through India's e-FRRO portal, and Indian missions suggest applying about 30 days ahead. We prepare the application with you. Gangtok, Pelling and Yuksom are then open to you; Tsomgo Lake and North Sikkim need a further protected-area permit filed by a registered agent for two or more travellers, and children five and under cannot go up. Nathu La, Gurudongmar and Zuluk stay closed to foreign passports.
Part of a bigger India trip
After Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, the hills
Many first visits to India start in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The hills fit neatly after them: end in Delhi, take the two-hour flight to Bagdogra, and a driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the three-hour climb to Darjeeling. After the plains the change is total: cool air, tea gardens, monasteries, and a mountain at dawn. Five nights in the hills is the least we would suggest after a Golden Triangle; eight lets Sikkim in as well.
Where to start
Journeys that suit a long flight
Each can be moved, stretched or cut. Prices on each page are per person, twin share, before flights.
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The Planter's Week
Six nights on the tea estates, for anyone curious about the Raj-era gardens and how tea is made today.
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The First Time
Eight nights across Darjeeling, Gangtok and Pelling.
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The Tea Trail
Six nights from bush to cup, with tastings in the gardens.
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Red Pandas and Rhododendrons
Six nights timed for the Easter holidays.
Questions
Darjeeling and Sikkim from the UK, answered straight
Do British citizens need a visa for India and Darjeeling?
Yes. British passports qualify for India's e-Tourist Visa, applied online on the official portal at least four days before you travel. A one- or five-year visa lets British citizens stay up to 180 days a visit. Darjeeling needs nothing more; Sikkim adds its own online permit.
Is there a direct flight from the UK to Darjeeling?
No. Fly from London to Delhi, about nine hours nonstop, then two hours to Bagdogra, the airport for the Darjeeling hills, and three hours by road. From regional airports most routes connect through the Gulf. We match the domestic flight to your arrival time.
When is the best time to visit Darjeeling from the UK?
October half-term and late November to Christmas give the clearest views of Kanchenjunga. The Easter holidays bring rhododendrons and the first-flush tea harvest. Avoid the summer holidays: July and August are monsoon.
Can we ride the Darjeeling toy train?
Yes. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 1880s, runs joy rides from Darjeeling round the Batasia Loop and to Ghum. Our Toy Train Weekend builds a whole short stay around it.
What is the time difference between the UK and Darjeeling?
India is 5h30 ahead of GMT and 4h30 ahead during British Summer Time, with no daylight saving of its own. An overnight flight from London lands in Delhi in the daytime, which makes the onward flight to Bagdogra easy.
Sources we checked for this page (9)
- e-Tourist Visa: Bagdogra is an e-Visa airport; 30-day e-Tourist visa; holders may exit from any ICP
- 1- and 5-year e-Tourist visas: continuous stay up to 180 days per visit for nationals of the USA, UK, Canada and Japan, 90 days for other eligible nationals
- Sikkim RAP and PAP for foreigners only through e-FRRO; apply about 30 days ahead from abroad
- Bhutan SDF US$100 a night for dollar-paying tourists until 31 August 2027, half for children 6 to 12
- Bhutan visa fee US$40, applied for online
- Nepal tourist visa US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30, US$125 for 90
- Bagdogra flights, road times to Darjeeling, Gangtok and Pelling
- Which permits each passport needs, place by place
- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: UNESCO World Heritage Site
Checked 10/2026. We confirm every rule, fee and flight again for your dates.
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