Arrive at Bagdogra airport or NJP station and drive up the Hill Cart Road to Kurseong, a relaxed hill town sitting quietly between the plains and Darjeeling. Check in and spend the evening by the tea estates or at the local Ambootia Shiva Temple — a gentle introduction to life at altitude.

Head to Eagle's Crag in the morning for panoramic views of the valley below, then visit the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum, housed in the building where he was placed under house arrest — a significant and often overlooked piece of Indian history. Spend the afternoon at the Chimney Heritage Park before heading back for the evening.

After breakfast, drive up to Darjeeling and check in by early afternoon. Spend the rest of the day walking around Chowrasta, the town's open-air promenade, picking up locally grown tea, and getting acquainted with one of the most iconic hill stations in India.

Rise at 3:30 AM for the drive to Tiger Hill, where the sunrise over Kanchenjunga is among the finest mountain views in the Indian Himalayas. Stop at Ghoom Monastery and the Batasia Loop on the way back. After breakfast, visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park with its rare Himalayan animals, and the Peace Pagoda.

Check out after a morning breakfast and drive back down to NJP or Bagdogra, wrapping up five days across two hill towns that each have their own distinct character and pace.