Get picked up from NJP station and drive up to Sittong, a small village tucked into the Darjeeling hills that most travellers haven't heard of yet. Check into your homestay, settle in, and if you're up for it, arrange a bonfire and barbecue in the evening — a good way to start a trip like this.

Spend the day exploring Sittong and its surroundings — a 332-year-old monastery, the Jogighat Bridge over the river below, and the quiet Namthing Pokhri Lake, which is home to the rare Himalayan salamander. Stop at the Ahaldara 360-degree viewpoint for sweeping valley views, and if you have a literary interest, visit the Rabindranath Tagore Museum in nearby Mangpoo, where the poet spent several of his later summers.

Drive from Sittong toward Dawaipani with a string of stops through some of the most pleasant driving country in the Darjeeling hills. Pass through Lover's Meet Viewpoint, Takdah with its orchid centre, the tea garden views of Tinchuley, and the forest clearing at Lamahatta Eco Park before arriving at Dawaipani for the night.

Take a short local sightseeing loop around Dawaipani in the morning before driving to Lepchajagat, a quiet forest village famous for its tall pine trees, clean air, and very few visitors. Spend the afternoon walking under the trees and doing as little as the place seems to ask of you.

Head back to NJP through Jorepokri, the Simana View Point, and the Pashupati Market on the Nepal border, then continue to Gopaldara Tea Estate and the calm shores of Mirik Lake for a last proper look at the hills before descending to the plains.