So you might be thinking it's a joke that even a laid back hill town like Darjeeling can offer exciting adventure activities and sports. You will be surprised to know the big leaps the place is taking to become one of the hubs of adventure sports and tours in the north-eastern India.
The foaming waters of the mountain rivers Teesta and Rangeet attract large number of enthusiasts for white water rafting every year. Sandakphu and Phalut treks are already well established trekking routes in the region and very popular to trekkers from all over the world.
There are operators in Darjeeling who have also introduced several other adventure activities like paragliding where you can fly like a bird and enjoy the panoramic mountain landscapes from the sky, Rock / Sport climbing where you can learn and try out rock climbing, Kayaking along river Teesta, riding the Hot Air Balloon to soak in the views from the sky, motor bike tours, mountain biking and lot more.
And of course there are safaris and adventure tours to mind blowing places like sanctuaries, national parks, peaks of Singalila range and more. Sounds interesting? Then read on...
Paragliding in Darjeeling
This aerosport is now increasingly getting popular in Darjeeling both with tourists and locals. After all who doesn't want to fly like a bird? And that too watching the lovely mountain landscapes, tiny houses & mountain villages, Kanchenjunga snow peaks and even the Everest from the sky. Like to experience the paradise? Try paragliding in Darjeeling. It can be done by anyone. If you have never done it before, don't worry, there is something called tandem paragliding where a guide will accompany you and control the whole flight. All you have to do is to enjoy being in paradise.
White Water Rafting in Teesta
If you have a little sense of adventure, then don't miss out on this one. White water rafting is easy to organize with your Darjeeling trip. The rafting on the river Teesta is an amazing experience where the foaming river flows down a valley with forested banks and mountains on both sides. The many birds, fishes, flora & fauna combined with the rafting excitement can become a memorable experience for life. It can be done by anybody, even novices, all you need is a sense of adventure and fun. Rafting can also be combined with camping on river banks.
Trekking in Darjeeling
Who hasn't heard about the famous treks to Sandakphu and Phalut? Both are in Singalilla range and part of Darjeeling district, and offer awesome experience that very few other treks in the world can match. Where else in the world can you see four out of the five highest peaks of the word in one stretch of snow? Where else can you find hundreds of different varieties of orchids and many other flowering plants like rhododendrons, magnolia and spruce in full bloom? It's all here in Darjeeling. All you need to do is to make up your mind just for a soft trek and give yourself few days time in the heaven.
Jeep Safari to Sandakphu and Phalut
Well if you can't trek or don't have the time to do so, you can still be in the heavens by taking a jeep safari to Sandakphu and onward to Phalut. You can either take a packaged tour from an operator in Darjeeling (this is the easiest) or organize it yourself by taking a Jeep or Land Rover from Maneybhanjan and complete the round trip in just two days. I have described the experience and all the options of taking this jeep tour in the link above. Jeep Safari to Singalila National Park
If you love mountain forest, Singalila National Park is the place to go. Located at a high altitude along the way to Sandakphu, the park is a paradise for those who love to see some amazing Himalayan animals like Red Panda, Pangolins, Yellow Throated Martens and lot more. And of course it's home to many magnificent plantations and flowering plants like silver firs, oaks, ferns, rhododendrons, orchids, magnolias, primula etc. And a great bonus is that the park is located close to Tumling from where the view of Kanchenjunga snow peaks are just awesome.Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
2 1/2 hours drive from Darjeeling this is a sprawling forest area and a sanctuary spanning across some 158 square kms. Regular jeep safaris are available from the Sukna gate. You can see some amazing animals including Royal Bengal Tigers (if lucky), leopards, elephants, barking deer etc in their natural habitats. Apart from wide range of plantations, the sanctuary is also a bird watchers paradise. You can even take elephant rides here through the forests.
Kayaking (Canoeing)
There are operators in Darjeeling who offer complete packages for kayaking which is usually done at Rammam River in Singla or at Chota Rangeet river near Singla. The packages include road transfers, food, camping, all equipment and gears, instructions and lessons at all levels. It can also be combined with overnight camping on river bank, cultural programs, tea garden tour etc.
Camping 
Some of the most popular camping sites are along the Sandakphu/Phalut trek route like at Tonglu. These are called high altitude camping. Camping also takes place at Tiger Hill. It can be combined with rafting & Kayaking as well and such camping usually takes place along the river banks like of Teesta. More Info...
Rafting and Camping 
Packages are offered by operators that combine white water rafting with river bank camping. You will camp in natural surrounding of forests and hear the sounds of the river flowing at night just next to you, and wake up to the chirping of the birds. Cliff Jumping and Body Surfing are also offered along with Camping and Rafting activities. Get Operator Info...
Rock Climbing
Darjeeling has several rock sites where rock or sport climbing takes place. One of the popular places for rock climbing is Tenzing Rock. This is where Tenzing Norgay (the first Everest climber) also practiced rock climbing. Many tourists try it out and get a feel of the time when Tenzing used to come here. Lessons are also offered at all skill levels including to novices. Get Operator Info...
Mountain Bike Tours and Rentals
Like motor bikes, you can also rent a mountain bike or take part in a guided group tour which can be customized for you or your group. There are excellent cycling trails to places such as Pokhribong, Manebhanjan, Lamahatta, Kurseong etc.In January 2017, a wonderful 20km stretch of mountain biking trail has been opened through Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary up to Chatakpur which is the first Mountain Biking Park in India.
Mountain biking in Darjeeling
Although it depends on the destination and the tour, a typical group size in a guided cycling tour can be between 2 to 12 and the tour duration about 7-8 hours. You get excellent quality mountain bikes in Darjeeling like the Trek, Conandale etc.
Motor Bike Tours and Rentals
If you want to see Darjeeling and surrounding areas on a motor bike, there are two options. Either you can take a guided organized tour or take a motor bike on rent. You will get motorbikes like Royal Enfield in good condition. There are plenty of amazing terrain to explore in and around Darjeeling including tea gardens, villages, mountain landscapes and sanctuaries.
Take a leisure ride at your own pace, have a map (given by the operator) to chalk out your route through the mountain landscape or just get lost, stop at any place you want and have a cup of tea while chatting with a local ... the opportunities are plenty.
Zorbing
This is a funny adventure sports meant mostly for the young and children. A huge soft plastic ball is fully blown by pumping air into it. You will then be secured inside the ball and the ball would rolled on the ground. While you will surely enjoy the spin inside, crowd will gather outside to watch the fun and give a hand in rolling the ball. Zorbing requires prior booking.
Zorbing at Kurseong, Darjeeling
Hot Air Balloon
So what if you are bit scared to paraglide, there is another great way to view Darjeeling and the Himalayan snow peaks from the sky, and it's the magnificent Hot Air Balloon!! You will be sitting in a basket carrier under the canopy of a huge brightly colored parachute and gradually lifted in the air, safely. Don't worry, the parachute will be tied to the ground with ropes and there will be a guide accompanying you. The balloon is filled with hot air from a burner fitted to it. As it rises to 300-ft above the ground, the feeling and the view around is awesome, and will remain as an unforgettable experience.
The History of Darjeeling covers the history of Darjeeling town and its adjoining hill areas belonging to Sikkim, but eventually part of British India so now in the Indian state of West Bengal, which is intertwined with the history of Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Bengal and Great Britain, i.e. the East India Company.