Yes a permit is required - I do not know how to get it as it was arranged by driver. I guess it is for car only as he did not ask identities. You can drive sedan there,seen few wagon R there. Better to skip sunrise, it is a risky to be there at 5 am and no guarantee of visibility due to clouds, specifically in December.

Sorry cant recommend as they are connected with tour operators only.

Don't climb, it's a long walk, couple of hours, not for a small child. Take a taxi, plenty going that way before sunrise and will bring you back too.

Hi, we were there in December. As we were there for 2 days we decided to gamble and avoid the sunrise chaos and we went at 10am and it was brilliant. It had rained the day before and the day we went had perfect blue skies. We were so happy to have read previous reviews that said the sunrise was unpleasant due to long walks in the dark and the amount of people. I know this doesn't answer your question but if you're lucky to have a clear day then you're in for a treat. The view is spiritual.

You can go Tiger hill directly from Ghoom. But it's little bit not so easy. Better, first you have to go Darjeeling town and accommodation a hotel. And then in early morning you have to go tiger hill with a share or reserve taxi. Not so far from DJ town OR you can ask a hotel manager to find it properly. Much Thanks.

Depends on how far you get parking from the Tiger Hill viewing point. The climb is quite steep

We could also get a great view from Glenary's Bakery restaurant in Darjeeling...we sat on the tables in the open balcony which provides you a picturesque view of the mountain range

I would suggest spend the max time in Sikkim, about 2 days in Darjeeling should suffice.

Taking baby stroller is tiresome job as you need to walk and climb around 500 m and that too in early morning i.e. something around at 4:00 hrs. So the decision lies on you.

Our visit was just for the sunrise (18 Oct 2017). I can't imagine any reason to go another time. To see the sky start to lighten, glowing rays hitting the Himalayas over the misty blue valleys was magic and what it's all about. Some practical comments: We left Darjeeling at 4:30am - but our clever tour driver parked way down the hill where no other vehicles were when we arrived (still dark). That made for a quick getaway. A concrete tiered grandstand was under construction when we were there. Many people were there when we arrived and even with people using the grandstand tiers. Even so, it was still hard to get a spot that didn't obstruct someone else, but gave a clear view. That's what we think after our visit. Hope this helps!