The processes of landscape change are seriously threatened by the rapid deforestation and environmental degradation in the Mahananda River Basin in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India. The total area (249 km2) of the basin faces significant challenges as human activities intersect with natural processes, leading to profound alterations in landscape patterns and ecological functions. Understanding these complexities, it is necessary to execute the geospatial technologies and statistical techniques that can provide valuable insights into land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics, facilitating informed decision-making and adaptive management strategies. In order to comprehend the impact of changes in natural vegetation patterns on Earth’s ecosystem, it is essential to conduct a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of LULC variations. The Mahananda River Basin’s LULC may be better understood by using satellite pictures, such as Landsat 8 and Landsat 4–5. The project’s main goal is to analyze trends in land use and land cover changes between 1993 and 2023. This study used Landsat 4, Landsat 5, and Landsat 8 data to generate LULC maps for 1993, 2003, 2013, and 2023 using a supervised classification technique. There are six distinct types of LULC maps: vegetative, fallow, tea plantation, crop, built-up, and river. The produced land use maps were evaluated for correctness using Kappa statistics. To assess the particulars of converting one land use to another, a conversion matrix was created. The main focus of the study is how human activity has affected the Mahananda River Basin’s landscape.