"A Thing of Beauty is a Joy forever"
It is the my utmost love and passion for this beautiful place where I grew up, that forces me to lay out before all those rabid tourism enthusiasts, this fold of the biosphere that Nature seems to have nurtured with her own hands. If you think you have visited every beautiful corner of the world and is now hunting arduously for a new spot, let me assure you, you have one of the best of places to add to your collection!
So, why wait? Grab your backpacks, pull up your socks and oh yeah, don't forget your cameras!
To the north are the East Himalayas as a natural backdrop. A vast texture of dense forests teeming with wildlife, unending tea gardens, babbling rivers, interspersed with sleepy or busy settlements, constitute this fascinating tourist destination - The Dooars, where Nature has kept her doors wide open. These floodplains at the foothill region forms the gateway to Bhutan from India. This region is divided by the Sankosh river into the Eastern and the Western Dooars, The Western Dooars is known as the Bengal Dooars and the Eastern Dooars, the Assam Dooars.
The Bengal Dooars houses abundantly, the splendid gifts of nature and resources for Eco-tourism. Tea and timber are the major products of the Dooars.
The Dooars region politically constitutes the plains of Darjeeling District, the whole of Jalpaiguri District and the upper region of Cooch Behar District in West Bengal and the districts of Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Goalpara and Bongaigaon in the state of Assam. Siliguri, being the gateway to the Dooars, the best way to reach the various destinations is to reach Siliguri, utilising either the Railways or the Airlines services of India.
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Jaldapara National Park:
Situated in the Alipurduar sub-division of Jalpaiguri, it is about 130 kms from Siliguri. The sanctuary was constituted in 1941 for the protection of wildlife, particularly the one-horned rhinos, an animal threatened with extinction.
River Torsha runs through the sanctuary and the forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant grasses. The wildlife, in addition to the One Horned Rhinos, constitute of the Royal Bengal Tigers, wild Elephants, Sambar, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer and Hog Deer, wild Pig, Bisons, and a number of birds and peafowls.
The best and most memorable part of the trip however is the elephant rides arranged by the local mahouts at dawn. The cool morning air, the slow rocking movement of the elephant and there... you spot a rhino or a whitel tiger! What else could you have asked for!
Gorumara National Park:
Besides the National Park, which is 75 kms from Sliguri, the Charamari Forest is worth a visit as well. The Forest bunglows and tree houses are equally impressive.
The Park is rich in large herbivores including Indian rhinoceros, Gaur, Asian elephant, Sloth bear, Chital, and Sambar deer. The other prominent residents include the Leopard, the Pygmy Hog, the rare Hispid Hare, and submontane forest birds like the scarlet minivet, sunbird, Asian paradise suncatcher, spangled drongo, and Indian hornbill. The park is on the flyway of migratory birds including the rare Brahminy duck.
The Nature Interpretation Centre (NIC) a must visit for all nature and wild life enthusiasts to brush up their knowledge and feast their eyes upon some of the greatest treasure these forests have preserved.
Neora Valley National Park:
Situated in the Kalimpong sub-division of Darjeeling, it is one of the richest biologiccal regions in the entire North-east India. It is the land of the elegant Red Panda in the pristine undisturbed natural habitat with rugged inaccessible hilly terrain and rich diverse flora and fauna making this park an important wilderness zone.
The forests consists of mixed species like rhododendron, bamboo, oak, ferns, sal, etc. The valley also has numerous species of orchids. The fauna consists of endangered species such as the clouded leopard, red panda, and musk deer and also, five species of civet, black bear, sloth bear, golden cat, wild boar, leopard cat, goral, serow, barking deer, sambar, Himalayan flying squirrel and thar.
Lava and the Neora Valley National Park are birders' paradise; some of India's most sought-after birds are found here, which includes a variety of finches, woodpeckers, owls, eagles, pigeons, warblers and babblers.
The Red Panda Camp is one of the most sought after tourist spots and is obviously, worth a visit!
Singhalila National Park:
Love trekking? Wondered where to be next with those boots on? Located in the Darjeeling district, the park forms a well known route to Sandakphu, the highest peak of West Bengal, located at a height of 3630 metres above sea-level.
The trek along the Singalila Ridge to Sandakphu and Phalut is one of the most popular ones in the Eastern Himalayas, due to the grand vistas of the Kangchenjunga range, and the Everest range which can be seen from the ridge, and also for the seasonal wildflower blooms and birding. Treks begin at Manebhanjan which is 51 km (1.5 hours by road) from Darjeeling.
The trekking routes inside the National Park have 4 stages:
1. Manebhanjan to Meghma (2600 m): This is a 4 hour trek through the lower forest
2. Meghma to Gairibans (2621 m): There are two alternative trekking routes. Both go via Tonglu
(3070 m) and Tumling (2900 m). The boundary of the national park passes though Tomling and a checkpost is located there. From Tumling, a shorter trail cuts through Nepal and Jaubari (2750 m).
3. Gairibans to Sandakphu (3636 m): This is a steep 4 hour climb up. Roughly halfway up the climb is the village of Kala Pokhri (3186 m).
4. Sandakphu to Phalut (3600 m): This is the most pristine stretch of the trek, offering great views of Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest. It is a one day trek via Sabarkum (3536 m) covering 21 km. But the main problem of this Sandakphu-Phalut route is there is no water source in between so the trekker have to carry enough water to reach phalut.
The descent from Sandakphu can be accomplished in several ways:
1. Retracing the way back to Manebhanjan.
2. A steep descent to the village of Sirikhola on the banks of the River Sirikhola, via Gurdum (2300 m), and from there to Rimbik.
3. There is now a 4WD motorable road to Sandakphu, so one can hire a cab down to Manebhanjan and Darjeeling via Tomling and Tonglu if needed. The drive on the gravel road, however, is very arduous.
The descent from Phalut can also be accomplished in several ways:
1. Retracing the way back to Manebhanjan.
2. A descent down to Sirikhola along high altitude meadows which have seasonal blooms. The descent is via Sabarkum and the abandoned village of Molley. A further trek leads one to the scenic village of Rimbik, which is motorable.
3. The most popular descent is via the villages of Gorkey (on the banks of the River Rammam) and Samanden down to the village of Rammam. The trail then leads to Rimbik, and is shorter than the route via Sirikhola.
The Singalila National Park is one of the most popular birding spots in the Eastern Himalayas, since it attracts a large number of birds due to its seasonal blooms. Blooming seasons are the best times to see birds. The park has a number of small mammals including the Red Panda, Leopard Cat, Barking Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, Wild Boar, Pangolin and the Pika. Larger mammals include the Himalayan Black Bear, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Serow and Takin. Tigers occasionally wander into the area, but do not have a large enough prey base to make residence in these forests feasible.
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary:
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India. In 1959, it got the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian bison and Royal Bengal Tiger, which were facing the threat of extinction. The forest type in Mahananda WLS varies from riverain forests like Khayer-Sisoo to dense mixed-wet forest in the higher elevation in 'Latpanchar' area of Kurseong hills.
Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary:
Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Darjeeling District, West Bengal. It is the habitat of some high-altitude animals like Himalayan Salamander, locally known as 'Gora'. The forest is artificially decorated and offers some breathtaking views.
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary:
The name of the region comes from 'Chapra', a variety of small fishes found in northern Bengal, and 'Mari', meaning 'abundance'. Chapramari receives waters from the Teesta, the Neora, and the Murti rivers. Situated about 15 kms from Malbazar on NH 31, and a two-hour drive from Siliguri, this forest is famous mostly for its Elephant population. One can also spot a Gaur or the Royal Bengal Tiger on a fine day!
River Torsha runs through the sanctuary and the forest is mainly savannah covered with tall elephant grasses. The wildlife, in addition to the One Horned Rhinos, constitute of the Royal Bengal Tigers, wild Elephants, Sambar, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer and Hog Deer, wild Pig, Bisons, and a number of birds and peafowls.
The best and most memorable part of the trip however is the elephant rides arranged by the local mahouts at dawn. The cool morning air, the slow rocking movement of the elephant and there... you spot a rhino or a whitel tiger! What else could you have asked for!
Gorumara National Park:
Besides the National Park, which is 75 kms from Sliguri, the Charamari Forest is worth a visit as well. The Forest bunglows and tree houses are equally impressive.
The Park is rich in large herbivores including Indian rhinoceros, Gaur, Asian elephant, Sloth bear, Chital, and Sambar deer. The other prominent residents include the Leopard, the Pygmy Hog, the rare Hispid Hare, and submontane forest birds like the scarlet minivet, sunbird, Asian paradise suncatcher, spangled drongo, and Indian hornbill. The park is on the flyway of migratory birds including the rare Brahminy duck.
Neora Valley National Park:
Situated in the Kalimpong sub-division of Darjeeling, it is one of the richest biologiccal regions in the entire North-east India. It is the land of the elegant Red Panda in the pristine undisturbed natural habitat with rugged inaccessible hilly terrain and rich diverse flora and fauna making this park an important wilderness zone.
Lava and the Neora Valley National Park are birders' paradise; some of India's most sought-after birds are found here, which includes a variety of finches, woodpeckers, owls, eagles, pigeons, warblers and babblers.
The Red Panda Camp is one of the most sought after tourist spots and is obviously, worth a visit!
Singhalila National Park:
Love trekking? Wondered where to be next with those boots on? Located in the Darjeeling district, the park forms a well known route to Sandakphu, the highest peak of West Bengal, located at a height of 3630 metres above sea-level.
The trek along the Singalila Ridge to Sandakphu and Phalut is one of the most popular ones in the Eastern Himalayas, due to the grand vistas of the Kangchenjunga range, and the Everest range which can be seen from the ridge, and also for the seasonal wildflower blooms and birding. Treks begin at Manebhanjan which is 51 km (1.5 hours by road) from Darjeeling.
The trekking routes inside the National Park have 4 stages:
1. Manebhanjan to Meghma (2600 m): This is a 4 hour trek through the lower forest
2. Meghma to Gairibans (2621 m): There are two alternative trekking routes. Both go via Tonglu
(3070 m) and Tumling (2900 m). The boundary of the national park passes though Tomling and a checkpost is located there. From Tumling, a shorter trail cuts through Nepal and Jaubari (2750 m).
3. Gairibans to Sandakphu (3636 m): This is a steep 4 hour climb up. Roughly halfway up the climb is the village of Kala Pokhri (3186 m).
4. Sandakphu to Phalut (3600 m): This is the most pristine stretch of the trek, offering great views of Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest. It is a one day trek via Sabarkum (3536 m) covering 21 km. But the main problem of this Sandakphu-Phalut route is there is no water source in between so the trekker have to carry enough water to reach phalut.
The descent from Sandakphu can be accomplished in several ways:
1. Retracing the way back to Manebhanjan.
2. A steep descent to the village of Sirikhola on the banks of the River Sirikhola, via Gurdum (2300 m), and from there to Rimbik.
3. There is now a 4WD motorable road to Sandakphu, so one can hire a cab down to Manebhanjan and Darjeeling via Tomling and Tonglu if needed. The drive on the gravel road, however, is very arduous.
The descent from Phalut can also be accomplished in several ways:
1. Retracing the way back to Manebhanjan.
2. A descent down to Sirikhola along high altitude meadows which have seasonal blooms. The descent is via Sabarkum and the abandoned village of Molley. A further trek leads one to the scenic village of Rimbik, which is motorable.
3. The most popular descent is via the villages of Gorkey (on the banks of the River Rammam) and Samanden down to the village of Rammam. The trail then leads to Rimbik, and is shorter than the route via Sirikhola.
Buxa Tiger Reserve:
Located in Alipurduar, it was set up as the 15th Tiger Reserve in 1983. Having a Sanctuary of 269 sq.km and a National Park of 117 sq.km, the annual downpour exceeding 5000 mm, it attracts more than 20000 tourists, nature lovers and students every year. It is fringed by 34 tea-gardens. There are more than 160 species of other monocotyledons and ferns. The main species constitutes trees like Sal, Champa, Gamar, Simul, Chikrasi. The main species among the fauna, include Asian Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Wild boar and Sambar. The Himalayan Griffon, Beautiful Nutuch, four different varieties of Hornbill and the Red Brested Himalayan Partridge are the important Birds in this Reserve.
Another great attraction of this place is the Buxa Fort. Built by the British regime for our great freedom fighters, and used as a detention camp during the 2nd Dooars War, it is virtually a trekkers' paradise. Buxa (2,600 ft) is a one hour fifteen minutes (3.9 km) trek through picturesque surroundings from Santrabari, the starting point. There is a 4 km further trek to Rovers' Point (the land of beautiful birds at 4,500 ft or 1,400 m) or a 14 km trek to Rupang Valley bordering Bhutan. One can also trek to “Pukri Mai”, a small sacred pond (Karts Lake) situated inside the park where fishes like Magur and Singi and Turtles are kept.
One can have a park safari by car or jeep by taking permission from the Forest Office at Rajabhatkhawa or at Jayanti.
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India. In 1959, it got the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian bison and Royal Bengal Tiger, which were facing the threat of extinction. The forest type in Mahananda WLS varies from riverain forests like Khayer-Sisoo to dense mixed-wet forest in the higher elevation in 'Latpanchar' area of Kurseong hills.
The important mammalian species include Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian elephants, Indian bison, chital (spotted deer), barking deer, sambar,and Rhesus monkey. One may even some birds of endangered species like fairy-bluebird and Himalayan pied hornbill.
Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary:
Jore Pokhri Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Darjeeling District, West Bengal. It is the habitat of some high-altitude animals like Himalayan Salamander, locally known as 'Gora'. The forest is artificially decorated and offers some breathtaking views.
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary:
The name of the region comes from 'Chapra', a variety of small fishes found in northern Bengal, and 'Mari', meaning 'abundance'. Chapramari receives waters from the Teesta, the Neora, and the Murti rivers. Situated about 15 kms from Malbazar on NH 31, and a two-hour drive from Siliguri, this forest is famous mostly for its Elephant population. One can also spot a Gaur or the Royal Bengal Tiger on a fine day!
Kunjanagar Eco-Tourism Park:
30 kms from Jaldapara, it features a Deer park, Gharial Rehabilitation Centre, watch tower for observing wild animals, Children's Park and the bridge on the river Hollong.
The experience from the watch tower is worth a visit. The park also features for stay in exotic forest hotels for experiencing the best of the Dooars forests.
South Khairbari Leopard Rehabilitation Centre:
10 kms from Jaldapara, it features boating and car safari in the kingdom of leopards. There is also a Children's park and the beautiful ambience of the forest provides for an amazing picnic spot for tourists.
Jainti:
72 kms from Jaldapara, a lovely place in the valley of Jainti river under Buxa Tiger Reserve Forest. Main attractions include the watch tower, stalactite Mahakal caves and Pukuria.
Toto Para:
22 kms from Jaldapara, it is a small village on the bank of river Torsha near Bhutan border, famous for the dooars aboriginals - the Totos.
Chilapata Forest:
20 km from Alipurduar, the way through the dense groves of Chilapata is a pleasant and exciting experience. The ruins of the fort of Nalraj Garh, dating back to the Gupta age hidden in the forest makes it an attractive destination.
Bhutan Ghat:
If you are looking for a place to get the smell of the forest off your jackets and while away just some time in the locality, then this is just the place to be. It is well known for its natural beauties, the Ridak riverbed, Hanging bridge and orange markets.
Rajabhat Khawa:
65 km from jaldapara, it forms the gateway of the Buxa reserve from Alipurduar. It is worth a visit for the local elephant rides, Animal Nature Interpretation Centre, Wildlife Museum and natural beauties.
Cooch Behar:
Coochbehar is the reminiscent of the Koch Maharajas who had reigned over the sovereign state for more than 400 years. It is a beautifully planned town with wide avenues bearing testimony to history and numerous heritages all around.
The major tourist attractions are:
The Cooch Behar Palace:
The Coochbehar Palace stands vast the radiant with unique architecture, grandeur and beauty.Undertaken and developed by the Archaelogical Survey of India as a museum, this landmark attracts a large number of tourists. The entire Palace is illuminated on weekends and holidays and it makes for a magnificent view in the heart of the city. Adjoining the palace is also an amusement park, that remain flourished by young and old alike round the year.
Madan Mohan Temple:
It is home of the hereditary deity of the Maharajas as well as the subjects. The traditional Rash Jatra festival held since long back is one of the biggest in Bengal.
Sagar Dighi:
It is one of the oldest tanks in the region. It is not only a very common hangout place for localites, but also serves as an attraction for tourists and migratory birds in all seasons.
Rasik Bill:
A huge water body in the Tufangunj sub-division, it provides home to a large variety of resident and migratory birds. Not to mention, it is one of the most visited boating and picnic spots in this region!
Baneswar Temple:
One of the most famous Shiva temples in the region, on the way to Alipurduar from Coochbehar, it houses some rare turtles, which are protected by the people with love and faith.
Some other places worth a visit, includes: Malbazar, Chalsa, Phuntsholling, Alipurduar, Murti, Samsing, Sikiajhora, Sargachera and Sankar-Dham.
All in all, a trip to the Dooars will always be worth the fun, experience and the excitement that Nature has preserved in her beautiful creations.
...Or at least, you can always boast about a holiday well spent!