The North Bengal district of West Bengal is a traveler’s paradise. Siliguri, lying at the heart of the district serves as one of the best gateways in India to pristine forests, cool hill stations (Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim), spectacular white water rafting activities and the list goes on. I would like to invite you today to one of the most beautiful spots in the state where nature has lavished all her bounties. Yes, I am talking about Dooars. Alpine landscape, transparent white rivers, picturesque National Parks and the Wildlife Sanctuaries and never ending green valleys dotted by tea gardens makes this a wonderful excuse to a take a break from our busy lives.
Exploring the entire region in a single holiday is next to impossible. However I would like to inform you on some unforgettable places leaving you with the choice to customize your trip according to your taste and budget.
Lets embark on a journey that will take us across the rolling hill slopes, lush green tea gardens, silvery mountain streams, thick forests inhabited by a spectacular range of faunal variety, the villages where the primitive ’’Toto’’ tribe holds its last stand - refusing to be swamped by the main stream of civilization, the great Himalayan ranges always present in the horizon, endless blue skies.....
Our first stop is Mongpong. To reach Mongpong you need to cross the historical Coronation Bridge at Sevok which in itself is an experience. The moment you cross the bridge you are in the laps of Mother Nature. She welcomes you with the Mahananda Wild life Sanctuary through which you need to drive to Mong Pong. As you enter the forest you are greeted by the chirping of birds and if you really lucky you may see glimpses of the wild animals. Mong Pong is a special place where the mighty Teesta liberates itself. Here it gets divided into multiple channels and flows through the lower marshy land of the sanctuary, providing an ideal breeding place for the migratory birds. A word of advice, book your room at the MongPong Forest Rest House for a great panoramic view. It is time to relax and enjoy the silence disturbed only by the occasional chorus of crickets and maybe the roar of the Leopard.
Next stop ladies and gentlemen, Samsing. A quaint little town at an elevation of 3000ft is a dream destination for the trekkers. From here you could trek to ’Tree Fern Point’ and ’Mo’ for a spectacular view of the Himalayas on one side and the never-ending green plains of Dooars on the other. Please note that this place is not meant for tourists who expect material comforts and look for a lot of activities. All you can do here is sit and watch on a cup of tea, or walk through aimlessly. Accommodation is available at the Samsing Forest Rest House.
We move on and find ourselves in Bindu, a valley with the Bhutan hills on one side and the river Jaldhaka on the other. Like the places above it is a feast for your eyes. This is incidentally my favourite place in Dooars. Two must visit places include Bindu Dam, built on the Jaldhaka river and the Jaldhaka Hydel Project, one of the first hydroelectric project of India (you need permission from the West Bengal State Electricty Board authorities to enter). Do visit the dam in the early hours of the morning and the afternoon and you would be left marveling the fantastic views of the hills.
Time to move on again. Lying at the foothills of the Bhutan hills (Eastern Himalaya) the Jaldapara sanctuary is a mixture of a mosaic of woods, grassland, swamps and streams with great diversity of fauna and flora. It is home to the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros. Herds of elephants can frequently be found using it as their feeding grounds. Hog deer, spotted deer, barking deer and sambar are found, as are Gaur or Indian Bison. Tigers and leopards might also be seen moving stealthily through grass and bush, but you need a bit of luck for that. The Sanctuary is home for some rare and endemic species like the hispid hare, hogbadger etc, also for wild boar and sloth bears. Jaldapara is open from November to the end of April, with March being the best month to view animals, as they graze on new shoots.
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