2N 3D DOOARS Monsoon Mania
Coverage: Gorumara National Park, Samsing, Suntalekhola, Rocky Island, Murti, Jhalong, Bindu and Medhla Watch tower along with Bullock cart Ride (Optional), Tribal dance Show and Elephant Safaris.
Day 1: Pickup and transfer to Lataguri
Post lunch excursion to Jhalong, Bindu Murti . Our general pickup points are: New Mal Junction (NMZ) New Moynaguri (NMX) Dhupguri (DQG) Jalpaiguri Road (JPE) However, pickup can also be arranged from Bagdogra/NJP. Note: Additional cost of the entire vehicle for pickup from NJP is Rs. 900. Additional cost of the entire vehicle for pickup from Bagdogra is Rs. 1600.
After pickup at any of the stations mentioned above, you would be driven to your pre booked hotel/resort at Lataguri. This place is close to the Gorumara National Park. We prefer to put up our guests in hotels/resorts which give you a feeling of being either in the forest or in a tea garden.
Note: Check-in time of most of the hotels at Lataguri is 12:00 hrs. In case you are arriving before the check-in time, please be informed that you may have to wait till your room is allotted by the Check-in time.
Post lunch, we take you to on an excursion to Jhalong, Bindu, Murti to get a real feel of the Dooars during the monsoon. The monsoon turns the Dooars greener and the monsoon is best experienced by visiting these destinations. Rivers which look like small streams during summer swell and become turbulent during the monsoons. Monsoon clouds floating across the hills are sure to mesmerize even the most unromantic individuals. Jhalong (Approx 36 km from Lataguri) is situated on the bank of the river Jaldhaka on the Indo-Bhutan border. It lies at the foothills of the Himalayas, on the way to Bindu in Kalimpong sub-division. Jaldhaka Hydro Electricity Project on Jaldhaka River is a major attraction in this area. Bird lovers can enjoy a varied collection of hill birds as well as migratory water fowls here. Visiting Jhalong is one of the best parts of the Monsoon Dooars Package.
Bindu (Approx 47 km from Lataguri) is the last village of West Bengal before one enters Bhutan. It is a beautiful valley on the bank of the river Jaldhaka. This river serves as a natural physical boundary separating West Bengal and Bhutan. Bindu is also famous for its Rubber and cardamom plantations on the way. Visit to this place in Duars is an experience worth remembering. Thereafter we set off for the Murti River trail. Murti is a small village by the side of the Murti River. It is an ideal picnic spot where one can enjoy the scenic beauty. Lucky ones can even catch a glimpse of elephants and other animals by the side of the river Murti when they come to drink water. Rest of the evening is at leisure.
Overnight stay is at Lataguri hotel/resort. Meal Plan:
Breakfast (No) Lunch (Yes) Dinner (Yes)
Day 2: Transfer to Gorumara Eco Village Kalipur or Gorumara Rhino Camp Ramshai Or Dhupjhora Elephant Camp Dhupjhora
The Dooars Monsoon package would be incomplete without a night’s stay at the forest department's accommodation inside the Gorumara National Park. So the second night stay within the forest is for enjoying the ambience of the Gorumara National Park. After breakfast, depending upon prior booking, you would be driven to the Forest Department’s accommodation inside the Gorumara National Park either at the Gorumara Eco Village, Kalipur (WBFDC Property) or Gorumara Rhino camp, Ramsahi (WBFDC Property) or Dhupjhora Elephant Camp (WBFDC Property).
Dhupjhora Elephant Camp: Accommodation is available in a few cottages (Only 6 in number) but the tree house (named Teesta) popularly known as Gachbari is the one that attracts one the most. The rooms are equipped with attached bathrooms but without geysers. However hot water is provided to your room on request. Activities at Dhupjhora Elephant Camp: Elephant Captivity management where you can see and enjoy giving elephants a bath, Elephant joy ride and Tribal Dance Show / Folk dance in the evening.
Activities at Kalipur Eco-cottage/Rhino Camp: Enjoy an Elephant joy ride in the morning and Tribal/Folk dance in the evening. Bullock ride (Optional) to Medhla Watch tower. If you are at Kalipur, in the evening, you will enjoy the bullock ride and visit the Medhla Watch tower. Watch wild animals from the watch tower and return at evening. Thereafter, enjoy an evening of tribal dance. Overnight stay will be at Kalipur Eco Cottage/Rhino Camp/Dhupjhora Elephant Camp depending upon availability.
Meal Plan: Breakfast (Yes) Lunch (Yes) Dinner (Yes)
Day 3: Elephant Safari and excursion to Samsing, Sunthalekhola, Rocky Island and transfer to Railway station
Early in the morning, enjoy the Elephant Safari and after breakfast, checkout from the resort. Have early lunch at around 11:00 hrs and proceed for an excursion to Samsing & Sunthalekhola. Samsing is a tea estate in the Dooars and a small locality of about 100 houses surrounding the tea gardens. It is a nice cool shady place, ideal for nature lovers. On the top of the hill is a beautiful Guesthouse.
The silence of the place is disturbed only by the sound of the gurgling river Murti, which flows about half a kilometre below. The journey to Samsing is a memorable one, as you slowly drive uphill through the most picturesque lush green tea gardens on the undulating hill slopes and the descending mist on the tea gardens during the monsoons is a sight to behold. It is a also great spot for bird watching.
Suntalekhola or Suntaley Khola (also Suntalekhola) is a small village and a tourist spot in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal. It gets its name from a small stream: Suntaley Khola. In Nepali, Suntaley means orange and khola means stream. This place is nearly 5 km from Samsing and is known for its beautiful landscape with green tea gardens. The altitude of the place ranges from 650 to 950 m. Suntalekhola is also one of the entry points to the Neora Valley National Parks. Several trek routes originate from Suntalekhola, most of which are within the Neora Valley National Park. But these treks are not at all advisable during the monsoons because of leeches and reptiles. The green patch on the left side of the way to Suntalekhola is amazing and holds many rarities of birds and butterflies.
Rocky Island is an upcoming tourist destination that is fast gaining prominence in the Dooars. Situated on the banks of the River Murti, it is now a popular camping and picnic site. This place is surrounded by forests, hills and big boulders and is ideal for land based adventure activities like trekking, rock climbing & rappelling. The campsite provides an excellent opportunity to explore the rich biodiversity and the abundant avifauna of the lower stretches of the Neora Valley National Sanctuary. The place has some large rocks named Neel Kanta, Pathar Kailas, Bhimsen, Hansdunga etc and these rocks provide ample opportunity for technical rock climbing practice for mountaineers and serious rock climbers as well as joy climbing for everyone visiting the camp site with a riverside cave to complete the fun.
A small enjoyable trek to nearby spots like Sherpagaon, Bhalukope, Jhandidara and Mouchuki is an added attraction of this place. But again, these treks are not at all advisable during the monsoons because of leeches and reptiles. After you finish with the tour of Samsing, Suntalekhola and Rocky Island, we drop you to the railway station for your onward journey. We generally drop you at any of the following Railway stations: New Mal Junction (NMZ) New Moynaguri (NMX) Dhupguri (DQG) Jalpaiguri Road (JPE) However, drop can also be arranged to NJP/ Bagdogra. Note: Additional cost of the entire vehicle for drop to NJP is Rs. 900. Additional cost of the entire vehicle for pickup from Bagdogra is Rs. 1600.
Your tour ends with sweet memories.
Meal Plan: Breakfast (Yes) Lunch (No) Dinner (No)