Related: Food Crawl in Darjeeling – A rare treasure of the North Bengal Tourism

Foodies’ heaven – Darjeeling Restaurants

Sipping hot Darjeeling tea with the view of Kanchenjunga is something to live for. And when these two are accompanied by different restaurants serving authentic Continental, Chinese and Nepalese food, what more to ask from life?

Breakfast Options

Chillout Restaurant & Bar

Address: Dudhia, Plot No 114, Rl, Khatian 152, O, 276, District Darjeeling, Kurseong, Darjeeling District, West Bengal, 734217

You can start with this small restaurant, which is more famous for lunch and dinner, but we had our breakfast here on our way to Darjeeling from NJP. They serve tasty momos. And the quantity is perfect. The noodles and pork preparations are worth tasting.

Sonam’s Kitchen

Address: Dr Zakir Hussain Rd, Chaurasta, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101

A tiny breakfast joint serving delicious, healthy and sumptuous breakfast options. There are a few sitting options, and you might have to share your table with other tourists. Because of the rush, the service is sometimes slow, but the behaviour of the staff is homely, and the food is worth tasting. Try out their choice of eggs & freshly brewed coffee. And if you eat their hash brown potatoes, fried eggs, roasted tomatoes and bread toast, you are sure not to feel hungry for at least 4 hours.

Himalayan Coffee

Address: 5/1, Nehru Rd, Bellevue, Darjeeling, West Bengal – 734101

Located on the 1st floor, the restaurant is quite a contrast to the entrance. While climbing up the fleet of stairs, you might ask yourself why you came here, but keep walking because you’ll get a cosy and warm vibe once you enter the cafe. With wooden chairs and the aroma of the bakery & coffee, it’s a place where you would like to start your day. Their pancakes are good, and so are the omelettes. In addition, they serve a wide range of tea and coffee.

Arcadia Resort

Address: West Point, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101

We stayed here for one night. A bit in the premium range, but the resort offers a grand view of Kanchenjunga from the balconies. Since it’s very close to the Darjeeling station, the toy train and the birds chirping add to this place’s charm. Coming to their breakfast – unlike the other two places, where we had Continental food, we were served poori, sabji, halwa & chicken sandwiches. That halwa was simply yummy. If you ever plan to stay there, try out their breakfast. They also serve a variety of paranthas.

Darjeeling restaurant serving lunch and dinner

Ara by Bellevue

Address: Nehru Rd, Chauk Bazaar, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101

It’s better to visit this Darjeeling restaurant for dinner. With dim lights and live music, it helps to complete the day. Along with good food, they also have a full bar serving well-crafted cocktails. You can choose North Indian, Asian, Continental or Mexican food. Though a bit pricy, overall, the food is good & staff is cordial.

Penang

Address; 27Q8+V5F, Unnamed Road, Limbugaon, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101

Penang is a must-visit if you want to taste authentic Nepalese food. But do not go by the exterior of this restaurant – it’s very deceptive. After all, the path to heaven is narrow! They have a full bar and serve a wide range of Asian food like noodles, soups, thukpa, yakishoba (spelling check please) etc. But, the major attraction of this place is their pork/chicken Nepalese thali. The thali comes with saag, sabji, daal, 3-4 types of chatni (dips), rice, a bowl of clear soup, 1 fry, dalle (Darjeeling chillies) and pork or chicken, whichever you opt for. All these are authentic Nepali dishes.

North Bengal: DOOARS: The ultimate getaway to the wonderland of the North Bengal Tourism

Yeh Dil Mange More

Neha had often heard from her friends that once you visit Darjeeling, your heart craves to go there again. But she didn’t believe it. Reason – when she visited Darjeeling with her parents after her Class X exams, after staying in Gangtok & Pelling, she found this queen of hills dingy & congested. But, on hearing about it from different people, they decided to give it a shot last year. The fundamental objective of this trip was to try out different restaurants, loiter in the Mall and help the kid to have loads of fun. And even before their trip ended, she and her 7-year-old started planning the next visit! That’s the charm of this place! So, if you have yet to visit one of the major destinations of North Bengal tourism, you’re indeed missing out on something. For a budget-friendly hotel – you can opt for Classic Guest House. And for a high range, Arcadia Resort is good. But, while Classic is very close to Mall, Arcadia is a bit secluded.

The post Darjeeling Restaurants – The Hidden Gems appeared first on KolkataFusion.

In this article, we would be providing you with the details of the different travel locations of the Dooars of North Bengal.

A part of North Bengal Tourism- Dooars

1. JALDAPARA NATIONAL PARK

Jaldapara National Park, situated on the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas along the bank of river Torsa, is famous for its Asiatic One-Horned Rhino. The National Park characterized by an extensive grassland is also a homeland for many species like Asiatic Elephants, Swamp Deers, Gaur(Indian Bison) and a great number of birds.

The main attraction of Jaldapara is the elephant safari conducted for spotting the wildlife. Besides, jeep safaris are also organized inside the jungle. The best place to stay here is the Hollong Tourist Lodge of WBFDC. Among private accommodations, The Mystic Forest is a perfect stay. The nearest tourist spot is Madarihat.

A detour in Chilapata: The dense woods on the eastern part of Torsa river, known as Chilapata Forest, is also a part of the Jaldapara Forest. It’s one of the good options for a day tour from the Jaldapara. Chilapata Forest serves as the elephant corridor between Buxa Tiger Reserve and Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary. The jeep safaris through this dense forest is a lifetime experience, not be missed if you are travelling in Dooars.

2. GORUMARA NATIONAL PARK, CHAPRAMARI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, LATAGURI & MURTI

Gorumara National Park is perhaps the most popular zone of the North Bengal Tourism, a jungle lover would ever vouch for. It is well known for its diversified flora and fauna which includes Indian Bison, elephants, One-Horned Rhinos, leopards, deers, etc. Amidst the dense forests of Sal and Shimul, the watchtowers are great spots for watching the animals. A jeep safari is also available at the buffer zones of the jungle.

The nearest stay is either in Murti or Lataguri. Good lodging choices in close proximity to the forest are – The Reserve Gorumara or The Chapramari Wilderness Camp.

Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the oldest forests in Dooars, is an extension of the Gorumara National Park, bifurcated by the Murti River.

On the banks of the Murti river, Murti is one of the finest tourist spots. The crystal clear water of Murti, along with the surrounding picturesque landscape, is a perfect place to relax one’s mind and soul.

The best accommodation at Murti is the Murti Tourist Lodge of WBTDCL and Banani Lodge of WBFDC. Or you can also opt for the privately-owned Murti Tourist Lodge.

Lataguri is a small tourist village situated at the confluence of Murti and Jaldhaka river in the midst of thick deciduous forest and a quaint landscape. It is just 25 kms drive from the fringe of Gorumara National Park.

Out of the several resorts at Lataguri we recommend the Tuskers Den Forest Resort the most.

Recommended Read: Offbeat travel destinations of North Bengal – Palmajua and Chatakpur

3. NEORA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Maintaining its unique biodiversity, Neora Valley is perhaps the only forest in the Eastern Himalayas that has a few virgin forest patches that are yet to be explored by humans.

The jungle family includes Himalayan Thar, Tiger, Goral, Himalayan Black Bear, Clouded Leopard as well as the endangered species of  Red Panda. The valley is bliss for bird watchers. Here you’ll find birds like Redstart, Whistling Thrush, Golden Headed Black Finch, Niltava.

There are two routes to reach Neora Valley. One is through Kolakham, a forest village situated about 10 km from Lava. Another one is through Samsing, mostly availed by trekkers who enjoy camping and trekking in the forest trails. Forest permits are available both at Lava and Samsing. The best place to stay here is the Neora Valley Jungle Camp.  

4. SAMSING, SUNTALEKHOLA AND ROCKY ISLAND

Samsing is one of the greatest tourist attractions of the North Bengal Tourism. It has a majestic view of the lush green tea gardens, hilly slopes, orange orchards, cinnamon plantations. And the trickling sound of the Murti River adds to it charm . Situated at a distance of only 17 kms from Chalsa, you can experience a beautiful drive to Samsing through the unending stretches of tea gardens like Samsing Tea Garden, Chalsa Tea Garden etc.

There are several homestays at Samsing, which offer a good and cozy stay. Among the private hotels, Samsing Backwoods Adventure Camping offers a cozy stay at a reasonable tariff.

Rocky Island – Located at a distance of merely 3 km from Samsing, is a campsite located at the banks of river Murti. It is an upcoming eco-tourism destination in North Bengal offering opportunities like camping activities, rock climbing, river bank trekking, etc.

Suntalekhola – Just 4kms from Samsing, Suntalekhole is famous for its thrilling stay at the WBFDC lodge. The mysterious dense forests, the ghostly silence & the remote location – everything is just too thrilling. Apart from the government stay, the Mayjhora Homestay offers a comfortable homely environment amidst the locals.

HOW TO REACH DOOARS:

The only airport in this belt is the Bagdogra Airport. From here, prepaid taxis are available for any part of the Dooars area.

By train, the most preferred station will be the New Mal Junction, as it is located right at the Dooars belt. But very few trains are available for this station, like Kanchankanya Express from Kolkata. The next best option is the New Jalpaiguri station, from where pre-paid cabs are available.

IDEAL TRAVEL PLAN TO DOOARS

Ideally, you can plan for a 7 to 8 days visit to the Dooars, to enjoy and explore the unique and rare beauties of North Bengal Tourism. We suggest the following travel plan:

• Reach New Mal Junction by Kanchankanya Express
• From New Mal Junction, book a cab to Gorumara and halt there for 2 days.
• Next, you can visit the Neora Valley via Kolakham . You can also spend a night at Kolakham.
• Early next morning, travel to Samsing, Rocky Island and Suntalekhola. Among these, you should consider a halt at Suntalekhola for 2 days stay if you get a booking at the WBFDC forest resort to absorb in the sights and sounds of the beautiful place.
•  After enjoying the tranquility of Suntalekhola, you can go on for a 2 days stay at Murti ,which is in close proximity to Jaldapara and Chapramari forests.

Although all types of North Indian and South Indian foods are available here due to the tremendous development of tourism but don’t miss the local dishes like momos, dry fish pickles and bamboo shoots. And when you are in the land of tea gardens, do not dare to miss a steaming cup of the aromatic Darjeeling tea.

The best time to visit Dooars is October to March.

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I tend to seek refuge in the Himalayas. The lofty ranges, the green trees, the valleys and the moors of the Himalayas help me to rediscover myself again and again.

Running away to the mighty mountains gives me solace every time the hard routines of life rebukes me and intimidates me with its fiery red eyes.

A few months ago, along with my family members, I went to the sleepy Himalayan settlement of Rinchenpong in the western part of Sikkim. The entire region seemed to be well-adorned with flowers to celebrate the spring carnival, – the small, simple and pretty forget-me-nots, the Red Lillies, the Arum Lillies, the Bleeding Hearts, the Poppies, the Foxgloves, the Salvias, the Pansies, the Daisies, the Poinsettias, the spiny Rhododendrons, the Orchids and many unknowns added dashes of colours and made the region more verdant and vibrant.

After a 5 hour-long journey from New Jalpaiguri, all of us were quite tired. The limbs wanted to recline in the comforts of the hotel we were staying in but the heart wanted to wander around. As a sincere listener of heart on all occasions, I went out for a stroll. The road headed towards the unknown. I took short strides ahead. The Buddhist prayer flags greeted me and fluttered in the cool breeze with absolute glee. Some unknown birds chirped about their daily chores. As I moved ahead, I heard the crickets singing an unknown song. Perhaps, a song of melancholy, or, perhaps a welcome song for a two-legged animal who calls herself civilized. The Pine trees stood tall and protected the flower shrubs, creepers, grassy and mossy green carpets like the responsible elders.

I stopped and took in deep breaths – the abundant and unleashed pure air to help me go on for a few more months until the schedule of my next refuge. The air which I took in had a sweet, slightly pungent, intoxicating and wild fragrance. Was it of the Pines? I really don’t know. The fragrance had the quality or vice to turn anyone into a life-long wanderer. The fragrance mocked the civilization and its advancements and laughed devilishly at the attempts to harness its source. I started climbing up a flight of mossy stairs. They led me to a place where the slightly crowded settlement of Kaluk waved and beckoned from a distance.

I quietly told myself, “maybe next day” and headed back to the hotel.

Next day, we went to our Rhododendron adventure and came back to Rinchenpong late in the evening. We couldn’t explore much of Rinchenpong on that day. The Kanchenjunga, too, did not smile at us at all.

The day after, we woke up to a bright, warm, sunny weather. As we peeped outside of our glassy window, the Kanchenjunga smiled warmly. She stood tall with all her pristine and spotlessly white mighty peaks, flanked by the Mt. Kumbhakarna from the left, the Simvo twins and Siniolchu, guarded her from the right.

The day was so bright that we couldn’t hold ourselves back and went out for a hike down the slopes towards Tato Pani.

The entire region seemed to be having a gala time, with the treetops lightly swaying their heads, the flowers dotting the green slopes and the children playing in the football ground basking in the warm sun. Our sojourn could not be carried on further as our tummies growled with hunger. We headed back for lunch. The lunch platter was an amazing one. The ‘gundruk’ soup made with locally available ingredients and the dried shrimp curry were absolutely delicious.

After lunch, we, the younger turks of the group, instantly made a plan to hike up 3 Kilometers to Kaluk. The road was a smooth, pitched one with the Pine guardians strictly guarding each of its curvaceous turns. The walk was a pleasant one. We took relaxed strides ahead. The intoxicating fragrance went along with us. The quaint mountain scenes elevated us to speechless appreciators. But, frankly speaking, Kaluk failed to live up to our expectations.

What more can a crowded settlement, crowded shops and crowded luxurious resorts with people hankering over Kanchenjunga’s sight from the rooftops offer to the ones who were smitten by the simplicity of Rinchenpong? With a deep despise we turned down on the left side of the unkempt road towards a village called Boom. The pathfinding plackard showed that it was just 1.75 Kilometers down Kaluk. Whether we really wanted to explore the place or not, I don’t know, but in a state of trance, we moved ahead. However, sadly enough a loud rumble in the clouds above us pushed us back to our senses and we decided to return because we were not equipped for the sudden rainfall. Thanks to the friendly cab driver who favoured us by transporting us back to our Rinchenpong hotel.

The conventions of the civic life we are used to, threw us back to the din of the city. Our workplaces waited for our attendance. Honestly, I did not want to come back so early. I just wanted to stay back and seep in the flavour of the place slowly just like a wine enthusiast seeps in some exotic old wine. I really longed to go back to the pitch-dark nights illuminated by the humble lights of the mountain hamlets. I longed to go back and spend a night under the stars and several known and unknown constellations. I longed to go back to the life of a rambler roaming around the mountains and going on a high after inhaling the intoxicating fragrance of the wild forests. Yes, there’s no escape from the mountains, Mr. Ruskin Bond. I can’t but totally agree to the words you spoke with such a conviction,

“It is always the same with mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape.”

– Ruskin Bond, Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas

How to reach Rinchenpong and where to stay

i) Reach New Jalpaiguri Jn on any NJP bound train. 

ii) Take a cab directly to Rinchenpong. It would take about 5 or 5.5 hours to reach the place.

Hotels and resorts in Rinchenpong:

1. Rinchenpong Nest
2. Orchid Villa Homestay
3. Yangsum Heritage Farm

Photography Courtesy: Avik Das

First published as a post in the facebook group “Weekend Tours From Kolkata”

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As our daughter was turning a year old, we wanted to spend her birth-week amidst nature, at any destination which is not crowded with season’s tourists. We were joined by our friends and their 1.5-year-old kid. Fortunately, we found not one but two places – Palmajua and Chatakpur, located in the Darjeeling district, about 50 and 26 km from Darjeeling, respectively. These places, comfortably shying away from the mainstream travellers, offer wonderful rendezvous with pines, rapids, birds and the wilderness replete with serenity and silence all around them.

The Journey to Palmajua:

We boarded the Darjeeling Mail and upon reaching Siliguri (the train offered an occasional halt there, normally it stops at New Jalpaiguri) we took a hired cab till Sukhiapokhri, which is situated about 69 km from Siliguri. Enroute Sukhiapokhri, we stopped at an eatery near the Rohini Highway for a heavy breakfast with Puri-Sabzi-Tea while our kids had instantly made Cerelac. We reached Sukhiapokhri around 1 PM and headed straight to Bhansa Hotel for lunch. They offered us ‘Thakali Thali’, Nepalese equivalent of Indian ‘Dhaba’ food and for the kids, they served rice and boiled daal. The food was awesome as well as toddler-friendly with no hint of chilli tempering at all. After the hearty lunch, we booked another cab to our destination, Palmajua. The 34 km road was a bit of a bumpy ride via Maneybhanjan and Dhotrey. As we neared our homestay, the Himalayan greenery threw off a wonderful guard of honour welcoming us into its fold.

Singalila Jungle Lodge:

We booked our stay in Singalila Jungle Lodge, a homestay located in Palmajua. The property owned by Mr. Avinash Rai was surrounded amidst a lovely setting with green hills beckoning afar on one side and the other side overlooking a valley with an incessantly chirpy rapid with flowering trees like Rhododendrons, Camelia and Magnolia as well as unknown non-flowering trees dotting the quaint area. Just what one meant by the phrase ‘in the lap of nature’.

There were 4 cottages, two smaller, just sufficient for a stay of 3 people in each, and two bigger to accommodate more members. All the cottages had attached bath with no geysers. The helpful staff provided with hot water on demand. There was an annex building too which had 3 rooms with a common toilet.

There was a big wooden dining table of indigenous make lying under the sky inside the property boundary where you can have your food and a cozy wooden setup specially made for the people who love interesting conversations over lazy strums of guitars, hot tea, and pakoras (the nikhad Bengali adda). 

Food served in the Singalila Jungle Lodge:

The food served here was very basic, Puri/Chapati – Aloo Sabzi in breakfast, Rice-Daal-Egg Curry/Vegetable Curry in lunch and Rice/Chapati – Chicken (country fowl) Curry/ Vegetable Curry/Daal. The staff was very particular about the food they served for the kids – every single meal was served punctually on the time. The quality of cooking was pretty good which enhanced in the last night of our stay when one of the cooks took leave and Mrs. Rai herself cooked our meals. The personal touch one feels while putting up in a homestay was rightly felt by us on that day thanks to the warm hospitability of Mr. and Mrs. Rai.

Our staying experience in the Singalila Jungle Lodge:

We stayed here for 3 and a half days to be precise and the only sounds which broke in the tranquility of the place are the twitters of plenty of local birds and the water of the cascading rapid nearby.

In these 3 days, we simply threw ourselves away in the hands of the mother nature. We went for very short to short hikes with our kids strapped to the carrier bags, went for lazy strolls around the property, and visited a place called Momokhola for spotting more birds. The colourful birds flittered around the naughty stream while we amazed ourselves with the panorama the place offered. The sweet experience of Momokhola came to an end with beautiful home-made momos and sweet teas of a tea house.

On the mornings we basked in the warm sun, appreciated the beauty of the seasonal blooms of the red rhododendrons and other flowers and became children with our kids while showing them the different birds our eyes caught.

The evenings here were spent indoors. The kids played with each other while we played referees when any of them became more mischievous in the course. We had our dinners inside the rooms too, to avoid the chill outside.

On the penultimate day of our stay, Mr. Rai came to meet us. He had some work in the city so he couldn’t make it earlier. In between a friendly conversation, he offered to show us a documentary film on Red Panda which was commonly found in the nearby Singalila forest prior to their decrease in number due to continuous poaching. The film was an emotional tribute. We barely managed to not shed a tear while leaving the room where the projector was arranged.

The warmth of the host is something that makes a mark in our hearts every time we return from any Darjeeling tourism.

We started early on the last day, mechanically finished packing, feeding kids, feeding ourselves and hurried off in our booked cab. The hurry was an induced one because deep inside our minds we did not want to leave the beautiful place.

Contact details of Singalila Jungle Lodge:

Address: Palmajua, P.O Bansbotay, Rimbick, Darjeeling, West Bengal

Phone number: 09635109201

Name of the owner: Mr. Avinash Rai

Website: https://singalila-jungle-lodge.business.site/

Booking process: You need to call the given phone number to book the cottages and pay 50% advance.

P.S: Please reach out in the given phone number to know about the ongoing tariffs (w.r.t your date of travel) The tariff rates are subject to change in rush faced in Darjeeling tourism.

To Be Continued in Serenity Exemplified-Palmajua & Chatakpur (Part 2)

(Keep following our blog for the next part of the travelogue)

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