The beauty of North Bengal is sure to take your breath away. Roughly north of the town of Maldah, the landscape of Bengal changes drastically in terms of vegetation, languages, dialects, cultures and lifestyles. Home to a rich an diverse wildlife, reserve forests, numerous Himalayan rivers like the Teesta, Joldhaka, Moorti and Jorda, especially after Jalpaiguri, tourism has grown in the Dooars areas of North Bengal.
The Beauty of Dooars
At the foothills of Darjeeling and towards the borders of Bhutan, from the alluvial plains of the Teesta river to the Dhansiri River in Assam. These landscapes are typically characterised by tea gardens, jungles, wildlife sanctuaries and river sides.
Some of the rivers that pass through these regions are:
Murti
The Murti river originates close to the trijunction of Bengal-Sikkim-Bhutan, and flows downhill into the Dooars, passing the beautiful, picturesque villange of Samsing in the Kalimpong district. In the plains, i.e., Dooars, Mutri river flows through the Chapramari wildlife reserve in the eastern side, and in the western side, in has the tea gardens of North Bengal.
Near the Chapramari wildlife sanctuary, you can stay at the beautiful resorts overlooking the Murti river, and enjoy nature and wildlife, away from city noises, pollution and busy lifestyles. Remember to not litter the river, not carry or throw plastic, now spill soap, or oil in the river! Your vacation spot is the livelihood of the people who live there!
Jaldhaka
The Joldhaka river originates in East Sikkim, travels through Bhutan and then flows into North Bengal, gaining volume from the three streams that are known as Bindu Khola, Dudh Pokhri and Jaldhaka that originates from the Kupup Lake, a small glacial lake in Sikkim.
There are numerous tourist spots in North Bengal that over-view the beauty of the Jaldhaka river. One example is Nagrakata, a village in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district. You can reach the homestays of Nagrakata from the nearest city Siliguri, or take a train to NJP, or to Malbazaar, though fewer trains stop at this station.
Jaldhaka River View Resort, Nagrakata – Resorts in Jalpaiguri – Justdial
Teesta
Teesta is a much more well known Himalayan river which flows from Sikkim, into North Bengal and flows into Bangladesh. There are numerous tourist spots along the Teesta, known for its joyous beauty from Sikkim, to the borderlands of Sikkim and Darjeeling- famous for the rafting and river-side camp experiences.
Teesta flows through Singtam in Sikkim, Sevoke near Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri, eventually entering Bangladesh and into the Bay of Bengal. The Teesta spar at Jalpaiguri is an amazing spot to visit by sunrise or sunset, with the experience of being on a boat on the river.
Lataguri Wildlife Sanctuary
Lataguri is a well-known wildlife sanctuary of North Bengal, famous for its rhinos, elephants, peacocks and barking deer, the resorts adjacent to the Gorumara National Park can be an amazing experience to live in close proximity to nature. It is an amazing way to listen to the call of wild birds, animals, and be around the breath-taking forest.
Rocky Island
A little uphill from beyond the village of Kumani, is a beautiful spot from where the Murti river, still a speedy down-hill mountain stream flows by. There is a place called Suntaleykhola, a little uphill where you can stay to experience the beauty of the hills, and a completely different environment and beauty.
You can walk around, look at the orange trees, sit in silence at the breath-taking river, and immerse yourself in the joy of nature!
How to reach?
For newbies, or people who have no clue about the roadmaps of North Bengal, the good way to go would be getting off the train at the New Jalpaiguri Station and then availing buses or cars from there. The reason for this is that the New Jalpaiguri Station has a huge availability of tourist transport system, both pre-paid and post-paid.
However, if you are willing to take trains that will drop you off at the more remote railway stations, local transport from there will reach you to the places like Malbazaar, Maynaguri, Lataguri, etc.
Trains like the Uttar Banga Express, Darjeeling Mail, Padatik Express etc. take this route. You will have to chose the station that is closest to your destination or resort.
Read More:
Things To Do – Sightseeing in Dooars |Places to Visit in Dooars | Sinclairs Hotels
