Travelling Far East to the small town of Lepchajagat

Lepchajagat,a place in the northern part of West Bengal, India, derives its name from the Lepcha tribes. Although the place is not that popular it has a great essence to make people fall in love with it. The place doesn’t have a national park or the wildlife sanctuary but is a Reserve Forest which was bought from the Lepcha tribes. It is a perfect destination for people who would like to have a break of two days or would like to have a convenient diversion from the Queen of Hills, Darjeeling. Darjeeling as we know is one of the most popular hill stations in the North Eastern part of India. The place is not only famous for being a preferred hill station but has the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. It also has the high altitude zoo and is often referred to as the gateway for people going to the Eastern Himalayas.

Coming back to Lepchajagat, the place has justified its popularity with the stunning views of the Mountain Kanchenjunga. Besides it’s a great place to visit for the Bird Lovers and people who love to get lost in tranquility.

Getting there

There are several options to reach Lepchajagat and one would be satisfied to know that the roads are pretty good. The months of August to March are among the recommended periods for visiting this place.

• To reach the place by Rail: Catch a train which takes you to Siliguri or the New Jalpaiguri station.
• To reach the place by Air: You can take a flight which lands you at the Bagdodra IXB airport in Siliguri

Once you are there you would need to hire a taxi or a shuttle for yourself to reach Lepchajagat. The price for the travel ranges from Rs.2,000 to Rs.3,000 for the 70 Km. Journey. The roads being decent enough take around a couple of hours before you are there.

Travelling around Lepchajagat

There are not many options besides just travelling near the forest bungalow. However, people would be delighted to see plenty of walking trails to choose from.

Staying at Lepchajagat

The place has only a single stay option which is provided by West Bengal Forest Development Corporation. It is the forest department which runs the forest bungalow that is equipped with all the modern amenities. The service at the bungalow deserves appreciation as the people out there are quite warm.

Attractions across the area

Walking along the forest trails is definitely a great activity to do out here. Besides that getting up early and getting the stunning views of Kanchenjunga is truly enchanting. And for all those bird lovers out there, it does pack in some excitement with a vast variety of birds which can be seen across. Also do make sure you carry binoculars and a field guide to accompany you.

In order to know more about what you could expect at the small place and nearby you can read Interesting Facts About Lepchajagat

• Do Make sure that you are not caught freezing, if you are visiting the place during winters it could be really cold.
• If you are planning to visit the place during monsoons then it would be wise to learn about the rainfall around the place in advance. Usually heavy rains could get the roads blocked due to landslides.
• Do book well in advance as the place is always pre-booked 3 weeks in advance.
• Also keep your first aid kit with you and precautions to be protected against the leeches during the monsoons while venturing out in the mountain trails. Carrying a bit of salt or a lighter would also be recommended to stay protected against leeches if they stick.

Travelling to-and-fro from Siliguri to Lepchajagat could cost around Rs.5000 and staying options range from Rs.1500 to Rs.2,000 per day.

Some insights for a two day trip

Travelling with your loved one or a group of friends could really be amazing at this place. If you are a single couple then it’s better to book Suite 1 as it gets the best view of the Mountain Kanchenjunga. In case you are around 6-8 people then it would be wise to book the rooms on the 1^st floor. It would ensure you have a great view of the mountain along with an amazing view of Darjeeling during the evening hours. If you are in Suite 1 then Kanchenjunga would be clearly visible from the bed itself. Do not forget to spend one evening at the fireplace where you can get the place lit up for an extra cost of Rs.250.

Another thing which should be kept in mind is informing the caretaker a day before you reach at the number provided in your booking slip. This will make sure that you have the right amount of food when you reach. One must know that there is no variety of food available at the place but the cooked food here is good enough. Visiting Jorepokhri which is about 10 kilometers from the place can be one of the options. Moving ahead to the Nepal border which is 12 kilometers would also be a great experience. There are local transport options which are available at the guest house. On the return one can stop for a couple of hours at Darjeeling and then back to the guest house by early evening. Getting up early and viewing the sunrise from the roof of the place can leave an awesome experience behind.

In order to book your rooms in advance and make sure you have a great time out there, get in touch at the following place:

West Bengal Forest Development Corporation,

6A Raja Subodh Mullick Square,

7th Floor, Kolkata 700 013

Phone: +91-33-22370060/61, +91-33-22258549

Website: www.wbfdc.com

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