Lepchajagat – Picturesque and green

Willing to take a trip to the north Bengal mountains but not amid the crowd of tourists in Darjeeling? Then Lepchajagat is an ideal destination.

Lepchajagat i.e. the land of the Lepchas is picturesque and green and offers one of the best views of the Kanchenjunga.

The weather gods willing, the breathtaking snow-capped peak is visible through the day from the terrace of the government nature resort at Lepchajagat.

The bungalow, run by the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC), is the only place to stay at Lepchajagat. It’s modelled on old English bungalows with suites, double-bed rooms and dormitories. The choice of food will please most.

The local people are cheerful and friendly. A hub for nature lovers, the place has an amazing variety of rhododendron, pine and oak trees.

The bird lovers  can enjoy the glimpses of many interesting birds in the surrounding woods. Shutterbugs will go crazy trying to capture the view on camera.

A nearby attraction called Jorpokhri is about a 30-minute drive away. “Jor” means double or two and “pokhri” stands for lake. At an altitude of 7,400ft, two freshwater lakes, surrounded by a beautiful garden, supply drinking water to the nearby areas.  Sitting near the lakes, to watch the fishes and swans is really enjoying.

Where Jorpokhri ends, Senchal forest begins. The screech of langurs creates their own welcome tune there.  A government lodge is there at Jorpokhri too.

If anybody want to stay there for long, then spending a day in Darjeeling can also be planned, which is just 22km away. It’s even possible to stop over at Kurseong and Mirik and return to Lepchajagat by evening.

How to go?

Take any New Jalpaiguri (NJP) bound train from Kolkata. Cars can be hired from NJP station. A four-hour drive (85km) down the Pankhabari/ Rohini route will take you to Lepchajagat.

Where to stay?

There is only one place to stay, the WBFDC bungalow.  Rooms can be booked  in advance from its Kolkata Office.

Contact Details:

WEST BENGAL FOREST DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED.
www.wbfdc.com
6A, Raja Subodh Mullick Square, 7th – Floor, Kolkata-700013
Ph No. : 033-2237-0060/ 2237-0061/ 2225-8549