Lepchakha - In Search Of Serenity
Off beat Weekend Destination In West Bengal
Saikat Chanda
Updated 7 September 2019
The month of May-June, a nightmare of everyone in Kolkata. Though we enjoy mangoes, still high heat and humidity can take away all our energies.
Amidst of hot and humid June in Kolkata and mostly to save my energy, I was searching for some escape route.
I was on the fence about where to go, and I came to know about Lepchakha from a dear friend of mine. Seemed like the perfect place.
Like greased lightning, I started researching about the place and ended up in Kanchankanya Express (Sealdah to Alipur Duar Junction).
Lepchakha, a small village near the Indo-Bhutan border is a less-traveled
destination of Dooars region. This lovely village is often considered asQueen of Dooars.
The route to the village is through the Buxa forest. The lush green of the forest is a feast for the eyes.
So, We decided to do the Jungle Safari on the way to the village.
We opted Kanchankanya Express for our journey to reach directly at Alipur Duar junction.
This train route has its own charm.
The train goes through the Dooars forest after New Jalpaiguri.
We reached Alipur Duar near about 12:30 in the afternoon.
We had to reach Jayanti and take the Buxa Jungle Safari on the same day or we would have missed the Safari.
You can see the entire Buxa Tiger Reserve from the hilltop. All seven rivers flowing through Buxa forest can also be seen.
It is also the home to Drukpa community.
June to September is the monsoon.
Safaris remain closed from June 15th to September 15th due to monsoon
Because the safari was scheduled to close for monsoon on the next day onwards.
There are quite a few options available to reach Jayanti from Alipur Duar.
We took the govt. bus, which takes around 2 hrs to reach.
Know details about How To Reach Lepchakha.
We spent the night at Manoj Da's Homestay. He was an amazing host and moreover an outstanding cook. I can still taste the Desi Chicken in my mouth. And warm Rooti and cup of tea was the icing on the cake.
The homestay is near Jayanti river, surrounded by green forest. Watching the clouds rolling over the mountains was pure bliss and I realized, how much peace I needed.
Next morning, finally we started our journey to Lepchakha.
We took a car to Santalbari, Manoj Da was kind enough to arrange all cars and even Buxa Safari for us.
We got our route permit for Lepkhacha and govt. authorized guide from here.
It is mandatory to have the permit and hire the Govt. authorized guide for the trek.
The permit cost around INR 90/-
The Guide charges INR 200/-
The village is at the end of approx 5 km dense forest of broadleaf Flora, rich variety Fauna, orchards and other tropical rainforest trees. The hiking trail has astonishing photographic views. Perfect for Instagram clicks.
We also stopped a few times to get the perfect social-media worthy photo.
But was hypnotized by the color and playfulness of nature and did get only few shots.
This is also the route to historic
Buxa Fort.
It is believed that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was imprisoned here by the British government for some time during the freedom movement.
The hike wasn't tiring that much. though the trail was pretty decent and was steep. The beauty and serenity of the Jungle kept us motivated to hike.
We were also accompanied by the sound of unusual insects, water flows and exotic birds.
It took us around 5 hrs to reach Lepchakha. I can't express my feeling in words what I saw after reaching the end of the trail.
Mountains are indeed magical in monsoon. When the clouds touch your face you can forget all your worries.
We found shelter in Eco Hut. The village is far, far away from the essence of city life which makes it more close to nature. Also, this is still not a very touristy place. That makes this place more real and still has its authentic charm.
Electricity and mobile tower are not available every time. People have installed solar power as a replacement.
People are very friendly. And people from the mountains are one of the best cooks in the entire world. I can assure you won't forget the people and the hosting service they have provided.
We spent a night in this tranquil and friendly village.
We left the place with a heavy heart.
This place was so magical that it left an amazing impact on my life. The village has its own world out of the capital and into nature.
How To Reach
Jayanti is well connected via bus and car.
You need to take a train to Alipur Duar.
From Alipur Duar there is govt. buses running every day to Jayanti.
Bus fare around INR 60/- per person took around 1.5 hrs.
Also can take a shared car, fare approximately INR 1500/- per person.
From Jayanti you need to reserve a car to go to Satlabari. Cost approx 2000/-
From Satlabari 5 Km Jungal trail hike to the village.
On the way back if you get lucky you will get a shared car from Satlabari. But it's a good idea to ask the driver to wait there on return date/time.
Accommodation
Manoj Prasad's Homestay (Jayanti)
Contact: +91 95470 00693
Room - INR 1000/- per room
Food - INR 150/- (Chicken + Rooti) per person
Eco Hut Lepchakha
Room - INR 900/- per room
Food - INR 120/- (Egg Thali) per person
P.S:
Please do not use animals for your fun. Your awesome vacation may be their nightmare. We do not encourage animal rides or any activities related to animal cruelty or abuse. We are highly against them.
Please be respectful to nature and the people, be empathetic & sensitive, travel responsibly and do not litter. And most importantly, keep exploring...!!!
Thanks to Saikat & Chandrima, we get to know about such an amazing place in details. Share your experience also. Join our community on Facebook.