Dooars

The Dooars or Duars are the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Located in northeastern part West Bengal, along the foothills of Eastern Himalayas, Duars or Dooars are considered the gateway to Bhutan from India. Dooars is one of the very few places left in the country where nature is so lavish of her green facilities. The unending stretch of virgin forests is crisscrossed by the river Teesta and her innumerable tributaries. Looking like molten silver against the setting sun, beautiful motorable roads cut through the deep forests rich in wildlife.

The area has beautiful tea gardens and fascinating wildlife, including leopards, tigers, elephants, and the Indian rhinoceros. The Sankosh River divides the area into Western Duars Bengal Duars and Eastern Duars Assam Duars . Blessed with dense natural forests, lush green tea gardens, criss crossed by meandering rivers streams like Teesta, Raidak, Torsha, Jaldhaka, and Kaljani, this place is an abode for nature lovers. Dooars is easily accessible from Siliguri, Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri.

Gorumara National Park:Gorumara is situated in the foothills of Eastern Himalaya in Terai region and is endowed with forests and grasslands which is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, especially the mighty One Horned Indian Rhino. This sanctuary is spread over an area of approx. 80 square km. Gorumara was bestowed the title of a Reserve Forest in 1895, then in 1949, it was given the status of a wildlife sanctuary and finally in 1994, it earned the status of National Park. Ministry of Environment and Forest had also declared Gorumara as one of the best among the protected areas in India for the year 2009. So, if you are a wildlife lover, you should visit this national park and book the jungle safaris for getting up close to the wild animals.

Gajoldoba:Gajoldoba is a small village on the western side of the roaring Teesta River, located 10 km from Siliguri close to Baikunthapur forest is famous for its dam in the Teesta basin. Gajoldoba is in the western south of the Himalayan foothills, between the Mahananda River to the west and the Teesta River to the east. It is the latest addition to the already multitude of tourist destinations in Jalpaiguri. It is a bird watchers paradise as migratory water birds throng the dam constructed over the river Teesta. To add to the beauty, the reservoir is surrounded by the dense forests of Baikunthapur. WBTDCL s property Bhorer Alo is built amidst the nature and provides an enthralling experience of nature with a flock of geese in company. So, if you are looking for a quiet getaway amidst nature, listen to birds chirping while spotting migratory birds then this is the place for you.

Alipurduar:Alipurduar is the gateway to Bhutan and the north-east states in India. The district is lush with greenery due to the multiple tea gardens and dense jungles. Alipurduar is in proximity to the Dooars region and provides stunning views of the Bhutan valley and the impenetrable forest covering the Buxa hills. Alipurduar has seen the establishment of the South Khairbari Tiger Rescue Centre, a novel endeavor that is unrivaled throughout the entire north-east which serves as a permanent shelter for tigers. So, to bring out the true explorer in you, you should visit the untamed forests of Alipurduar and have a firsthand experience of being close to the wild animals.

Jaldapara:Jaldapara covers an area of 216 sq. km. and can be described as a mosaic of woods, grasslands, perennial streams, sandy riverbanks, and extensive belts of tall grass. The area was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1941 for the protection of the Indian One-Horned Rhino, and in 2012, it was declared as a National Park. It houses a diversity of flora and fauna including mixed deciduous forests, grasslands and riverbanks which houses herds of Bison, Hispid hare, Hog deer, Sambar, and Asian elephants amongst other animals. The skies are a birdwatchers delight with presence of variety of eagles, Bengal florican, Indian Hornbill, jungle fowl, pea fowl, partridges and more.

Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary:Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in the vicinity of Gorumara National Park is one of the famous destinations in Dooars. Chapramari is essentially an extension of Gorumara National Park and is separated by the Murti River. The total coverage of Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary is 960 hectares. Best known for its large Elephant population, Chapramari was declared as wildlife sanctuary in 1998. The forest is bounded by shimmering river streams making it an ideal place to partake in angling and boating while traveling in Dooars. The Watchtower of Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary is an ideal place to observe the native and migratory birds on the bank of the river. A wide range of wildlife can be seen at Chapramari which includes elephants, gaurs Indian bison , leopards, different types of deer including spotted deer, chital, sambar and barking deer, wild boars etc. One can even see one-horned rhinos if they are lucky.

Jayanti River:Jayanti is a small, forested village near Rajabhatkawa. Jayanti River forms a natural border with the Bhutan hills, the hills on the Eastern Side of the river are known as the Jayanti Hills, and the small villages on the western side known as Jayanti villages. Jayanti has a serene ambience and pictorial view often referred to as the Queen of Dooars is about 30 Km from Alipurduar. Meeting a herd of Elephant or Spotted Deer or plenty of Peacocks are most common sights on the way to Jayanti. Mahakal Cave is another interesting place where you can go located near Bhutan border this cave temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and many visitors visit this cave during Maha Shibratri.

Murti:A small, picturesque village named Murti is situated along the bank of shimmering River Murti. River Murti originates from the Neora Valley National Park and flows through major tourist areas of Dooars before meeting Jaldhaka. At Samsing, the Murti River reaches the plains and continues its journey by dividing the stretch of Gorumara forest. Thus, the Gorumara forest is located on the right bank of the Murti River while the Chapramari forest is situated along its left side. Murti stretches about 80km in length covering most of the pictorial sights. Located 60km from Jalpaiguri at the foothill of the Himalayas Murti offers awe-inspiring scenery of the adjacent forest area.

Malbazar:Malbazar is one of the most important towns in Dooars region. It is popular for its tea gardens and the beautiful Mal Park. For a picnic break with family and friends, Kumlai is a must visit. The town is strategically located on NH 31, providing close access to major tourist attractions around. Malbazar can easily be the base for tourists, planning to visit Eastern Dooars, Gorumara National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Gorubathan, Jhalong, Bindu, Samsing or Suntalekhola.