OFFBEAT KALIMPONG

“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend”
Robert Louis Stevenson

Every time my journey starts from the day of booking my railway /fight ticket, and this time It happens the same, I started Google about the places, their culture, tradition, food and most importantly nearest places that can be explore.

But this time I did not find enough information from Google as it was not popular among the tourist, and I was really excited. As because I like to travel some offbeat location where I will find less people and untouched by tourist.

But the problem was that I planned the tour in the last week of august, and that was monsoon, and I started getting all that bad news like land slide, road block, flash flood etc. So it was a confusing situation that should I go or not, but I decided that I will wait and hope for the best,

The day is coming and my excitement is getting high, well before 3/4 days of my journey the weather gets OK. And I was ready to go.

The journey begins

It was a busy day today, I finished all my work and took a cab to the station. As I got the upper birth I kept my backpack there and took a cup of hot tea. The train starts on time; I took my dinner and started dreaming about those beautiful landscapes.

I woke up and found that the train is 3 hours late; I wasn’t surprised because it always happens with me.

Well by 11:00 the train reached at new jalpaiguri station, there I found sunil thapa (the driver) he was waited for me from 7:30 in the morning but still there was a smile on his face. I don’t know if I was in his place what would I have done.

DAY 1 (NJP TO CHIBO)

Finally we start our journey to our first destination, it was really hot outside and the traffic jam of siliguri city was disgusting.

After some time we left the city and entered in shevoke road, this road is my all times favorite, the road goes inside from the mahananda wildlife sanctuary, now I feel that I am on my holiday. The car was running on its speed and my eye was outside of the window, we entered in hilly road and it was the majestic Himalaya in front of my eyes, every time I came here I feels the same “wow”

On the way we stopped in a restaurant called “tista dhaba” have a plate of momo and we start again. By watching the beautiful turquoise blue water of river tista we entered in the road of kalimpong. And I started feel the cold breeze. Following the curvy road and passing by some small waterfalls the car stopped in front of beautiful small house, decorated with lot of flower plants, yes this is our shelter for tonight at chibo.

Chibo is a small village of kalimpong district, IT’S A OFFBEAT DESTINATION in the lap of eastern Himalaya, in altitude of 4500 fit.

The place is so beautiful surrounded by green hills and house of approx 200 families. And one can see the whole mountain range of kanchanjangha (sleeping Buddha) clearly from here. IT’S A PERFECT WEEKEND DESTINATION NEAR DARJEELING | KALIMPONG

I check into my room keep my backpack and went straight to the balcony, the view was mesmerizing. Then I get fresh and took my lunch and lay down in the bed by watching outside of the window. After taking an hour rest I came up and click some photos of the flowers and orchids, then move to the road that goes down. There I found a grassland surrounded by green hills, I got company of a cute dog, don’t know why it was very friendly with me. well we both spend some hours there and enjoyed the sun set, now it was getting cold so I came back and enjoyed a cup of hot tea and snacks.

Then I went to the kitchen and chit chat with the owner of the homestay (sunil).people sleep early here so finished my dinner with roti chicken and go to my room as the day was full of journey I slept quickly.

The next morning Sunil was knocking at my door and told me to come at balcony, I went there and guess what??? It was the majestic Kanchenjunga in front of me. Every time I see it always amazed me. In the chill morning with a cup of tea and the view of mount Kanchenjunga it was the moment of my life…

Well then I took a walk of the entire village and the dog I met yesterday again came to give me its company. The best part is every people I met there they greet me with a smile, as they know me from before. I saw that some women are picking up corn from their farm land may be it will be the meal for that day. Life is so simple here. They are not greedy, they don’t have a lot of demand, they are happy with what they have.

It was 9.30 in the morning; Sunil told me that my breakfast is ready, so finished all my bathroom activity and took my breakfast and check out from there.

DAY 2 (CHIBO – DELO – MAYROONG GAON)

Today the first destination is durpin monastery Also known as Zang Dhok Palri Monastery; it's located at the Durpin Dara Hill. It is the biggest monastery of kalimpong. It was so peace full went up stairs there was the Buddha statue. From the open terrace one can get a 360 view of kalimpong city. Some little monks were busy at their exam, I clicked some photos and proceed to my next destination.

Following the Morgan house and the army golf course I reached delo.

Delo Park is a marvelous 8-acre land with wonderful view points, sprawling gardens with many flowering plants. It's located on top of Delo Hill at an altitude of about 5,500 ft and 8km from the town.

There is a tourist lodge, you can book rooms through Gorkha Bhavan, at Salt Lake, Kolkata.

For the visitors there is an entry fee of Rs. 10/- per person.

There are several viewing areas in Delo with shaded gazebos and seats. It's probably the best place in Kalimpong to get a view of Kanchenjunga. You can also get lovely views of Kalimpong town, and the Teesta River from the view points here. IT’S A PERFECT WEEKEND DESTINATION NEAR DARJEELING | KALIMPONG

Well when I reached there suddenly the weather becomes changed, the entire area becomes cover with clouds, and it was really cold out there, clouds were floating around me, literally I can touch them. It was firs time I felt something like this, it was magical. I was seated there for hours and looking at the pine forest I felt that it is the exact one that we have seen in harry potter movie. I repeat it was truly magical..

Well then I feel that my dresses are getting wet and I will be seek if I stay there further, so I came back to car and make my way for the next destination.

mayroong gaon

is a small forrest village at kalimpong in altitude of 5300 fit. The place totally virgin and untouched from tourist. THIS IS REALLY A OFFBEAT DESTINATION.There are just 2 or 3 home stays for tourist. As the place was not on google map we went to wrong direction, the place was so quite, after half an hour drive we found a local boy, he told that we have to go near algarah bazaar which was around 25 minute drive, so we turned back and start again. the situation was adventures for me, yeppeeeeeee…

we stopped at algarah bazaar and the driver talked with a person in local language and start again, we left the main road and entered in a curvy road, about 40 minute after we finally reached the place.

The place was full with big tall trees, may be they are more than 100 years old. Now the name “forest village” mean a lot.

Well I in my room, it was huge three bedded room and the view from window was superb. It was not end there was a huge balcony (approx 12*10 sq ft) beside the room.

Beside a traveler I am also a food lover so it cant be ignored.

Rice, daal, papad, salad, fried potato and egg curry it was my lunch. Well after lunch I sit at the balcony and next to my eyes it was haven…

In the evening I took a small walk, the road was so clean and I hardly found a bike and one car was passed through the road. nobody was around there, it was really quite, only you can hear sound of leafs, birds, and the sound of water falling from somewhere ????????

I came back and one guy came up with a cup of tea, the guy told me that yes there is a falls and I have to trek about one hour to reach there. I was super exited.

DAY 3 (TREK AT MAYROONG AND RETURNED TO NJP)

The next morning I woke up, came at the balcony and the view………

Like someone has put the mountain one after another and white clouds were playing with them, sometime they going up and then down it was like hide and seek. THIS IS A PERFECT WEEKEND DESTINATION NEAR DARJEELING | KALIMPONG.

Well after breakfast I got ready for the trek.

Beside from the home stay there was a so called road that goes down to the waterfalls. well I broke a tree branch and made it my trekking pole. After 20 minute walk I found 2/3 houses and they ensure me that I am in the right route. After another 30 minute walk finally it was there. Though it was not big but it was beautiful. the water was really chilled.

I sit there in middle of the so called road for an hour and I didn’t see any one. The feel was like I discovered the place and I am the king of this island.

Well it’s the time to get back, so i returned to the homestay. I get fresh took my lunch and returned to new jalpaiguri.

Yes the journey ended today with a promise that I will come again somewhere some place in the lap of Himalaya…...

TOTAL TOUR COST:( NJP TO NJP)

HOME STAY:

 CHIBO | SANG PANG HOMESTAY : 1000 – 1200 PER HEAD PER DAY.

CONTACT NO: 9874123775/9800814519 / 8967053361

 MAYROONG GAON | BASNET HOMESTAY: 800 – 1000 PER HEAD PER DAY.

CONTACT NO : 9007318312 / 9932165872

 CAR COST 3500 – 3700 PER DAY (CAR CAN BE TAKEN FROM NJP STATION)

 CALCULATION FOR 6 PERSON:

• STAY 1 : 1000 * 6 = 6000/-

• STAY 2 : 800 * 6 = 4800/-

• CAR : 3500 * 3= 10,500/- (FOR THREE DAY)

 TOTAL COST = 21,300/- (FOR SIX PAX)

 PER HEAD COST : (21,300 / 6) = 3550/-