Lolegaon travel guide and travelogue

Wild Flower in Lolegaon

Blue beauty

I was on my way from Kolkata to Delhi once. Eagerly gazing out from the window of the plane and looking into the vast playing fields of the clouds, well I thought "Oh God...If only I could live on the clouds..."
 
This is the story of how my wish came true. This is the story of The kingdom of clouds!
 

Getting there: 
I have been waiting for this day from the 13th day of the previous month! I was literally praying to god to make time move forward and bring forth this day. We were in a Taxi, headed out to the newly made Kolkata Railway Station (The name of the place is Chitpur, by the way). It is about 20-25 Kms from the heart of Kolkata. We were again going to the beautiful Himalayas! When we reached the station, we found our train (HWH-Guwahati Garib Rath Exp) standing on Platform 5. The departure time was 9:40 PM. We got up and settled down. Our destination station was New Jalpaiguri(NJP), about 550 Kms from Kolkata. I always found travelling by train very romantic. The whistling of the old Canadian Steam engines, the chugging sound of the train and the fast clanking of the railway wheels with the steel lines, these are the sounds I could never forget. The days have changed, now travelling in AC has become more affordable. The old nonchalant ways of rail travel has given way to a more comfortable, but synthetic way. Here in the Garib Rath trains, you have to rent your bedding, so, that we hurriedly did and went to sleep.

Dew drops

 We got down at NJP at 7:30 AM in the morning. It was full of hustle-bustle of the tourists getting down there. The taxi and auto drivers were jostling and haggling with us for the fare. They were mostly interested in going to Darjeeling or Gangtok, two of the most popular tourist destinations in the Eastern-Himalayas. We told them that we will go to Loleygaon. One of them agreed for a sum of Rs 1800. It was around Rs 200 more than the usual fare but we agreed as we couldn't wait to get away from the sweltering heat of the plains!
 
Lolegaon is a small sleepy little village, engulfed in pine, oak and cypress trees. Nature has poured her magic in abundance on this place. There are also many varieties of orchids present. Its as if nature was born here. It is 123 Kms from the twin cities of Siliguri/NJP and 54 Kms from the bustling hill city of Kalimpong. The drive is around 5 hrs from NJP railway station. A variety of hotels and resorts have sprung up here, but the best of them is the govt. run wilderness and nature resort. You can chose to stay either in cottages or inside the main building. The cottages range from Rs 900 to Rs 500 and the rooms cost around Rs 900. If you want to truly enjoy nature, stay in the cottages.
 
 
There was a small hatchback car waiting for us. We were quite apprehensive, as we heard that the stretch of road was really bad from Lava to Lolegaon! We started off. Crossing the Mahananda sanctuary lets you know that you are entering the domain of the hills. After some time you take a right turn over the tista bridge and off you go into the hills! We stopped for some refreshments in a roadside Tibetan hotel, and then started off again. As the meandering road stretched before us, with tea gardens on both its sides, the cool mountain air sipped off the heat and the tiredness from our bodies.
 
The road from Lava to Lolegaon really lived up to its name! It was a stretch of around 25 Kms. On both sides of the road, it was thickly forested with huge pine trees. Moss was hanging from their branches. Suddenly from nowhere a huge entourage of clouds came charging on us from the slopes below, and we could see nothing! Slowly, the car went on. The road was heavily dented and damaged. The driver told us that it was owned by the forest department. We were rolling inside the cars like a box of chocolates being shaken! It would have been a very good idea to rent a jeep or something for loleygaon. We went on and on. The scenery was mesmerising with the clouds floating in all the time and glimpses of the thick forest around us! After a good 5 Hrs drive we reached our resort. We had booked 2 cottages (Hornbill 1 and 2), right at the edge of the resort. When we were getting our belongings from the car suddenly our eyes struck at a riot of colours! All around us, there were scores of flowers! Rhododendrons! Red, Pink White. It was as if we were standing in the middle of a kaleidoscope!
 

The resort:

In the resort, there were an assortment of living spaces. In the back, near the road, or in precise terms, below the road was the main building, offering cosy rooms. Outside there was a huge garden full of flowering trees and a weird kind of yellow grass, that I didn't see anywhere else. The whole resort was built on a mountain slope. On the upper edge of the slope there are relatively cheap cottages named "Orchid" (with a daily tariff of Rs 500). These don't have a direct view of the towering snow peaks from inside of the rooms, nonetheless they are quite cosy. One advantage of these are that the main canteen is located adjacent to these cottages, so you won't have to walk much to go for lunch or dinner.
 
The cottages we booked, are situated at the edge of a sloping hill and marks the boundary of the resort. Below them the road stretches through the forest to the DGHC Rest House, and then to an astounding view. On a cloudless day you could see the mighty Mt. Kanchendzonga peering through the mists and towering above the hills below! We reached, our cottages which were enveloped in a blanket of clouds, and we could only make out the rows of wild bushes, just at the edge of the road. Beyond that, everything was white! There were rows of pear tress beside the cottages and the space between the cottages were wrapped with various flowers. Butterflies and bees fluttered and buzzed among them.
 

Exploration:

We freshened up a bit and decided to explore the neighborhoods. It was 2:30 in the afternoon, but seemed like early morning, all around us clouds came rushing in and then disappeared up the slope. Our tiredness vanished in the awesome beauty of the place. We went outside the resort and walked up to the small village of Lolegaon. There is one tourist car booking counter, some shops and homes. There are also quite a few hotels there. The plan for the next day was to go to Rishap, some 30-35 Kms from here. The view from Rishap was stupendous, we heard. We booked a car for the next day to take us there. With mutual consent, we fixed the price to 1200, and the agent warned that it would cost 300 more if we go for sightseeing of Lava. We agreed. After having a piping hot coffee in the local coffee shop, we went back to our hamlet as it was getting colder and darker. While walking, we could barely see 20 Mts in front of us through the clouds. It was as if we were walking on them.
 
The next day the car came at 7 in the morning to take us to Rishap. We were already awake and ready. The weather was the same. In fact it grew worse as the cloud cover grew thicker. The jeep started on its way, through the beautiful Pine forests. The road to Rishap was an adventure in itself. After negotiating the "not so comfortable" road from Loleygaon to Lava, the jeep turned left just before entering the city of Lava and took the road towards kalimpong. Then at a bend near a beautiful and old temple, it took a sharp right turn and started to climb the hills of Rishap. The steepness of the climb was nearing 45 degrees. Then came the surprise, suddenly the road disappeared and a path strewn with boulders appeared in front of us. It was as if, a landfall has occurred. The driver indicated to us with a wry smile that this is the only road to Rishap! After our matchbox ride of around 5 Kms, we reached Rishap. Here also the situation was almost similar, only that the clouds didn't touch Rishap, in fact we could see them below along the slopes and the valleys. Rishap is situated on a hill top, the view of the mighty snow peaks is flawless from here. There are a few hotels here, but once you come here, you are completely cut off from the main towns. You cannot even buy a box of Matchsticks here as there are no local shops. We saw a beautiful blue coloured bird, which was playing among the mossed branches of the trees.
 
After roaming around a little while, unable to find a suitable place to rest for a few hours, we decided to go to Lava and then back to Loleygaon. Lava is a big city, with many shops and  hotels. The monastery here is truly amazing with a beautiful view and a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. We visited the monastery and then drove back to Loleygaon.
 
There was still some light, so we decided to go on walk along the forest road, towards Jhandi Dhara, the sunset point of Lolegaon. It is said that in a clear day, you can even see the mighty Everest basking in its glory from here. Alas, it was no use for us to go there, as the entire place was engulfed in clouds. On our way back, we saw some Raspberry shrubs full with ripe raspberry. We stopped and enjoyed the sweet-sour fruits to the fullest.
 
There is a beautiful temple of Lord Shiva in Loleygaon, with a statue of Gautama Buddha in front. Its an extremely rare and beautiful sight to see the confluence of the two religions like this. Canopy walk, as it is popularly known is around 2 Kms from here. It is a beautiful forested area with huge trees, and a wooden canopy is built among them. Its a pretty amazing experience walking on the canopy, among the huge moss laden branches of the trees.
 

Relaxing!: 
Next day there was nothing significant, as we decided to stay in the cottages and enjoy the clouds. One could easily spend a day in the garden of the resort, just taking photographs of the flowers. We also found some wild strawberries, which were in fact quite cute and tasty.
 

Adieu:

Then the sad day came, we had to go back. There are two shared cabs from Loleygaon to Kalimpong. One in the morning at 7:30, another at 12 in the afternoon. Kalimpong is around a 3hrs journey from here, so we decided to take the 7:30 Taxi. The fare is Rs. 80 per head. We would then take a bus from Kalimpong (Fare Rs 65 per person) to NJP.
 
Sadly we embarked upon our return journey and returned to Kolkata the next day at 9 in the morning. The heat was unbearable. Gazing out of the taxi, towards the clouds, I exclaimed to my wife "Can you imagine, from here, that we were actually among the clouds!". My wife calmly replied "When do you have office tomorrow?"
 

Wild Raspberries- Lolegaon

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

Mountains of Bengal & Himachal

Off-the-beaten-track tourist places in Himachal Pradesh and Bengal Himalayas

 

Takdah - Eastern Himalayas, West Bengal

 
Takdah...The name itself has a hint of serenity. This little hamlet about 3hrs drive from Siliguri is famous for its orchids. There is a big nursery near the town showcasing a variety of orchids. Its like a dreamland, once you are in Takdah. You should book the forest bungalow well in advance, as it's in big demand. Takdah itself is situated on a face of a hill, overlooking a valley. The road to the forest bungalow is a narrow and steep offshoot of the main road running through Takdah and its situated at the base of a sloping forest. Inside, it feels and looks like a real star hotel. In the monsoons you can enjoy lying down in the cozy bedroom, playing a pack of cards. Through the window you can see the rain pouring down, from above and from the face of the hill. This combined with the greenery makes it enchanting! There is nothing much in terms of site-seeing near Takdah, but you can just relax and enjoy the surroundings, sapping away all the tiredness, tensions and pollutions of daily life! Take a walk down the winding pathways of the hill through a posse of greenery, enjoy a hot serving of momos at the local eatery, and then come back to the hotel and enjoy with your family while the cook prepares a tasty meal for dinner.
 
 

Jorepokhri - Eastern Himalayas

 
Jore-Pokhri...Jore means pair and Pokhri means lakes. The place is situated at the top of a hill just above Ghum on the Ghum-Mirik highway. The approach is a narrow road winding up the Hill through thick pine forests, in which if you are lucky, you can spot some wild animals. The lakes are part of the resort and are man made, but very beautiful. You will find white swans swimming about and ducks playfully splashing in the water. It has a marvelous view of the Kanchenjunga range; you will feel that the majestic snow peaks are hanging on top of the place. The altitude is about 8000 feet, so the weather is pretty cool even in the summers. The main advantage of the place is that it's on top and there's not much obstruction in the view around. There's only a Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council bungalow for accommodation here. In the mornings, after you view the sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjunga, you can take a walk along the road, through the forest. Or you can hire a car and hop on for some site-seeing of the nearby places. All in all, a great hill station with a magnificent view of the mighty and elegant snow capped Himalayas!
 

McLoedganj - Himachal Pradesh

 
If there's a Tibet in India then this is the place. This is also the residence of HM Dalai Lama in India. The views of the Dhauladhar range are magnificent from here. The Tibetan government in exile is headquartered here. You can find many varieties of hotels here to stay, food is authentic Tibetan and delicious from any of the eateries around. You can visit the McLeodganj Monastery, where you can spend an entire day, just sitting in the calm and quiet holy surroundings and looking at the Dhauladhar Range. Also, there are plenty of shopping opportunities here as there are authentic Tibetan shops around from which you can get really good bargains! Dharamsala is around an hour's drive from here and should be your next stop.

Kaluk and Rinchenpong travel guide

Mountains of Sikkim are one of the most beautiful in the world. Situated in a remote part of that mountain are the twin hamlets of Kaluk and Rinchenpong. If you love the mountains and jump at the joy of seeing the snowy white peaks of the Himalayas, then it cannot get better than this. This place offers a majestic view of the mighty Himalayas. On a clear day you can see more than 10 peaks, including the fabulous Kanchendzonga.
 
It was the month of October, we were on our way to Kaluk from Siliguri in the jeep I arranged earlier. From the Sevoke bridge if you take right, you will enter the mountains of West Bengal and if you continue straight, you will go towards Sikkim. The jeep sped towards the looming hills in front of us, which gradually faded away in the mists. You can reach Kaluk/Rinchenpong by road only. The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri (113 Kms) and airport is Bagdogra. The shortest way would be via Jorethang, a bustling hill town. As we crossed the Tista and went towards the hills, the air became cooler and the scenery greener. Its wonderful how the vegetation changes in the mountains. Another interesting fact about the eastern Himalayas is that all the major tea gardens are located in the West Bengal part. Sikkim is endowed with only one tea garden.
 
 
We left the company of Tista and went on, then found the beautiful River Rangit for company. Its like an emerald flowing with its green colour. Our driver decided to take a shortcut, through a place called Zoom. And we literally zoomed up. There were nearly 45 degree hairpin bends that took us to above 5000 feet within 20-25 mins. From there the road was only "jeep able" and we were rattled like a box full of coins.
 

 
At last we reached Kaluk after an arduous 3.5 Hrs drive. There are many resorts in Kaluk but only one hotel. We chose that hotel as it fitted our budget (Rs 800/day) and the food really good. The speciality of the hotel is the rooftop restaurant, from where the view of the snow capped peaks is majestic! Imagine, lazing around in the restaurant sipping a piping hot cup of tea and in front of you the mighty Kanchendzonga range basking in the sunlight. If you have a higher budget and prefer to stay in a little more serene and classy surroundings, you can opt for the resorts. They also have a splendid view.
 
 
The snow clad peaks were lost away in mists, but still the view was amazing. There was a small temple in the hill above and some Buddhist prayer flags fluttered in the cold air nearby. We eagerly looked at some red objects kept in the sun. Initially we thought that they were cherries, but when we had a closer look, it turned out to be red chillies! The hill in front was Gayzing and opposite to that was Pelling, another famous tourist spot with a magnificent view. The hotel was situated on the road a Little distance away from the village on the road, which spiralled away to Rinchenpong. All the resorts are located below the hotel, on a spiralling road going to a village down below. We just sat on the table-top restaurant and enjoyed the view, occasionally sipping a cup of tea.
 

The next day morning we woke up at 5 AM and waited for the sun rise. We frantically hoped that the mists will clear in the morning. It was still dark when we heard a beautiful whistling song coming from a nearby tree. Looking closely, we saw that it was a hill maynah singing away joyfully. It cannot be explained how sweet the bird sang. Soon a chorus of them joined in and we could see the first rays of the sun lighting up the sky. Slowly the magic began. First we could see the snow peaks as grey walls standing in front, then suddenly the colour started changing! It became from light golden to bright red, with the first rays of the sun touching the snow. The view was so amazing, that for a moment we forgot everything. Slowly the sun was rising and the colour of the peaks were changing. We could see around 10-11 snow clad peaks glittering and glowing in the sunlight. In the morning, when we came up to the restaurant for tea, we could still see the peaks, but this time sparkling white.
 

 
We planned to take a jeep and visit the nearby tourist spots. The most remarkable were the singshore hanging bridge with a 1000 feet drop and a hanging city Dantem, which was literally hanging over a valley with slopes of terraced fields. Below flowed a small mountain stream. It looked like someone plucked a city right from a fairytale and placed it here.
 

Our jeep driver suddenly told us to roll up our window glasses as he came near a waterfall. The speciality of this waterfall was that it splashed directly on the road from the hill top above, creating a kind of shower. He took the jeep below that, switched off the engine and waited for 5 mins till the car was washed clean. A natural car wash! 
 
The roads of West Sikkim are generally so bad so its preferable to take a jeep instead of a small car with low ground clearance.
 
Next day we planned to walk to Rinchenpong to visit the local monastery there. Its only 3 Kms from Kaluk. The road to Rinchenpong is very beautiful and scenic. After reaching RInchenpong main square, we took a right turn towards the monastery. It was around 1 Km from there through a forested road. When we reached there, we felt that it was really worth it. In front of us there were rows of prayer flags on both sides of the road ahead leading to the smallest and cutest monastery we have ever seen! There was a ground in front of the monastery where the kids were playing. The small huts where the monks lived stood out to the edge looking down to the valley below. In all, it was magnificent!
 

There were many places for sight seeing here but we decided to enjoy the serene surroundings of the monastery and go back to Kaluk. While returning we were really hungry and went to a local restaurant to get a taste of the local cuisine. Usually most of the restaurants in the eastern Himalayas serve momos and chowmein, but it was special here. The pork and the chicken momos were awesome and we really indulged in them.

 
The last day before coming back, we planned to go to Ravangla, which was around 2 hours from here via the Temi tea estate, the only tea garden in Sikkim. It falls on the way to Ravangla, on a diversion. There is also a beautiful orchid garden on the way to Temi, but Orchids flower only in the March-May season and there was nothing to be seen there in October. The tea garden was fabulous with a magnificent view of the neighbouring hills. If you go down along the tea garden, you can also buy some fresh tea from the factory outlet. 
 
When we were reaching Ravangla, a magnificent snow peak was towering in front of us on the horizon. From here there is a splendid view of the 2 peaks, Kabru and Siniolchu, which the locals sometimes tell as Kanchendzonga as people are more familiar with that. The view was straight taken out from an oil painting with the white snow clad mountains towering over the lush green forests.
 
The final day when we had to come back, we decided to make it more interesting and adventurous by rafting on the famous Tista. The rafting starts at tarkhola in Teesta bazar. There are 2 options that you can take. One is the 8 Km stretch and another is the 11 km stretch. We took the 8 km one as we didn't have much time in hand. The boat fare per person was around 350 Rs and the maximum capacity of a boat is 10 persons. If you are more adventurous, you can reserve a single boat for 3500 Rs, but its a little risky if you are few in number, as the balance in not as good as the 10 person option. There are also camera men standing near the booking counter, offering to take the photographs for a hefty sum. We therefore asked our driver, for an extra sum of course, to take our photos as we flowed with the river. The experience will definitely last a lifetime! The rubber boat jumping and gliding upon the rapids and then suddenly going quietly along a quiet stretch of the river.
 
After the rafting was over, we were all wet and shivering. If you decide to go rafting, remember to keep an extra set of dry clothes. There's no changing room or washroom near the river. The nearest will be Siliguri, around 32 Kms away!
 
 
We reached Siliguri after about an hour and a half, to board our bus for Kolkata. We were clearly sad by the looks of all of our faces. Only if some good things never come to an end!