Top 6 Best Forests to Visit In Dooars And Jaldapara

The vast areas of Dooars is home to various National Parks and rare animals like One Horn Rhinos among best forests to visit in Dooars and jaldapara. The place is famous for dense forest and various flora and fauna with magical natural beauty.

Forests To Visit In Dooars

The region of Dooars located in the eastern and north-eastern part of India with spread from Dhansiri river in Assam to Tista river in West Bengal. Dooars also plays the gateway of Bhutan and other hill stations of North Bengal.

You can book your Dooars stay in Official website of Government of West Bengal.

Jaldapara National Park located at Eastern Himalayan foothills of Alipurduar district, West Bengal. Madarihat is the base point for visiting Jaldapara National Park and also one of the convenient staying option in the region is Madarihat tourist lodge which is operated and managed by state forest department.

Apart from Jaldapara National Park other famous and most popular forest are Gorumara National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Chilapata Wild Life Sanctuary and Baikunthapur Forest among best forests to visit in Dooars.

1. Jaldapara National Park Is Mightiest Among Best Forests To Visit In Dooars

Jaldapara Natiomal Park is one of the mightiest forest among best forests to visit in Dooars. Spanning across approx. 216.51 square km, areas, the park is renowned for its diversified ecosystem which spread from lush forests to wide grasslands, creating a comfort zone for all living creatures exist in the forest.

Jaldapara is famous for tall grass belt, sandy river which contains great diversity of flora and fauna of mixed deciduous forest among grass land and river bank. Along with lush green, scattered hillocks and plateaus also add a rocky wild ambience to the landscape among best forests to visit in Dooars.

Blessed with the flows of numerous rivers like Torsha, Malangi, Hollong, Chirakhawa, Kalijhora, Sissamara, Bhaluka and Buri Torsha which provide unique biodiversity with extensive grassland ideal for wide variety of mammals, reptile, amphibians and birds.

Jaldapara also allures adventure junkies for trekking, rock climbing and nature trails with spectacular panoramic views of the valley and forest. Nearby Chilapata Forest is famous for an Elephant Corridor between Jaldapara and Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Due to increasing population of Elephant in the region of Jaldapara, the herds of Elephant often found roaming in the areas. Chilapata forest is one of the popular destination in Dooars and just 15 km away from Jaldapara National Park among best forests to visit in Dooars.

Elephant riding is the major attraction in Jaldapara National park to explore the jungle in closer. Elephant ride allows to explore deep inside the grassland of the forest and offer to watch famous one horned rhinos roaming around.

The best time to go for elephant safari around 5:30 in the morning when wildlife more common to come out for foods or pray or roaming around the water bodies in the forest for drink water. The elephant ride commonly arranged in groups of 3-5 elephants and each carrying four tourists with one mahaut.

Trolly Line is a rain forest which is one of the most popular spot in Dooars, located in the Jaldapara National Park. The river Torsha flows through the forest mostly covered with tall grasses and abundant vegetation with rich variety of wildlife among best forests to visit in Dooars.

The main attraction of the Trolly Line rain forest is Asiatic One Horned Rhinos and the sanctuary holds the highest rhino population in India .The other animals like tigers, elephants, deers, sambhar, barking deer, spotted deer, hog deer, wild pig and bisons are also found in the forest.

Jaldapara also famous for various birds like the crested eagle, Pallas’s fishing eagle and shikra, jungle fowl, peafowl, partridges and lesser pied hornbill. Trolly Line is also one of the main tourist points in Jaldapara National Park where herds of elephant can be seen for crossing rivers.

Another popular spot in Jaldapara National Park is Totopara. Toto tribes are one of the main ancient communities in the world and this secluded tribal group residing only in Totopara at the foot of the Himalayas in Madarihat, Alipurduar.

Know about Toto tribes in Toto Tribes Are Still Struggling For Existence

From Jaldapara can visit Totopara through Jeep safari and also other places like Madarihat Tea Garden, Bhutan border, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

2. Chilapata Forest is Popular Among Best Forests To Visit In Dooars

Chilapata Forest or Wildlife Sanctuary is the most popular among best forests to visit in Dooars. Located just 15 km away from Jaldapara National Park, it can be visited with the permission from Forest Department granted. The Forest can be explored by Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari with guided tour.

Known for most dense forest in Dooars it is also enriched with various wild life. Chilapata forest famous for an elephant corridor between Jaldapara National Park and Buxa Tiger Reserve where herds of Elephants are often seen for roaming around.

Chilapata Wildlife Sanctuary spreads along the banks of Bania river in the east and Torsha river in the west. Both rivers support and protect the grassland with deposit the layer of fresh monsoon alluvial soil to maintain the ecosystem of the forest every year.

Chilapata forest is famous for large number of Asiatic One Horn Rhinos and other wildlife like elephants, bison, deer, leopard, lesser cats, cheetal, sambar, barking deer and reptiles like python, krait, cobra and freshwater turtles which enriched the wildlife to make it one of the most precious treasures in Dooars.

Chilapata is also known for birds like Fishing Eagle, Crested Eagle, Jungle Fowl, Bengal Florican, Paradise Flycatchers, Pied Hornbill and various colorful butterfly species. Apart from wild life another popular spot in the forest is Nalraja Fort, which is a historical archeological evidence of Gupta dynasty.

For exploring the forest Elephant Safari is most popular among tourists. Elephant riding towards Mendabari watch tower and Kodal Basti forest is most famous and stunning opportunity to see several trained elephants, rhinos in tall grass areas and also deers, monkey, bisons drinking water from river.

Elephant riding towards Kodal Basti forest is also an adventurous tourist spot where you can go deep inside the forest too for watching magnificent forest areas and wild life more closer among best forests to visit in Dooars.

3. Chapramari wildlife Sanctuary Is Oldest Among Best Forests To Visit In Dooars

Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary is oldest among best forests to visit in Dooars. Located in the Noethern side of Gorumara National Park and 80 km away from Siliguri. Chapramari forest is a small Sanctuary in India comparing to others. The dense green forest provides the real natural shelter to the wild habitats and birds.

The huge tall trees, thick lush greenery and flowing Murty river creating an enchanting peaceful ambience that touches all. An old forest bungalow built inside the forest, attracts all visitors to stay for enjoying the real mystical rhythm of jungle by observing Bisons, Elephants, Rhinos, Monkeys, Peacocks and a whole lot of unknown birds come to quench their thirst in nearby water body.

The famous watch tower adjacent to the Chapramari forest rest house where visitors come during the mornings and evenings to enjoy watching animals and birds. Jungle safari, Jeep safari are also popular to explore the forest and near by attractions.

Chapramari forest famous for Elephant population, Indian Bison, Deer, Birds and reptiles. Some times luckily the Royal Bengal Tiger also can be seen in deeper jungle areas or drinking water in the river. The forest connect the North-East to the other part of India.

The forest boast 100 species of birds and Sanctuary is mostly covered with Dry mixed forest and wooden trees like Sal, Teak, Sishu, shirish and more.

4. Gorumara National Park Is Enchanting Among Best Forests To Visit In Dooars

Gorumara National Park specially endowed with forests and grasslands, also home to a variety of flora and fauna, known for rare species like One Horn Rhino among best forests to visit in Dooars. Located in the foothills of Eastern Himalayan Terai region and spread over around 80 sq km dense forest.

Gorumara was Reserve Forest in 1895, got the status of a wildlife sanctuary in 1949 and finally in 1994, it was recognized as National Park title. It was also crowned by Ministry of Environment and Forest as one of the best among the protected areas in India for the year 2009.

Gorumara National Park is situated in the flood plain of Western Dooars in between Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. Beautiful natural ambience of the forest attracts nature lovers and also adventure junkies for especially to visit One horn Rhinos and their natural habitat.

The rich biodiversity of the the Park falls under the Indomalaya Ecozone and the Biomes are the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, shrublands and moist broadleaf forests. The plethora of varieties of flora and faunas are also include the variety of sub montane forest birds.

Various watch towers inside Gorumara National Park like Chandrachur Watch Tower, Chukchuki Watch Tower, Medla Watch Tower and Jatraprashad Watch Tower are the main attraction point in Gorumara for watching birds and animals in their natural habitats among best forests to visit in Dooars.

The rare birds like Indian Hornbill, Spangled Drongo, Scarelet Minivet, Peafowls, Peacocks, woodpeckers, pheasants are anonymously found in Gorumara National Park among best forests to visit in Dooars. Chandrachur Watch Tower also offers a breathtaking view of the wide forest lands.

Elephant Riding at Gorumara is very famous for the tourist, but it is available only for those who staying in government forest Department resorts like Gorumara Eco Village Kalipur, Gorumara Elephant Camp Dhupjhora and Gorumara Rhino Camp Ramsai.

The Elephant safari across the Murti River and deep inside the forest not only spectacular natural soothing but are also an opportunity to watch rhinos and bisons roaming around the river. Gorumara National Park is surrounded by some ethnic villages and people involved in the business of Ecotourism and departmental activities of the local forest administration.

5. Buxa Tiger Reserve is Breathtaking Among Best Forests To Visit In Dooars

Buxa Tiger Reserve in Bengal one of the famous tiger reserve and protected areas among the best forests to visit in Dooars. Located situated in Alipurduar district, stretches about 760 sq.km of areas. Buxa was declared as tiger reserve in 1983 and a National park in 1992.

The forest shared International border with Bhutan in North, touches Assam in East and NH-31C runs through the forest. The rich biodiversity supports plethora of varieties flora and fauna with a great source of rare orchids and medicinal herbs.

The Buxa National Park is the eastern most extension of North-East India which represent highly endemic Indo-Malayan region and also part of fragile Terai eco system of Dooars. The forest shared the part of Phipsu Wildlife Sanctuary in the North and Manas National Park in the East with Bhutan which serves International Corridor of Elephant migration between India and Bhutan.

The corridors of North-East and Brahmaputra valley tiger landscape acts as a linkage of free migration of tigers to various protected areas like Buxa and Manas Tiger Reserve, Phipsu Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan and Jaldapara National Park.

Jungle safari is one of the most hot demanding to every tourist and now Buxa Tiger Reserve has introduced car safari and boating routes facility also. Earlier, tourists had to hire local vehicles to enter the forest and allowed only in the fringe areas among the forests to visit in Dooars.

But now a new development project has initiated for the tourists which is going to allow into a portion of the forest’s core areas with car safaris, four watchtowers would be built in the core areas, picnic spots and tents would be set up in the outskirts and a butterfly park also would be constructed.

To visit the core areas of Buxa Tiger Reserve would be available through five routes of car safaris and no food items except drinking water is allowed in the time of Safari. Each route, four cars will be allowed in one shift to visit the forest for two hours among the best forests to visit in Dooars.

Apart from Forest, the historical significance of Buxa Fort of British era is another hot attraction here. Tourist also love to explore the sightseeing of nearby Mahakal Cave and Jayanty.

6. Baikunthapur Forest is Serene Among Best Forests To Visit In Dooars

Baikunthapur forest is serene beautiful natural paradise among best forests to visit in Dooars. Located in the Terai regions of Dooars, blessed by Teesta in the east and Mahananda river in the West. The forest is famous for near by reservoir of Tista barrage known as Gajoldoba which is compared with Dal lake in Kashmir.

Gajoldoba is famous picturesque tourist destination on the Teesta Barrage, in Jalpaiguri District adjacent to the Baikunthapur Forest. On the way you can visit Baikunthapur Palace, Devi Chowdhurani Temple in Jalpaiguri, Tea Garden, Bhabani Pathak Temple at Shikarpur Tea Estate, Bodaganj Forest, Bhramoridevi Temple at Bodaganj, Teesta Barrage and Kathambari Forest.

Gajoldoba is famous for bird watching and good place to see migrating and wintering raptors. Some birds are seen here are Common Shelduck, Falcated Duck along with Red crested Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Lesser Sand Plover, Northern Lapwing, Osprey, Western and Eastern Marsh Harriers, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Great Crested and Black necked Grebes.

Baikunthapur forest close to Siliguri, which is a major town of North Bengal and act as a gateway to the northeastern states of India and several international borders, including Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. It is also the home to numerous species of wildlife, especially wild elephants.

The forest partly falls in Jalpaiguri district and the other part in the Darjeeling district. Jalpaiguri and Siliguri are the main towns in this region. Dooars not only a cluster dense forest areas but also have several beautiful destinations for spectacular natural beauty like Lataguri, Bindu, Samsing and Jhalong among best forests to visit in Dooars. 

How To Reach

New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, New Mal Junction is the two major Railway stations in Dooars. There are plenty of buses and cars available to reach any places in Dooars. Bagdogra is the nearest and only airport in Dooars. After landing at Bagdogra airport, busses and cars are available to reach Dooars.

Best Time To Visit Dooars

Dooars is enchanting in various season and the place full of diversity. As a result, you can visit Dooars at any time of the year. But November to February, the winter is the best time to visit Dooars. During winter the weather stays charming and there is no rain among best forests to visit in Dooars.

Frequently Asked Questions And Answers

Ques 1. What is the Dooars famous for ?

Ans 1. Dooars is famous for spectacular natural beauty and wild life sanctuaries like Gorumara, Jaldapara, Buxa Tiger Reserve and many other national parks and forests.

Ques 2. Which state is Dooars in ?

Ans 2. Dooars is a vast areas located in the foothills of Himalayas spread from Jalpaiguri to Alipurduar district in Northern part of West Bengal.

Ques 3. Is Darjeeling the part of Dooars ?

Ans 3. Some part of Dooars found in Darjeeling also.

Ques 4. Which place is known as ‘Queen of Dooars’ ?

Ans 4. Jayanti is called ‘Queen Of Dooars’ and the name derives from the river Jayanti, located in Jalpaiguri district in Dooars.

Ques 5. Why Jaldapara National Park is so famous ?

Ans 5. Jaldapara National Park is home to largest One Horn Rhino after Kaziranga in Assam.