West Bengal has several exciting and exhilarating trekking routes for adventure enthusiasts. Just as West Bengal has trekking routes between snow-capped Himalayas or fresh and green tea plantations, there are easy trekking routes to Ayodhya hills in Purulia or Gadarsini hills in Belpahari. The warm hospitality of the locals along with the natural environment that makes all types of trekking in West Bengal exciting and enjoyable will make your trekking memorable.
There are currently more than 25 trek routes or trek trails in West Bengal. Our aim is not just to make a list, but to give an idea of different types of treks, how to prepare yourself before going for a trek or to consider what kind of trekking trails are suitable for beginners. The trek routes which are scenic but can be difficult if not experienced enough have been kept aside for now (eg: Sandakphu-Falut, Singalila Ridge Trek etc.). I will discuss such trek trails in a later article.
5 Trekking routes in West Bengal to Beginners
We have selected only 5 trek routes in this article according to their variety, like Gadarsini Pahar trek in Jhargram is ideal as a first trek, it is short and easy. Again Samthar-Purvakhola trek – easy, scenic but a little long and Gorkhe trek and Newra Valley trek not so easy but moderate but the surrounding nature is very beautiful. Finally the Yelbong River Canyon Trek – as the name suggests it follows a river bank and through caves, quite thrilling. Now let’s know about each trek route:
1. Samthar village, beautiful trekking trail near Kalimpong
A peaceful destination about 80 km from Kalimpong and situated at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level. Located in the remote part of Kalimpong, the Samthar Plateau offers the best possible view of Kanchenjunga – the third highest peak in the world. The scenic beauty of Samthar can be compared to a painter’s creation with sloping slopes, terraced agricultural land, green forest covering the valleys, thatched cottages, small and medium rivers add to the beauty of the magnificent landscape. One of the most serene natural resorts in India, Samthar is located at an altitude of 1400-1600 meters.
Trekking Route – From Samthar to Kalimpong
One of the most popular treks from Samthar to Kalimpong takes about 6 hours. The first leg of the trek descends to the Raleigh open (river) valley and then again a steep trek route climbs up to Kalimpong crossing the Raleigh stream. Samthar can be reached from Kalimpong by the same route.
Accommodation in Samthar village
Staying in Samthar is fun because you get to experience the hospitality of the Samthar community. The community consists of Lepchas, Nepalis and Bhutias who provide homestay facilities to tourists. This type of accommodation facility is designed to provide all kinds of comfort to tourists in a rural setting at an affordable price.
How to reach Samthar village
Tourists can reach Samthar village in about two and a half hours from NJP Railway Station or Bagdogra Airport via Kalijhora and Pongbu.
- Best time to visit: January to May and September to December
- Trek Duration: 7 days
- How hard: Easy
2. Gadrasini Trek
Gadrasini Hill is only 7 km away from Belpahari in Jhargram, which is about 200 km from Kolkata. The breathtaking views of the rolling hills of Belpahari and the Sal forest from the top of the Gadrasini hill will captivate the mind of any wanderlust. Keeping in mind the attraction of geographical beauty, several homestays have been built on the lap of Gadrasini Hills. Where the tourists can spend the night in the calm environment of the Shal forest and enjoy the joy of climbing the mountain in the early morning in the cold weather. Not only the beauty of the mountains, peacocks are also one of the attractions here.
How to do trekking
Trekking in the mountains in the hot afternoon sun is very difficult. Moreover, there is an administrative ban on climbing the mountain after 4 pm. Therefore, tourists can reach the Gadrasini hills of Belpahari from Kolkata and spend the night at the homestay and go out for trekking in the morning. To make trekking more popular in Jhargram, the State Tourism Development Corporation is improving the trekking route from Dungri to Rajbari and Pahar, with the number of tourist spots and tourists increasing in Jhargram.
How to reach Gadrasini?
- By Train: From Kolkata to Jhargram railway station by train from Howrah station. After getting off at Jhargram railway station, there is a taxi stand on the left side. Where you can rent a car and go straight to Belpahari. From Belpahari to Adra junction, take the pitch road on the left side for 6 km and you will reach Gadrasini Pahar.
- By Road: Also if you want to come by private vehicle then you have to come from Kolkata via National Highway No. 6 via Kharagpur to Lodhashuli. From this Lodhashuli junction, take the right side of Jhargram city on state highway number 5, cross Jhargram city, straight from Shildar junction, turn left to Naranpur junction. Belpahari Bazar straight from Naranpur junction. From that Belpahari market, along the Banspahari road, about one kilometer ahead is the Hadra junction. From there, if you go 6 kilometers to the left, you can reach Garrasini Hill.
Also read: Jungle Camps in West Bengal with detail
3. Neora Valley Trek – Rachela Pass
The trek through the untouched forests of Newra Valley National Park in West Bengal at an altitude of 3200 meters above sea level is perhaps one of the best hill-jungle treks in our country. The Newora Valley National Park in Kalimpong district covers an area of 88 square kilometers and is home to the Red Panda. Rachella Pass, at an altitude of 10,340 feet, is the highest point in the National Park and is the tri-junction between Sikkim, Bhutan and West Bengal. From the Rachela peak one can see both the Chola range and the Singalila range with a breathtaking view of the Kanchenjunga mountain range. The track is mainly through a very dense forest of bamboo and pine, so dense that even sunlight seems hard to touch the ground.
The first day of the trek starts from Chaudaferri camp, the road from Lava to here has 14 bends, hence the name. The next day of continuous ascent and descent through a variety of bamboo forests leads to the PHE camp. From PHE camp, the route is uncertain as the river changes its course several times. After a short walk you will come across Jaributi Watchtower (Jaributi means medicinal plant). The forest department constructed watch towers here to monitor animal movements; Trekkers can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view from here on a clear day.
The next day of this trail will finally take you to Rachela Pass, and on the way one will cross Jorpokhri which has a sacred evergreen lake. The aforementioned Rachela Pass is the highest point in the Neora Valley National Park and offers breathtaking views of the Kanchenjunga Mountains, Nathula Range, Nathula Pass, Bhutan Ridge and the cities of Darjeeling and Gangtok. Both Sikkim and Bhutan can be reached from this mountain pass. The route from Alubari to Rachela is a tiring uphill climb through thick bamboo forests. Always keep your eye out for the elusive Red Panda!
The next day will take you through the beautiful and ancient rhododendron forest to Ruka. The end point of this trek is the twin villages of Tode and Tangta, located on the hilltops of the Neora Valley National Park.
Where to Stay:
Homestays are available at Tangta and Tode, while tented accommodation is available for other locations along the trail. One can stay at WBFDC Nature Education and Wilderness Resort in Lava.
Useful Notes:
- Necessary permission can be obtained from the forest range office at Lava or Samsung.
- Porters and guides must be booked in advance.
How to reach:
- By Train – The nearest railway station is Newzalpaiguri, from where private cars and shared jeeps are available for the 3-hour journey to Lava.
- By Air – The nearest airport is Bagdogra, from where private cars and shared jeeps are available for the 3.5 hour journey to Lava.
- Best time to visit: March to June and September to December
- Trek Duration : 5 days (including some tour)
- Difficulty: Easy
4. Sreekhola-Rammam-Gorkhey Trek
Gorkhey trek in West Bengal will be your memorable journey in the foothills of Himalayas. This trek is a perfect blend of adventure and serenity, as you walk through thick forests and picture-perfect villages along the way, creating pleasant experiences with the warm and hospitable locals of the region.
Sreekhola-Rammam-Gorkhey is a scenic route in Darjeeling district. There are trekking routes from Sandakphu and Phalut that lead to Manebhanjan and Darjeeling. Rimbic is another village 7 km before Srikhola. It is said that in ancient times there used to be a huge bamboo swing where local people used to play. Today Rimbic is a small busy town, with small shops, lodges for trekkers and a few village development offices. Rammam to Gorkha on day 3 is very easy and scenic.
Probable Itineraries
- Day 1: Drive from Newsalpaiguri or Siliguri to Srikhola and rest. This Srikhola is the starting point of the Gorkhey-Srikhola trek. Rest at Srikhola to make the next day’s walk easier.
- Day 2: Sreekhola to Rammam Trek
After breakfast start walking from Sreekhola to Rammam (12 km away and located at 2560 m altitude) will take about four hours. From the camp site here, one can enjoy a magnificent view of the Darjeeling hills, the town of Rimbic and the villages of the south-west of Sikkim. Overnight stay in Ramamam lodge or tent.
- Day 3: Trek from Rammam to Gorkhey.
After breakfast the trek route from Rammam to Gorkhey gradually climbs and passes through thick forests and small streams. Rammam to Gorkhey is 8 km and a five to six hour walk. Gorkhey is a small village bordering the northern part of West Sikkim. Located at the meeting point of two streams called Gorkhey Khola which is a tributary of Rammam river, Gorkhe village is a beautiful village in Sikkim which offers an ideal resting place for a trekker.
- Best time to visit: October to May
- Trek Duration: 1 Day
- Difficulty: Moderate
5. Yelbong River Canyon Trek
Yelbong is the name of a small village in Kalimpong district where only 15 to 20 families live. This paradise can be reached within two or two and a half hours from Siliguri. It is about 3-4 hours trekking from Yelbong village to River Canyon Cave which is also known as Robber’s Cave. The room is quite thrilling to walk on the rocks along the river bank.
The trek is about 2 km along the banks of the river, at the end of which is a cave. The mountain river flows through the chest of the cave in its own rhythm, sometimes turbulent and sometimes calm. But this much can be said that after entering the cave you will feel like you are in another world. The cave road is quite exciting. It is very important to keep yourself mentally and physically fit. Besides, there are opportunities for both rappelling and learning next to Yelbong Canyon Cave. Really suitable place for adventure lovers. There is an opportunity to be introduced to many unknown falls, such as Rainbow Falls. Rainbow falls on him again.
Yelbong used to have this entire riverbed tie coal mine but mining operations were stopped around 1962 due to a collapse. The whole trek tie is quite exciting and not very straightforward at all. First you have to trek down to the river bed for about 5 km from the village. After that, you have to dig water and stones in the canyon and move forward to see the whole. The whole thing is quite thrilling and amazing.
Yelbong River Canyon Trekking Cost
The homestay owners offer this river canyon trekking and camping as a package. Which includes all meals, river canyon trekking and guide. This package costs about 3 to 4 thousand taka per field.
Best time to visit Yelbong?
If you want to trek the river canyon, it is best to travel during the summer, because the temperature of the river water inside the river canyon is low, so it will be quite comfortable in summer.
How to go Yelbong?
First take the train to New Jalpaiguri station, then hire a car from there to Yelbong, the cost will be approximately Tk 2500-3000. The train will go to Yelbong from Bagrakot station. The whole road is about 30 km, but it will take about 3 hours. If you don’t want to go inside the village by car, you have to walk about 4 kilometers on foot.
Also can take bus/share car from Siliguri to Bagrakot and from there hire car to Yelbong. The other way is to get down to New Mall Junction and hire a car directly from there, in this case the fare will be about 1500 taka and it will take about one to one and a half hours.
Where will you stay?
Yelbong is an eco friendly village. Yelbong River Canyon is a rare creation of nature. Several home stays have been opened here now. Moreover, you can also spend your time in the tent listening to the sound of the mountain river in the middle of the forest under the open sky.