Spending time with nature is the best thing one can do to refuel the soul with happiness and joy. Eastern India offers so many choices to explore the dense forest, plenty of flora and fauna where Gorumara National Park is one of the popular names to visit in the Dooars region of West Bengal. Dooars is the gateway to eastern India and Bhutan and the name Dooars is originated from the word ‘Door’ or ‘Gateway’. Among so many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, Gorumara is highlighted for its specialty and endangered species of animals. You can find mammals, birds, reptiles and mixed vegetation to pass on some good time.
Gorumara was a reserve forest since 1895 and after independence, in the year 1949, it was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Later on 31st January 1994, it was granted the official status of a national park. Most of the forest is moist deciduous and one can find sal as the most common and valuable tree in this region followed by Teak, Simul, Shirish, and Khair. Ministry of Environment and Forest declare this national park as the best among the protected areas in India. One-horned rhinoceros, Indian elephant, Indian Bison, leopard, Deer, and Monkeys are the most common mammals founds in this region. If you are a bird lover then this place will offer you a wide variety of bird species like woodpeckers, sunbird, flycatcher, minivet, drongo, brahminy duck, pheasants and so on. You will gather more information about this national park by reading this blog which helps you to get to this ultimate destination.
How to Reach Gorumara National Park?
By air: Bagdogra is the nearest airport of Gorumara National Park from where you can rent a car to cover the distance of 70 km which takes approximately 2 hours to reach the place. Try to negotiate the car fare.You can witness some of the exquisite locales.
By train: Chalsa is the nearest railway station near Gorumara but you can’t find frequent trains for this station. New Mal station or Malbazar is indeed a better option to reach the place. It will take 41 minutes to reach Gorumara from Malbazar by covering a distance of 20 km. But the most common option is to reach New Jalpaiguri Railway station because this station is connected with all the major cities of India. Once you reach NJP you can rent a car towards Gorumara by covering the distance of 56 km which takes one hour and 40 minutes.
By road: Bus service is also available from Siliguri to Malbazar or Chalsa for which you need to reach PC Mittal bus terminus. It is suggested to start the journey during morning hours so that you can reach your destination as early as possible. It takes two and a half hours to reach Malbazar from Siliguri. Last but not least is to rent a car and take the shortest route towards Gorumara via Gajoldoba.
Note: Lataguri is a small and beautiful town adjacent to Gorumara National Park and you need to mention the name 'Lataguri' while traveling to this place. Lataguri offers you a wider option of hotels and resorts along with a watchtower for viewing plenty of birds in this region. Sightseeing and jungle safari can be arranged from Lataguri by consulting with hoteliers and travel agencies.
What to Do After Reaching Lataguri?
Once you reached Lataguri you will find nature at its best and everything looks so pure and fresh. The dense deciduous forest tells a story that was never told before. You can feel the excitement in the silence and during the night you can hear the roar of the elephant which is undoubtedly the most thrilling experience for any nature lover or adventure freak. Can you imagine a place ever before where you can find 193 species of birds, 7 species of turtles, 22 species of reptiles, 27 species of fishes and other micro and macrofauna along with the endangered species of one-horned Rhino? Yes, all such offerings can be witnessed by reaching Lataguri which is the entry towards Gorumara National Park.
When it comes to highlighting the activities, it completely depends upon your choice of preferences because there are so many options available to live a life differently in this amazing location on earth. Jungle safari, bird watching, trekking, village walk, forest camping, bonfire, sightseeing and enjoying tribal dance during the night are some of the popular activities you can do while staying in Lataguri. Spare some time for Murti and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary nearby this region which are known for their beauty and incomparable natural treasure.
Make sure you must give more space to yourself to enjoy the essence of this place. Gorumara National Park is suitable for a solo traveler, family trip, adventure tour and even for newly married couples. So, make your plan for Gorumara by making your holidays more worthy.