This national park boasts three of the biggest names in Indian wildlife — the great Indian one-horned rhino, the Indian bison and the Indian elephant. With a little bit of perseverance and patience, it is eminently possible to get a glimpse of all three on a weekend trip.

Gorumara, on the bank of rivers Murti and Raidak, is where people and animals co-exist, if not always peacefully. Located in the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri, there are mountains and rivers, waterfalls and tea gardens, and areas where green is the only colour visible. There is blissful silence, with the chirping of birds and the call of the wild.

Whether you take a flight, train, bus or car, a vehicle ride from Siliguri to the forest is a must. The drive up, via Chalsa, is a classically scenic one, with a slice of North Bengal in full, unspoilt glory. The gate to Gorumara, a little after Lataguri town, is made of logs. Inside, elephants, peacocks and wild cocks are abound.

Among the places to stay in the 80 sq km national park, close to Jaldapara, is the forest department bungalow, amidst idyllic settings. It’s in the heart of the forest, but with plenty of kunki hathis (pet elephants) on the premises and guards to keep the wild beasts at bay.

Rhino Point, walking distance from the bungalow, is a good viewing place for bisons and rhinos.

Another good viewpoint is Jatraprasad watchtower, about two km from the bungalow. It was named after Jatraprasad, a kunki hathi that used to keep wild elephants at bay.

Forest lore has it that after his death, a group of wild pachyderms attacked the tower, in front of which was a photograph of Jatraprasad. It was rebuilt, and now stands tall and strong.

The view from this watchtower is truly spectacular, with leopards, rhinos, deer and elephants in abundance. The reason is a clear panorama of a lake and a salt lick that animals frequent. But it is risky to stay here after dark.

A must-see for bird-lovers is the three-storeyed Chukchuki Tower. The forest is home to many beautiful feathered creatures, with regular migratory visitors.

Indian pied hornbill, woodpecker, sunbird, flycatcher, minivet, drongo, pheasants drop in during winter. A speciality is the Brahmany duck.

Gorumara is breathtaking in its beauty, with vegetation of riverine grasslands interspersed with savannah woodlands. It is mostly deciduous. Sal is the most common and valuable tree. Teak, simul, sirish and khair are some of the other trees found here.

Don’t be surprised if you see a peacock perched on your window sill in the morning or an elephant wandering around your bungalow.

If you stay in one of the many tourist resorts on the opposite side of the forest, surrounded by tea gardens and fields, where accommodation iseasily available, then there are more perks. Like free angling in the lake.

In fact, the resort will cook the fish you take home and serve it to you for lunch or dinner.

Even if you don’t manage to catch anything, the food on offer is delicious. There’s also a barbecue lined up for the last day of your holiday.

How to get there

Fly to Bagdogra and then drive up. Overnight buses are available from Esplanade to Siliguri. Or take a train from Sealdah to New Jalpaiguri. Darjeeling Mail, Kanchan Konya and Uttarbanga Express leave in the evening and arrive in the morning. Gorumara is a two-hour drive from Siliguri

Where to stay

The forest bungalow is a good place to stay, although you have to buy your rations from Malbazar. For information, ring the West Bengal Tourism Development office at 22488271. There are resorts like Silver Ridge (03561-266284) and Panchabati (03561-266366/402). Travel agencies like Desh Duniya (22282250-4) make the arrangements.



The Telegraph