When you get a leave of 2-3 days and plan to move out for a weekend short trip, what comes to your mind first? Want to go to a place full of activities every day or want to relax, sit and enjoy the natural beauty of that place? Well, if you opt for the second one, then there is good news for you. Visiting prominent hill stations or long sea beaches is a regular affair for most tourists. What if you get all the flavors of a hilly region sans the crowd? Will you accept it? Then let’s go. 

Only 19 Km away from the Queen of the Hills, Darjeeling, this spot is nearer (8 KM) to one of the highest railway stations in India, Ghoom. A 30 minutes’ journey from Ghoom will take you to this eternal place. Lepchajagat.

It is a small village with around 20 Lepcha families stays here. Thinking about what to do in a village and that too at a height of 6956 ft. from sea level? Well, here is the catch. If you are a nature lover, then Lepchajagat is your ideal destination for the coming weekend. Offbeat tourism has gained popularity a lot in recent times and people are visiting such places to find peace of mind. Out of the crowded city, but with all the facilities, travelers are now preferring nearby locations of famous tourist spots.

Take the example of Lepchajagat – a small village nearby Darjeeling but you will find an equal or better scenic view from here and there will be very limited tourists in your vicinity. Forget the hustling bustling, shopkeepers call and crowded lanes – Lepchajagat is ready to welcome you with calmness and sanity.

Lepchajagat or in short called Lepcha is a densely forested area full of pine, oak, and rhododendrons. The greenery will be a sigh of relief for your eyes and you will be in no mood to leave the spot for anything.

The ambiance is cool, with temperature drops to 3-4 degrees Celsius in winter seasons. Serene tranquillity will impress you most and you will find a good number of birds flying from one tree to another. You can just have a walk inside the forest for some distance and going inside is not recommended due to the presence of leopards in the core areas.

The biggest attraction of Lepchajagat is Mt. Kanchenjunga. One of the major attractions of this place is, all the five peaks of the Kanchenjunga range are visible from here in clear daylight. You can experience both sunrise and sunset from this location. The sunrise from the room or balcony is a treat to watch, else you have to move into nearby Ghoom rock to see the sunrise. You can have a clear view of Balasan Valley also from here as well as Darjeeling.

It’s a perfect mixture of peace and nature. You can easily be here for 2 Nights / 3 Days only experiencing the majestic Kanchenjunga and its surroundings. You can get the wake-up call in the early morning from the whistle of a bunch of birds. In the evening, the sound of crickets will welcome you with a constant background of melancholy. This is not a marketplace; hence you can’t expect shops in this region. Even, the number of tourists is also very less as these places are yet to be popular among the mass.

If you plan to check other nearby places, hire a car and see the beautiful nature at its best. There are splendid places nearby which can be covered in a single day and you will remember this journey forever. The nearby prominent place of Lepchajagat is Sukhia Pokhri, one can find most of the things you need in your daily life.

In fact, from Sukhia Pokhri, there is a route to West Bengal’s highest peak Sandakphu via Manebhanjan. The other road goes towards Jor Pokhri.

Jor means pair and Pokhri is the Nepali term of the lake. You will find two lakes here with a large number of big swans swimming, one specially reserved to serve drinking water in the entire region. The scenic beauty of this place is awesome and the picturesque backdrop will help you to have beautiful snaps. A clear skyline with mountains in the back and long pine trees are added attractions in Jor Pokhri.

It’s a very small village at an altitude of 7400 ft. with a spectacular view of Kanchenjunga. You will find Himalayan Salamanders also here and a small temple downstairs with 3-4 people managing goddesses like Shiva, Mata Ji, etc.

Moving ahead, there is a village called Tabakoshi way down to the hills and offers a magnificent view of surrounding tea gardens. Tabakoshi is located just beside the Rangbhang River and the color variation is a delight to watch. There is a well-maintained park below ideal for any sort of photoshoot.

After return to your stay, having lunch, you can visit popular places like Ghoom, Batasia Loop, Darjeeling for the evening tour.

Homestay is the only option here in Lepchajagat and you are bound to get all sorts of facilities in almost all the homestays. There are only a few homestays from where you can view Kanchenjunga from your room and in the case of others, there is a viewpoint nearby from which you witness the beauty. As usual, the cordial behavior of Homestay owners will force you to be at your home only, and their food servings always a delight to eat. Those who are habituated with staying in homestays know the essence of it and can never stay into other arrangements. Those who have still not tasted the same, you are welcome to any of the 7-8 homestays in Lepchajagat. Trust me, you will feel bad from the core of your heart while leaving.

While returning, you can take the other route which will take you places like Indo-Nepal Border, Gopal Dhara Tea Estate, famous Pashupati Market, and finally Mirik Lake before reaching New Jalpaiguri or Bagdogra. While Indo-Nepal Border offers a majestic view of hills, Gopal Dhara Tea Estate is a place to rejuvenate yourself amidst that huge tea garden. There is a little shop where you can drink quality tea and you can even buy a pack of Gopal Dhara Tea which is full of taste, flavor, and aroma.

Next will be Pashupati Market located within Nepal, so valid Photo Identity proof is mandatory here. Several people mix this place with Pashupati Temple, but this is not that temple – although a small temple is there in the market area. Nepal’s Pashupati Market came into the limelight in the early ’70s and ’80s for its cheap price due to the absence of any type of taxes. Products are dispatched to Siliguri’s famous Hong Kong Market and people loved to buy foreign products at a cheaper price. With the economy being open in the ’90s, Pashupati Market lost its glory and solely dependent on tourists. Most products are from China and overpriced to be bargained and a few cosmetic items and designer cup–saucer sets were found eligible to be purchased as a part of souvenir.

The last stop of the entire journey will be the picturesque Mirik Lake. Except in the rainy season, you won’t find boating to be possible due to less water but with a renovated and decorated look than earlier, Mirik Lake will please you most. Several people stay here in Mirik and you can have all sorts of foods at a reasonable price. Horse riding is an integrated feature of Mirik although it’s a bit costly, still, one can spend such an amount for family entertainment, if wished.

This creates a complete circle after reaching New Jalpaiguri for train or Bagdogra for flight and, trust me, you will find every day quite interesting to be among hills, mountains, and lakes. Of late, Lepchajagat has gained a lot of popularity and as a result, the number of homestays is increasing in that region. But, every single hard-earned money of yours is worthy to be spent in such a place where you will find the true meaning of peace.

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How to reach Lepchajagat – You can book a cab either from Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri Railway Station depending on where you are reaching. It takes about 3 hours (85-95 KM) to reach Lepchajagat depending upon the road. You can take a shared jeep from NJP or Siliguri to Ghoom and then another shared jeep to Lepchajagat.

Where to stay in Lepchajagat – You have West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) lodge to stay. Else there are 7-8 spacious and well-maintained Homestays run by local Lepcha community people where you can stay per day per person sharing basis.

Best time to go to Lepchajagat – October to April is the ideal time to visit Lepchajagat as monsoons are a bit heavy in these parts. But one needs to have adequate precautions while coming in winter as temperature drops down to a great extent. Still, winter is the best time to explore the natural beauty of this spectacular place.

© Saikat Gupta

Image(s) Source: Self