Looking for the best weekend hiking plans near Siliguri?
Looking for a small offbeat hiking plans in the Singalila National Park?
Looking to witness The Sleeping Buddha with a weekend hiking plan?
Looking for a hiking plan where you can stay connected more with the nature, stay rejuvenated from daily hustle & bustle?
Looking for a plan where Mountains, clouds, birds, river streams can be enjoyed together?

So, our Team Member Arabinda Malakar wrote this blog to answer all of your above questions. DHOTREY DELIGHT HIKING is the best plan you could ever think of in the Mountains.

Check out our upcoming event in Dhotrey!

Our Story

My Mountain adventure lover inner soul challenged me, saying, ‘I dare you to climb the mountain,’ and I couldn’t resist accepting the challenge. With the intention of witnessing the extraordinary beauty of my beloved in the pursuit of this love, I embarked on a journey to our mountains. Our journey began from Kolkata, taking the KOAA-Agartala Special Express. Over dinner, we all shared stories of how the night passed, and as dawn broke, we could only smell mountains all around us. With this thought in mind, we set foot in New Jalpaiguri Station.

Our itinerary:
Day 1: From New Jalpaiguri Station to Dhotre Village
Day 2: Trek From Dhotre (Darjeeling) to Tumling, heading towards Jaubari (Nepal, Sandakphu Zone)
Day 3: From Jaubari to Fancheytar Village. (Darjeeling)
Day 4: Back to NJP.

On the first day, we reached New Jalpaiguri Station around 9 a.m. The train was a bit late. Afterward, we took a car and headed towards Dhotre, a small unknown village in Darjeeling. This village, located in the buffer zone of Singalila National Park, has an altitude of about 8550 feet, higher than the sea level. It is a less populated area, but the network connection is quite good. There are many homestays available, offering delicious food, and the people are very friendly. The view from the homestay’s window is breathtaking. In short, whoever visits Dhotre village will fall in love with it.

After leaving the car at New Jalpaiguri Station, we walked through the Sukna Forest, where you can see the beautiful Army Base Camp on both sides. We stopped at Garidhura for breakfast, had a light meal, and continued our journey. On the way, we passed Tingling View Point, Gopaldhara Tea Estate, Mirik Lake, and Simana View Point. After seeing these sights, we reached Dhotre. It was around 5 p.m., and the surroundings were filled with the charm of twilight. Everything became silent, and our minds found peace. Carrying our bags, we walked straight to the homestay. As soon as we entered, we were served hot tea and biscuits. Then, we started chatting and sharing stories until it was time to sleep because the next day we had to start the trek early in the morning.”

Best Time to Visit

Though this hiking is accessible throughout the whole year but, October – February can be the best time to do Dhotrey Delight Hiking, due to clear sky, the chance is high enough for the best view of Sleeping Buddha with breathtaking sunrise and sunset from Jaubari Village in Nepal, also you might enjoy snowfall during January and February.
During the month of March and April this trail becomes full of Rhododendron flowers. One might experience snow during early of March.

How to Book?

Team Banzaras have opened slots for this trek in every year. They had the best arrangements for this trek, professional guide, medical facilities, delicious food during the trek as I have made all arrangements through them.

Day Two: Everyone woke up early in the morning, feeling refreshed and full of excitement. As soon as I opened the hostel window, my heart filled with joy at the sight. Along with that view, there was a cup of hot tea. After enjoying the tea and adjusting the camera around my neck, I climbed up from the hostel in about twelve minutes. We had breakfast after returning from the viewpoint, and then we started our briefing. The trek leader briefed us about the entire trek for today. Everyone was highly motivated, and we set off for the purpose of conquering the Jaubari peak.

The journey was quite challenging, with ups and downs along the hill. We walked through the green world of the Singalila Buffer Zone. We took a rest at a teahouse, capturing moments with the camera before resuming our hike towards Tonglu, the fifth highest peak in West Bengal. The trail was tough, with steep ascents and descents. Everyone was happily trekking, despite the difficulties. The ascent to Tonglu was the most challenging part for us, but we successfully fulfilled it.

When we reached Tonglu, we saw a beautiful smile on everyone’s face. Capturing that smile, we took a photo with the national flag. Then we started walking towards Tumling, where our lunch was arranged at the homestay. We were quite exhausted, and I wondered when we would reach Jaubari because the weather was not favorable. We hurriedly started our hike because the Singalila Buffer Zone was the territory of black bears. Taking no risks, we reached Jaubari quickly, around five forty-five in the evening.

We were in Nepal at that time, and it was the Tibetan New Year. So, we had a great day. The evening tiffin and dinner were enjoyable. After dinner, we entered the rooms like shadows, wrapped ourselves in blankets, and began storytelling. The journey had tired us so much that the enthusiasm for storytelling didn’t last long. Gradually, everyone fell asleep while the story was still in progress.

Day Three: We were all very tired the previous day, so we quickly fell asleep. My mind was also exhausted because the weather was not good, and we couldn’t properly enjoy the views of the previous day. But as they say, if you truly desire something, you can achieve everything. That’s exactly what happened to us on this beautiful morning. Sleep was interrupted around 5:30 AM when a cool breeze gently touched my cheeks through the window. We immediately got up to witness the magical scenes of nature, for which we had traveled so far. After walking a short distance, we reached the viewpoint of Jaubari. For a few moments, everything around us became silent, and we found ourselves surrounded by tall mountains in all directions, except for a few people. The magnificent Sleeping Buddha Range was clearly visible before us, and we even caught a glimpse of the mighty Mount Everest. The wind at the viewpoint was so strong that we had to hurry back to the homestay. After having a light breakfast, singing a little song, and chatting with the locals, we bid farewell to Jubori. The arduous journey began, heading towards the fence. We crossed the SandakPhu Five Range. Today, our trek covered nearly sixteen kilometers. Along the way, we saw the Red Panda Habitat, a project of the central government where various scientists come with permission for their research, and entry is prohibited for ordinary people. As we progressed, we arrived at the checkpoint where our documents were verified before continuing on our path. We crossed the Fokte River and reached the village of Fokte. After having lunch at the homestay, we set off on the hiking trail again. Truly, the experience of this hike was extraordinary. For so long, I believed that climbing mountains would be difficult, but that notion was shattered by this road. The indomitable strength and willpower of everyone led us to reach the Fenchetar village precisely by four o’clock in the afternoon. There, we provided tea, biscuits, and pakoras from the homestay. With a cup of tea in hand, we sat down in the balcony and started telling stories. As the sun set behind the mountains, our night bonfire began, accompanied by chicken barbecue. If anyone wishes, they can camp by the river, but only with permission from the local police. Our evening lasted for two hours. After dinner, we returned to the homestay, where our arrangements for the night were made. After sharing our experiences, we fell asleep. The next day marked our farewell.

Fourth Day: Waking up in the morning, everyone’s mood was bad because today we were going to leave the mountains and head towards the plains. So, without delaying much, we had breakfast in the morning and set out to explore the village near the fence. The village was very beautiful, with extraordinary natural scenery in all directions, and a small river flowing nearby. There weren’t many people in the village, but the locals were very friendly, and their warm hospitality touched our hearts. We all went together towards the river, capturing some pictures with our cameras. After spending a good amount of time there, we returned to our homestay. Everyone packed their bags and gathered downstairs to bid farewell, as our car had arrived. It was a pleasant experience spending some moments with the villagers. Our intention was to come back again, so we didn’t delay and got into the car, heading towards Siliguri.

About the author :

I, Arabinda Malakar, am a college student (final year). I had a long-standing desire to go trekking, and today I have fulfilled it. Banzaras, a travel cum trekking agency, has been instrumental in making my dream come true. It has not only been an organization to me but also a place of love.

As a mountain lover, I must say that mountains teach us a lot. They change our perspective, teach us to express ourselves openly, and show us that mountain people, who work so hard for their livelihood, have no complaints in life. They are happy, content, and at peace. Trekking is not only physically demanding but also mentally significant, and it greatly boosts our morale.

In conclusion, the words that I haven’t mentioned yet are that when I and our team went with the travel agency, believe me, for even a moment, it didn’t feel like we were with a travel agency. It felt like we were traveling with friends because the people from this agency who accompanied us were so good, motivated us throughout the entire trip. Truly, we had an amazing experience. I have traveled to many places before, with various travel agencies, but Banzaras remains the best for me. And the most important thing is that their budget for each trip is so pocket-friendly and flexible that anyone can join them if they want. As a college student who has saved money and gained experience by traveling with them, I can say that their budget is very reasonable, and we can all go if we want. And the most significant aspect is the accommodation and food arrangements they have; each homestay is so beautiful, the food quality is excellent, and the hosts of the homestays are so kind. It truly fills the heart with joy. So, for all the readers, I would like to say, if you want, come and explore with Banzaras once. I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. And I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Banzaras for helping me fulfill a dream.

Note: We always say everyone to travel responsibly and safely along with respect Nature and local cultures. Don’t leave your plastic wastage in the hills, leave only your footprints there. Save Nature, save animals, save our planet. So get out of your comfort zone, start to explore the new and be #banzaras.

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