All About Lepchajagat Tour – Hidden Treasure of West Bengal

Lepchajagat Tour – Hidden Treasure of West Bengal

Offbeat places in various parts of West Bengal have already become popular among mountaineers. There are lots of hidden and less-known places in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. Lepchajagat is one of those offbeat destinations.

Lepchajgat is an Offbeat Destination near Darjeeling with an elevation of 6959 feet above the ground. Lepchajagat is basically a small hilly village formed by the people of the Lepcha tribe. Jagat means ‘the world.’ The name of this small village formed by the Lepcha people is Lepchagajat.

Why To Go Lepchajagat?

• Located close to Darjeeling, you will not find a crowded environment like Darjeeling. Surrounded by a forest of pine and cedar trees, a calm and serene environment covered with clouds will create an atmosphere of peace in your mind.
• A great view of Kanchenjunga is available from the Lepchajagat viewpoint. From here The lights of Darjeeling city at night look like stars in the dark.
• The forest of pine trees surrounds the village. This village is shrouded in fog almost all year round. The clouds graze like cows here. You can touch them with your hands. Absolutely ideal place for nature lovers and bird lovers.

How to Reach Lepchajagat?

• By Train: Lots of trains going from Sealdah to New Jalpaiguri. Some of the special ones are Darjeeling Mail, North Bengal Express, New Jalpaiguri Express, Padatik Express, and Kanchanakanya Express. All these trains leave at night and arrive the next morning. Those who want to go in the morning can catch the Kanchenjunga Express, it arrives in the evening.
  NJP to Lepchajagat Distance 74.3 Km. From the stations, you can book a private car which takes about 2.30-3 hours to reach depending on the road condition.
  
  For your Information:
  Darjeeling to Lepchajagat distance 13.8 Km. It will take 45 minutes to 1 hour from Darjeeling to Lepchajagat by car.
  Kalimpong to Lepchajagat Distance 52.8km. It will take about 2 hours from Kalimpong to Lepchajagat by car.
  
• By Flight: To reach Lepchajagat by flight, you can board a flight to Bagdogra Airport (Bagdogra to Lepchajagat Distance 74.8 Km). You can rent a car from Bagdogra to Lepchajagat.
  
• By Shared Car: You can get shared jeeps from NJP or Siliguri to Ghum. From there you can take another shared jeep towards Mirik Road which will drop you near the destination within 15 minutes.

Things To Do in Lepchajagat

• There is a viewpoint in Lepchajagat. From that viewpoint, you can get a clear view of Kanchanjungha with your open eye. To get to that viewpoint, you have to go up from the left of the road.
  

• The place is far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can enjoy the beauty of nature in a quiet environment and secluded place.
  
• You can enjoy the snow-covered distant peaks while sipping Darjeeling tea at the Forest Lodge.
  
• Ghum Rock / Ghum Rock Viewpoint: Since the road to Ghum Rock runs through the winding jungle, you may need a guide to get to this place. The guide charge is Rs.500. You can contact your hotel for a guide. They will arrange it for you. It is said that a Buddhist monk was in this Ghum Rock for a long time. From Ghum Rock’s viewpoint, you can experience the wide view of the mountain chains. The view is really unforgettable.
  

• Hawa Ghar: A little further from Ghum Rock you can reach the Hawa Ghar built during the British period. You can experience wide views of mountains and Kanchenjunga from here also. It is situated within 1 km of the forest lodge.
  

• In the near distance from here, you can visit several places. I am describing a few such places here.

Places to Visit Near Lepchajagat

• Simana View Point: Simana viewpoint is just 8 kilometers from Lepchajagat. You can go to Simana viewpoint through Sukhiapokhri from Lepchajagat. It is situated in the middle of Lepcha city and Mirik. You can enjoy the view of Sandakphu and Maneybhanjan from here.

• Mirik: Mirik is just 30 Km away from Lepchajagat. You will find the famous Mirik Lake there. On the way, you can enjoy the view of the Gopaldhara Tea Estate.
  

• Pashupatinath Market: Pashupatinath market situated on the India-Nepal border, is just 15 km away from Lepchajagat. From Simana viewpoint the distance of this market is just 6 km. If you rent a car from checkpost to market, it will cost you around 200 for both ways. Indians are allowed in this market with valid ID proof. You can purchase trekking gear, jackets, and shoes from this market.

• Jorpokhri: Jorpokhri is a small place only 5km away from Lepchajagat. It is well known for its serene beauty and views of Kanchenjunga, a beautiful pond, and the rare Himalayan Salamanders.
  
• Sukiapokhari: This place is situated along the Indo-Bhutan border. It is located at a distance of 5km from Lepchajagat. It is famous for its unhindered view of Himalayan Range.
  
• Ghum Monastery: Ghum Monastery is just 10kms away from Lepchajagat. The popular name of this monastery is Yiga Choeling. This monastery belongs to the Gelukpa or the Yellow Hat sect. It is well known for its 15 feet high statue of the Maitreya Buddha.
  
• Maneybhanjan: Maneybhanjan is the base for the Sandakphu trek. This place is about 11kms and takes about 25 minutes to reach by car.
• You can rent a car from LepchaJagat to Takdah Bazar, Big and small Mangoa, Lamahatta, and Tinchuley. You can also visit Darjeeling from here.

Where to Stay in Lepchajagat?

WBFDC Lodge:
The best option for staying in Lepcahjagat is the WBFDC (West Bengal Forest Development Corporation) Lodge. It is just 300 meters from the main road. You can book online or offline. Check this link for online booking. Or you can visit their Kolkata office to book the lodge.

WBFDC Office Address: West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited, KB19 Sector-III, Salt Lake, Ground – Floor, Kolkata-700106. Phone No. – 033 23350064

Some important points about WBFDC Lepchajagat:
i) There are six rooms in the lodge including two suites.
ii) Suite-1 is the costliest and best of all the rooms available in the lodge. You can experience the great view of Kanchenjunga from here.
iii) There is a caretaker and a few staff available in this lodge.
iv) In high season, you may experience power cuts. The attached bathrooms have geysers but they won’t work at the time of power cut.
v) The food quality is good and reasonably priced.

Price:
Deluxe Rooms: Rs. 2,000/- per day.
Suites: Rs. 3,000/- per day.

Other Options:
You can also find several homestays and guesthouses in Lepchajagat. You can book them over the phone or face to face. Before you go there I will suggest you speak with one of them at least once.

Lepchajagat homestay rates: It will cost around 1200-1500 per day to stay there depending upon the season.

You will get all kinds of benefits in homestays. You will find hot water, breakfast, lunch, and a clean bathroom. At the same time, you will get the hospitality and love of the people there. I am sharing some Lepchajagat homestay contact numbers here for your reference.

Lepchajagat Homestay List:
1. Kanchankanya Homestay (9593565309 / 9564555618)
2. Lakshya Homestay (9933496122 / 6296156302)
3. Maratika Homestay (9434431317 / 8918574412 / 7063670070)
4. Laxmi Homestay Lepchajagat (7620325442 / 8348311810)
5. Nil Kanth Homestay (7679936374)
6. Green Valley Homestay Lepchajagat (9832834365 / 8972024669)
7. Renu Homestay (6294293776 / 8348217906 / 6296416770)
8. Tamang Homestay (9475623260 / 9593279088 / 8944043629)
9. Pakhrin Homestay (8348924355 / 9051064510)
10. Lepchajagat Homestay (9563501219/7872305345)
11. alisha homestay lepchajagat (9831311606 / 9830381306 / 9830619422)

Cost To Travel Lepchajagat

Travel Cost:

NJP to Lepchajagat Car Fare- From NJP you can reach Lepchajagat in two ways.
i) You can rent a private car from NJP to Lepchajagat. In that case, your estimated cost will be around 3000-3500 rupees. These fares may vary depending on the season.
ii) If you have a low budget then you can go to a share jeep. In that case, your cost will be reduced a lot. In this case, you need to reach Ghum first and then another one from there up to Lepchajagat. From Siliguri To Ghum, the shared car cost will be Rs. 250-300 per person. From Ghum to Lepchajagat, the shared car cost will be Rs. 40-50.

From Darjeeling to Lepchajagat private car costs around 80-100 Rupees.

From Bagdogra:
You can reach Lepchajagat from Bagdogra same as From NJP. You can rent a private car from Bagdogra also. In that case, your estimated cost will be around 3000-3500 rupees. These fares may vary depending on the season.

Homestay Cost:
It will cost you around 1200-1500 per day to stay in Homestay. These fares may vary depending on the season.

Best Time To Visit Lepchajagat

October to April:
It is the best time to visit Lepchajagat. You can experience the best weather and view of nature during these months.
Winters: Winters are quite cold and chilly due to the high altitude. In the winter, the temperature varies from 2.4°C to 9.6°C. But you can witness the magnificent view of the Himalayan range in this season.
Rainy Season: Try to avoid the monsoon season (June – September). Trails won’t be suitable for treks or walks this season.

Things to Carry While Travelling To Lepchajagat

• A travel bag.
• A torch.
• A slipper.
• Travel shoes
• Plastic for keeping wet things.
• Dry food as needed
• Soap paper
• Clothes according to the weather.
• Necessary Medicines.
• Camera For Taking pictures of Breathtaking beauty.

Important Information About Lepchajagat

Although homestays serve plenty of food, you can keep dry food like cakes and biscuits with you.
Credit or debit card payments cannot be made at most homestays, so keep enough cash with you.
It is better to keep the necessary medicines with you but if you feel ill suddenly, the doctor is available there.
A Mobile Network is available there.
Carry at least one ID proof with you.
If you are going to Lepchajagat in peak season, it is recommended to book the WBFDC lodge well in advance.
If you are going for a forest trail, please go with a proper guide.
Winter is very cold here. So remember to carry all your winter wear.

Suggested Tour Plan For Lepchajagat

4 Night 5 Day Lepchajagat-Darjelling-Kalimpong Tour Plan:
Day 1:
Arrival at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP) / Bagdogra Airport (IXB) / Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus (Junction) and transfer to Lepchajagat.
Day 2: Lepchajagat Sightseeing Tour and Transfer to Darjeeling.
Day 3: Darjeeling Sightseeing.
Day 4: Darjeeling- Kalimpong sightseeing. Transfer to Kalimpong.
Day 5: Departure Transfer to Bagdogra Airport (IXB) / New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP) / Siliguri.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lepchajagat

Final Words

Lepchajagat is a small hilly village surrounded by a forest of pine and cedar trees. The view of Kanchanjungha is magnificent from here. You can plan some nearby places as well. If you want to spend a few days in the middle of nature, visit Lepchajagat in North Bengal.

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