Dooars
The Dooars is the strip of forest, river and tea garden between the Darjeeling and Bhutan hills and the Bengal plains. Come for one-horned rhinos at Jaldapara and Gorumara, the old Buxa Fort and quiet tea-garden villages like Samsing. Go between October and May: the national parks close from 16 June to 15 September.
- No payment to startPay a deposit only when you book
- Itemised written quoteEvery hotel, car and guide listed
- One plannerFrom first message to the last drop at NJP
- Change anythingEvery route is a starting point
Dooars, in brief
The Dooars, or Duars, takes its name from the old passes, or doors, that led from the Bengal plains up into Bhutan. Today it is the low, green belt of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts, with a slice of Kalimpong district on the hill edge. Rivers such as the Teesta, Jaldhaka, Murti, Torsa and Raidak come out of the hills here and spread across wide stony beds. Between them lie sal forest, tall elephant grass and some of the oldest tea estates in India.
Most people come for wildlife. Jaldapara National Park on the Torsa holds the largest population of one-horned rhinoceros in West Bengal, and Gorumara near Lataguri is small, easy to reach and good for rhino, gaur and elephants from its watchtowers. Chilapata forest links the two big reserves for elephants, and Buxa Tiger Reserve climbs from the plains to the Bhutan border, with the ruined Buxa Fort on its slopes.
The Dooars is also a working landscape. Tea pickers from Adivasi families, Rajbanshi farmers, Mech, Rabha and Toto communities, Nepali-speaking hill villages and Bengali towns all share it. You will drive past garden factories, weekly haats and level crossings on the single-line Dooars railway. Distances are short, roads are mostly good, and you can see a lot in three to five nights from Siliguri.
It suits travellers on a budget. Forest department lodges and simple homestays cost far less than hill-station hotels, shared buses run along the main road, and a jeep safari split between six people is cheap. The catch is the calendar. The national parks and wildlife sanctuaries close every year from 16 June to 15 September, and heavy rain can cut roads in the monsoon. Check current status before you travel.
Why go
Reasons to go, plainly
Jeep safaris cross the Torsa grasslands, the best place in West Bengal to see the Indian rhinoceros.
Short jeep trips from Lataguri end at towers such as Jatraprasad and Medla, where animals come to salt licks and water.
A forest climb of about 4–5 km from Santalabari to the ruins of a fort used by Bhutan, then by the British as a prison.
A dense elephant corridor with brick ruins of a fort hidden in the forest.
Cool tea slopes, the Suntalekhola stream and the boulders of Rocky Island on the Murti.
Rajbanshi, Mech, Rabha, Toto and Adivasi tea-garden cultures that you meet at haats, temples and village walks.
The map
Where to go in Dooars
A Bhutanese fort and prison in the clouds above the Dooars
Elephant corridor and a lost fort in the sal
Watchtower safaris on the edge of the Murti and Jaldhaka
Rhino country on the Torsa grasslands
Tea slopes and forest streams where the Dooars meets the hills
Shape your own trip Tell us your dates and budget. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the valley to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an itemised price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginPackages
Routes through Dooars
Budget tier prices per person, twin sharing. Every package also comes in Value and Comfort tiers, and every route can be changed.
Experiences
Hours worth planning around
Where we book
Stays in Dooars
The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation lodge at Madarihat, right by the entry to Jaldapara National Park. Plain, spacious and well placed for early safaris.
The West Bengal Forest Development Corporation lodge beside the Murti river near Gorumara, with a main building, cottages and tents in a large garden. Guests can …
A large hilltop resort at Chalsa, about 15 km from Lataguri, with cottage-style rooms, a pool and views over the Dooars plains. The most comfortable base …
A small forest corporation lodge inside the Chilapata and Mendabari forest near Jaldapara. Simple rooms, real forest at the door and very few people.
Forest corporation cottages and tents beside the Suntalekhola stream above Samsing, reached over a hanging footbridge. Cheap, green and quiet.
Simple family homestays in the villages on the walk to Buxa Fort, run mostly by Drukpa and Nepali-speaking families. Basic rooms, home food and forest all …
Shape your own trip Tell us your dates and budget. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the valley to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an itemised price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginDaily budget
What a day in Dooars costs
Budget
₹1,800–2,800
per person per day: a twin room in a homestay or forest lodge with meals, shared buses or autos, and a share of one jeep safari between six
Value
₹3,500–5,500
per person per day: a good resort or WBFDC/WBTDC lodge, a private car with driver shared by two, all meals and one safari a day
Comfort
₹7,000–11,000
per person per day: the best resort on the route, a private SUV, two safaris a day and an extra excursion
Per person per day, twin sharing, for planning. Budget builder →
Month by month
Dooars through the year
Dooars by travel style
The calendar
Festivals worth the dates
On Maha Shivaratri, large crowds of pilgrims gather at the Jalpesh temple near Mainaguri, one of the most important Shiva temples in …
Through the monsoon month of Shravan, thousands of pilgrims walk to the Jalpesh temple near Mainaguri carrying water to offer to Shiva, …
Karam is a harvest festival of the Adivasi tea-garden communities of the Dooars, when a branch of the karam tree is worshipped …
Shape your own trip Tell us your dates and budget. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the valley to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an itemised price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginGetting there
Arriving in Dooars
Most travellers start from Siliguri, NJP railway station or Bagdogra airport. By road it is about 80 km and 2–2.5 hours to Lataguri for Gorumara, 85 km and 2.5–3 hours to Samsing, 125 km and 3–3.5 hours to Madarihat for Jaldapara, and about 175 km and 4.5–5 hours to Rajabhatkhawa for Buxa. The road runs through the Coronation Bridge area at Sevoke, then along the foothills via Odlabari, Malbazar, Chalsa, Nagrakata and Birpara. North Bengal State Transport and private buses run this road all day from Siliguri. The Dooars railway line from Siliguri Junction to Alipurduar has stops at New Mal Junction, Chalsa, Madarihat and Hasimara.
Permits
Paperwork to know
No special permit is needed for Indians or foreign nationals to visit the Dooars. You pay entry fees, vehicle fees and guide charges for each national park safari, and you must carry photo ID (Aadhaar, voter ID or passport). Foreigners pay higher entry fees. If you continue to Bhutan through Jaigaon and Phuentsholing, Indians need a passport or voter ID and foreigners need a Bhutan visa arranged in advance. Park rules, fees and safari quotas change from season to season. Check current status before you travel.
Guides
Read before Dooars
Most travellers need three to six nights in the Dooars, starting from Siliguri. Spend two nights each at Gorumara and Jaldapara for rhinos, add …
Dooars safaris are run by the West Bengal forest department and sold per jeep, online when booking is open and at counters in Lataguri …
Shape your own trip Tell us your dates and budget. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the valley to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an itemised price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginQuestions travellers ask
Questions about Dooars
When are Jaldapara and Gorumara national parks closed?
Both parks close every year for the monsoon from 16 June to 15 September, along with Chapramari, Buxa and the other protected forests of North Bengal. This is for animal breeding and because rain washes out forest tracks. Some safari routes reopen a few days or weeks late if roads are damaged. You can still visit tea-garden villages such as Samsing in the monsoon, but expect heavy rain. Check current status before you travel.
How many days do I need for the Dooars?
Three nights is enough for Gorumara and Jaldapara with one safari in each. Four or five nights lets you add Chilapata or Buxa Fort without rushing, and six nights covers the whole belt from Samsing in the west to Buxa in the east. Distances are short, about 75 km between Lataguri and Madarihat, so the time goes on safari slots rather than driving.
Which is better, Jaldapara or Gorumara?
Jaldapara is larger, at about 216 km², and is the better bet for one-horned rhinos on open grassland. Gorumara is about 80 km² and closer to Siliguri, with a choice of watchtower trips and more lodges at Lataguri. If you have time for only one, choose Gorumara for a short trip from Siliguri and Jaldapara if rhinos are the main aim. Most people do both on a four-night loop.
How do I book a jeep safari in the Dooars?
Safaris are run by the West Bengal forest department. When online booking is open, slots are released on the official forest department and WBFDC booking pages, usually a few weeks ahead. Remaining slots are sold at the counter at Lataguri for Gorumara and at Madarihat for Jaldapara, and guests in WBFDC lodges can often book at reception. You pay per jeep for up to six people, plus entry and guide fees. Check current status before you travel.
Is the Dooars safe for families and solo travellers?
Yes. Lodges, resorts and homestays are used to families from Kolkata, and roads are busy in the day. Wild elephants do cross roads at dusk, especially around Chalsa, Lataguri and Chilapata, so avoid driving after dark and never get out of a car to photograph them. Solo women generally find homestays and forest lodges comfortable; let your host know your plans when you go walking.
Do I need a permit for the Dooars?
No. Indian and foreign visitors need no inner line or protected area permit for the Dooars. You only buy safari tickets and pay entry fees for the national parks, and you need photo ID for those. If you plan to cross into Bhutan at Jaigaon and Phuentsholing, Indians need a passport or voter ID and foreigners need a visa arranged before arrival.
What is the cheapest way to travel around the Dooars?
Take a North Bengal State Transport or private bus from Siliguri along the Dooars road, which serves Malbazar, Chalsa, Birpara, Madarihat, Hasimara and Alipurduar for roughly ₹70–250. Use autos, totos or local jeeps for the last few kilometres. Stay in homestays or forest lodges and share a jeep safari with other guests to split the per-vehicle fee. A private car for the whole trip saves time but costs ₹3,500–4,500 a day.
Can I see tigers in the Dooars?
It is very unlikely. Buxa Tiger Reserve was set up in 1983, but tiger numbers there have been very low for years and sightings are rare news events. Gorumara and Jaldapara have no resident tigers. Come for rhino, elephants, gaur, sambar, peafowl and hornbills instead, and treat any leopard sighting as a lucky bonus.
Is it worth visiting the Dooars in the monsoon?
Only if you want green tea gardens and rain, not wildlife. The parks are shut from 16 June to 15 September, rivers flood quickly and some roads, especially to Buxa and across riverbeds, can close. Samsing and the tea belt are pretty in the rain and lodges offer discounts. For a wildlife trip, aim for November to April.