DooarsLodgeValue tier

Mendabari Jungle Lodge, WBFDC

Name: Mendabari Jungle Lodge, WBFDC
Address: Chilapata

A small forest corporation lodge inside the Chilapata and Mendabari forest near Jaldapara. Simple rooms, real forest at the door and very few people.

Photo: Kaustav Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Mendabari Jungle Lodge is run by the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation in the forest between Jaldapara and Chilapata. It is a quiet place with a handful of rooms, a watch point over the forest and almost no traffic at night apart from the sounds of the jungle.

This is not a resort. Power can fail, food is home-style and fixed, and mobile signal is patchy. In return you get a real night in the forest, with easy access to Chilapata safaris and the Jaldapara gates. Book early because there are very few rooms.

Why we book it

A true forest stay with very few rooms
Close to both Chilapata and Jaldapara
Run by the forest corporation, with fair rates
Good birding at dawn

Questions travellers ask

Good to know

How do I book Mendabari Jungle Lodge?

Book on the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation website at wbfdc.net under the Alipurduar properties. When we last checked, super deluxe rooms were listed at about ₹2,500 a night before taxes. Rooms are few, so book four to six weeks ahead for the winter season. Tariffs are indicative.

Is Mendabari good for children?

It suits children who enjoy nature and early nights. There is no pool, no television and little to do after dark except listen to the forest. Keep children inside the compound after sunset, as elephants and other animals pass close by. For a more relaxed family stay, use Mendabari for one night only.

Can I do the Chilapata safari from Mendabari?

Yes. The Chilapata jeep safari, which usually visits the Nal Raja Garh ruins, starts from the Kodalbasti side of the forest, a short drive from the lodge. The lodge can help you arrange a jeep and guide. Safaris stop from 16 June to 15 September. Check current status before you travel.

Packages

Routes that stay here

Dooars · 6 nights The whole Dooars from Samsing to Buxa in six nights Samsing and Suntalekhola · Gorumara and Lataguri · Jaldapara · Chilapata · Buxa From₹17,500 pp

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