In Darjeeling area in West Bengal India, world famous for tea production, there are numerous small towns that are a better alternative to the super-visited city of Darjeeling. A “few” miles from Kolkata (around 400) there’s an oasis near the mountains.
The location I have chosen to stay was Lamahatta, located between tea plantations and a large mountain with a forest on the other side. It is a small village mostly dedicated to ecotourism, with a plan of action that includes not using plastic bags in the area.
It is undoubtedly a special place away from the noise and chaos present in almost all the big cities of India, certainly a break from the high temperatures, especially if you are traveling in summer to India, temperatures bordering 42 ° C in many cities, but in mountain range in summer (I went in April) is 10 ° C and 26 ° C which makes it very nice to enjoy the beauty of the area.
To reach Lamahatta from Kolkata, one option is to take the night train to Siliguri, and from there -depending on how many people are travelling together- you can hire a private car for a 2000INR. After a few small technical issues, the way was comfortable and pretty fast. We could even play our own music in the car!
Another option is to take local transport for about 180INR. For the last option you must take a bus or van to Darjeeling or Kalimpong for about 130INR and from there by truck to a Lamahatta for another 50INR.
Being a place near the border with Nepal, the culture that exists in the area is different, people speaks Nepali and most are Buddhist, so you can see have tradicitonal food (as well as momo’s) the traditional flags and symbols on houses Buddhist origin. There are small temples in every city, being one of the most beautiful which is on the surroundings of Kalimpong, within a military complex, on top of the mountain there is a beautiful Buddhist temple where you can participate at 18:00 the prayers of the monks who live there.
There is a wide choice in Lamahatta of accommodation from cottages to hotels and guest house, most are from local families and working on them. In this area of India everybody is very friendly, close and familiar.
Me and my friends stayed at Druk Lodge and Tent House. For about 1000INR there can sleep up to 4 people (they have two) in one cottage and you can order food from them that it is one of the best in the area! This is vry useful considering there is not much restaurants or shops in the village. Plus, they make the most wonderful Momo’s ever!
In the area you can do a variety of activities all generally related to nature, such as rafting, paragliding, visiting tea plantations, trekking and tour the many nearby villages.
One of the biggest nearby cities is Kalimpong, were you can find many restaurants as well as food stores with local food. The city of Darjeeling -much more visited and full of tourists than Lamahatta- it is located around 40km from Lamahatta.
In the surroundings you can find the Deolo Turism Complex, a park with a beautiful view of the valley, if you are lucky you’ll be able to see the Himalayan mountains and all the valley, but there’s a frequent amount of clouds and haze. In the park there’s some recreational activities, as well as a display of horse wranglers and the also can a photo in traditional Nepali dressing style. Admission is 50INR for foreigners.
Another place you shouldn’t miss it is the small Buddhist temple and monastery Tashi Choelin Monastery located in the middle of the mountain and really close to Lamahatta.
An area of natural, cultural and the warmth of the people that make it one of my favorite destinations in India to visit and relax from the hustle and madness of the great cities of this beautiful country.
Have you ever visited Lamahatta or Darjeeling area? What did you like the most?
Such a beautiful find! I’ve been to Darjeeling, loved it in early mornings when there was lesser crowd around. Thanks for sharing this, will surely visit it the next time I land in the region.
Hi Shikha! It is a wonderful place and very peaceful and quiet. I hop you can go and visit there soon! Let me know if you liked it!
I, too, had a chance to visit Lamahatta. It was such a scenic and quiet place. It was nice to know that they maintain eco-friendliness by banning plastic bags. My fondest moment was witnessing the Kanchanjunga range in the morning. 🙂
Ooh!!! Lucky you, I didn’t had the chance to see the mountains…despite waking up early in the morning to catch them they didn’t wanted to show up….Next time maybe! 😉
I’m glad you liked the place 🙂
I am from Darjeeling and i totally agree with the fact that tourism has completely overtaken this small town. But very recently people are getting conscious of the fact is is concentrating on quality tourism over quantity.
Hi Nelli! I really loved this area and glad I went there even if it was for few days now I know where to go back to explore more!