Sometimes we feel the urge of exploring some lesser known destinations during our trips. Bagora, a quaint village, located at a height of 7100 feet above sea level, in the Darjeeling district is one such destination. Nestled amidst pine forests and rhododendron trees with majestic views of Mt. Kanchenjungha and the meandering River Teesta, this romantic getaway is the perfect spot for a quaint holiday away from the hustle and bustle of Darjeeling town. Perched on a ridge at 2,339 metres above sea level, this town in north Bengal is still unspoiled by the demands of tourism.
Our train reached New Jalpaiguri around 7 am where we met our Sherpa driver Nobula who drove us through the serpentine Hill Cart Road (NH 55) — intertwining with the toy train tracks — from Siliguri. The drive was awesome, misty roads with cool breeze, and made me nostalgic. This is one road I have traveled almost every year during my childhood days - summer holidays to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok were like a ritual as my mom and me are both big fans of North Bengal.
We crossed Kurseong and then stopped at Margaret Hope's Tea Center (remember Aparna Sen's iconic movie "Titli") shop to pick up Darjeeling Tea. The tea estates seen on one side of the road are mystic and beautiful to watch. I was in love all over again :)
We drove up to Dilaram before taking the right turn. The 3 km road stretch is like a long black ribbon lying in a virgin green forest of silver fir, oak, pine and birch. The forest is richer than those near Darjeeling. On reaching Bagora, we checked into our home stay "Diki House", situated on a hillock. The place is managed by a lady (Diki Lama) and her family. Like all hilly folks, she is fair and always smiling and her cheeks are red like a tomato. The rooms were comfortable with all the modern amenities (TV is not available due to signal challenges) and we got amazing home cooked meals for lunch and dinner. The place gives a bird’s eye view of the entire settlement with the mighty Kanchenjunga for backdrop. However, the thick fog prevented me from viewing the Kanchenjunga in its might.
There was a small village school nearby and we could see the kids bustling with excitement during the lunch hour. The innocent faces of these kids were really cute and I could not resist some shots of their innocence.
After lunch, we rested for sometime and then decided to go for a walk. I walked till the Forest Rest House and the timber yard and the start of the Kurseong Air Force base camp.
During my walk, we also met a group of kids returning from their school and the excitement on the faces of these kids were really infectious.
The flora and fauna on both sides of the roads were also a treat to watch. It is hard to believe that these orchids are growing on the street sides and not on a specialized garden.
Scenery and serenity come together in Bagora, offering a soothing refuge from the frenetic city life. A couple of days stay at Bagora gives you the feel of mystic deciduous forestry all around with huge Sal and Dhupi Trees, innumerable chirping birds everywhere and suddenly appearing and disappearing small fog accumulations. Apart from taking long walks, there's not much to do but relax - A very good option if you are looking for a place to relax in the mountains and yet want to stay away from the crowd of the more popular destinations!!
Our train reached New Jalpaiguri around 7 am where we met our Sherpa driver Nobula who drove us through the serpentine Hill Cart Road (NH 55) — intertwining with the toy train tracks — from Siliguri. The drive was awesome, misty roads with cool breeze, and made me nostalgic. This is one road I have traveled almost every year during my childhood days - summer holidays to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok were like a ritual as my mom and me are both big fans of North Bengal.
We crossed Kurseong and then stopped at Margaret Hope's Tea Center (remember Aparna Sen's iconic movie "Titli") shop to pick up Darjeeling Tea. The tea estates seen on one side of the road are mystic and beautiful to watch. I was in love all over again :)
We drove up to Dilaram before taking the right turn. The 3 km road stretch is like a long black ribbon lying in a virgin green forest of silver fir, oak, pine and birch. The forest is richer than those near Darjeeling. On reaching Bagora, we checked into our home stay "Diki House", situated on a hillock. The place is managed by a lady (Diki Lama) and her family. Like all hilly folks, she is fair and always smiling and her cheeks are red like a tomato. The rooms were comfortable with all the modern amenities (TV is not available due to signal challenges) and we got amazing home cooked meals for lunch and dinner. The place gives a bird’s eye view of the entire settlement with the mighty Kanchenjunga for backdrop. However, the thick fog prevented me from viewing the Kanchenjunga in its might.
After lunch, we rested for sometime and then decided to go for a walk. I walked till the Forest Rest House and the timber yard and the start of the Kurseong Air Force base camp.
During my walk, we also met a group of kids returning from their school and the excitement on the faces of these kids were really infectious.
The flora and fauna on both sides of the roads were also a treat to watch. It is hard to believe that these orchids are growing on the street sides and not on a specialized garden.
Scenery and serenity come together in Bagora, offering a soothing refuge from the frenetic city life. A couple of days stay at Bagora gives you the feel of mystic deciduous forestry all around with huge Sal and Dhupi Trees, innumerable chirping birds everywhere and suddenly appearing and disappearing small fog accumulations. Apart from taking long walks, there's not much to do but relax - A very good option if you are looking for a place to relax in the mountains and yet want to stay away from the crowd of the more popular destinations!!
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