At 1500ft above sea level, Jaldhaka river valley is a prospective tourist destination for Dooars. The river valley is located under the Kalimpong sub-division and is cut off from the rest of the Darjeeling district by a mountain ridge descending south-east from Reche-la of Neora Valley National Park and is separated from Bhutan by the Jaldhaka River.
Forests
The river valley and its surrounding hills are not a single destination but consist of several small villages that are interesting destinations for tourists looking for a secluded and off-the-beaten-track vacation.
The more important villages of Jaldhaka valley and its surrounding area include Jhalong, Bindu, Paren, Gairibans, Godak, Todey, Tangta, Rongo, Maurey, etc. Some of these villages such as Rongo forest, Todey Tangta, etc. are not exactly on the Jaldhaka valley but the nearby hills, but together they form part of the same tourist circuit.
Jaldhaka River
The Jaldhaka river originates at Kupup lake in the East Sikkim Zuluk tourist circuit area. From here it flows partly through Bhutan and partly through the Bhutan-Bengal border. The last stretch of its Himalayan journey is through the Jaldhaka river valley referred to here. From the Himalayas, it enters the Dooars plains and slowly takes a much larger and stronger form thanks to its many tributaries. The river passes through the East of Gorumara forest and takes a southeastern path. Through Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar district it passes before entering Bangladesh near Mathabhanga in Coochbehar district. In the Coochbehar district, the river takes the name Singimari. After entering the Bangladesh river Jaldhaka again changes its name to Dharla and flows into the Brahmaputra near Kurigram.
Jaldhaka Dam
A dam over the Jaldhaka river was built at a place called Bindu for electricity production. Although the dam has become sick over the years, the dam site has now become a tourist attraction.
Getting There
The Jaldhaka valley area can be reached by road. If you travel West to East through the arterial Dooars road of NH 31, you will reach the Khunia crossing situated between Chalsa and Nagrakata. From the Khunia crossing, the road running North takes you to the Jaldhaka area about 20 km ahead.
Gorumara forests, the major hub of tourist activity in Dooars, is roughly 30 to 50 km from the valley. This makes it ideal for tourists visiting Gorumara to spend a day visiting these hilly destinations.
Jaldhaka can be reached from Siliguri, (90Kms) and Kalimpong (135Kms). Apart from the natural surroundings, the hydroelectric power project situated 5 Km from the Bazaar is the centre of attraction here. The nearest rail station is Malbazar with a stoppage of a few long-distance trains. The nearest airport, as for any other destination of Dooars, is Bagdogra about 100 km away.
Accommodation
The better tourist accommodation in the area is at Humro Home Paren. This is a nice little eco-resort just 3 km from Jhalong Market on a secluded forested hill. For further details, you may visit the Humro Home website here or fill out the form below and our executives will assist you with the booking.
