A less-trodden offbeat wonder of Dooars Himalayan foothills, Jhalong is situated on the bank of river Jaldhaka on the way to Bindu in Kalimpong Sub-division. The Jaldhaka Hydroelectricity project on the Jaldhaka River is a major attraction here.
Orientation about Jhalong
Jhalong is primarily a market for the local population. The small village is located on both sides of the Jhalong Bindu road. One road climbs the hills for a couple of hundred meters from the main market square and then runs parallel to the Jhalong Bindu road about a hundred meters above it. The residential area mainly consists of houses constructed during the construction of the Jaldhaka Dam during the 1960s and 70s. The village is spread around the school ground. The village would have less than a hundred homes in it. South of the village on the other side of the Jhalong river is a village locally known as Phase 2, as this is the location of phase 2 of the Jaldhaka Hydro electricity project.
During the daytime, villagers from all over the area congregate for their marketing needs. Just across the Jaldhaka river is Bhutan. Even the nearby Bhutanese villagers depend on Jaldhaka Market for their day-to-day purchases. The market is a cauldron of cultural diversity with Nepali, Bengali, Marwari, Adivasis, Rajbanshis, and Bhutanese people all coming here for their daily requirements.
Reaching Jhalong
NJP rail station Jhalong is about 100 km away and the travel time is about 2.5 hours. The Chalsa and Nagrakata rail stations are nearby. But long-distance trains do not have stoppages here. If you are travelling from Siliguri or another place in Dooars, you may get down at one of these stations where passenger trains and DMUs have a stoppage.
The road to Jhalong is a diversion from National Highway 17 at Khunia More in Dooars. The khunia more is just 10 minute's drive from Chalsa (8 Kms) or Nagrakata (5 Kms) rail stations. From here take the northbound road that passes through the core forests of Chapramari wildlife sanctuary to reach Kumani about 12 km away. From Kumani take the right-hand road and drive for another 5 Kms to the Naxal bridge. The 17 km drive from Khunia to Naxal bridge is through dense forests which are home to the Elephants and Gaurs (Indian Bison), animal sighting on this drive is quite common, especially during the morning and evening hours. So keep your eyes and ears open. At the Naxal bridge, the forest ends and the hilly area starts. Also, you will get to see the Jaldhaka river flowing by your side and the Bhutan hills across the river. About 6 km from here is the Jhalong Bazar area.
There are no restrictions related to travel in the area. However, a check post near Jhalong market registers outside vehicles going there. If you are hiring a car, make sure all documents of the car are in order as many vehicles in Dooars ply without proper documents and often get into trouble at the check-post.
Transportation
You can book vehicles for your Dooars tour from the Humro Cars website. They offer reliable service in Dooars at a competitive price.
Things to See near Jhalong
Tourism in the Jhalong – Bindu – Paren – Jaldhaka area is still nascent. Traditional tourist sightseeing points and standard itineraries are yet to take over here. You can still walk for miles in the hills without meeting any tourists. Interact with the locals who are not yet spoiled by mass tourism. Or you may spend the day reading your favourite novel on the banks of the Jaldhaka River. The Jhalong area is still unspoiled and offers a treasure of natural beauty at its best.
View Points - Dalgaon viewpoint is just 20 minute drive from Jhalong, it is on top of a hill and offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. Gairibans viewpoint just a couple of km from Jhalong also offers great views of the river and the valley.
The Jaldhaka river barrage, locally known as the Bindu dam, is one of the oldest hydroelectric projects in the region, the first phase of the project was completed in 1967. The barrage is about 10 km north of Jhalong and is a must-visit place for tourists.
Tungsung village is about 8 km uphill from Jhalong, the village is not part of the standard tourist circuit, but the peaceful farming village is sure to make any nature lover happy. in the same direction, about 20 km from Jhalong the Todey and Tangta villages. These villages used to be famous for their cardamom production, these are also some of the least visited and most inaccessible places anywhere. The natural beauty of these villages is sure to bring you delight.
The large reservoir provides a great opportunity for bird lovers to enjoy a varied collection of hill birds as well as migratory water fouls. Eurasian Wryneck, Crested Kingfisher, Brown Dipper, Hodgson's Redstart, Slaty-backed Forktail, Little Forktail, and Rufous-necked Laughing thrush are some of the recorded species found here.
Day Trip
Since Gorumara forests became a popular tourist destination, Jhalong has come up into prominence as a day tour destination for tourists based around Gorumara. The distance from the Lataguri area is about 50 km and takes about 2 hours one way. Most of our Gorumara tour programs include a day trip to the Jhalong area.
Where to Stay at Jhalong
Humro Home homestays are available in several places in the vicinity. You may not need to stay at the Jhalong village itself as the homestay and ecoresorts are spread in the entire area offering similar weather, view, and ambience. Visit the homestay website for more information about accommodation options here.
Jhalong River camp managed by West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) is a popular choice for accommodation. As of 2022, there are 4 AC and 2 non-AC cottages close to the Jhalong river where tourists can stay. The rooms are good and the ambience is nice, the service by the staff is decent but the food quality varies between average and poor. It is also one of the most expensive choices of accommodation at Jhalong. Nature lovers will love to stay at the Jhalong river camp, but if you are more of a city person, staying next to the river and among the forest with lots of insects crawling nearby might be scary, especially at night.
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