Lepchakha: The Enchanting Queen of Dooars – Your Ultimate Culinary Guide 2024

An offbeat small hill village in North Bengal is Lepchakha located near the Bhutan border. This small hill village is only 3 kilometers from the Bhutan border. The inhabitants here are Drukpas. Drukpas are originally from Bhutan. At the time of partition, these people migrated to the Indian part.

Lepcha-kha is a great place to visit for those staying around North Bengal. As the saying goes “When there is money there is no time and when there is time there is no money“. That is the case with many of us.

How to reach Lepchakha?

As Lepchakha is located near the Bhutan border. So the nearest railway station to reach here is Alipurduar. You can also hire a car from New Jalpaiguri or Siliguri station to reach this village. Lepchakha distance from Alipurduar station is 35 km. It takes about an hour and a half to reach.

The road from Alipurduar to Lepchakha is also lovely. Because the road goes through Buxa Tiger Reserve Forest, Santalabari will be reached first. From there, you have to go to zero point. Then go to Lepchakha from zero point.

It is better to take the NBSTC bus to reach Santalabari from Alipurduar. The bus fare is around 50 rupees. There is no separate entry fee to enter the Buxa Tiger Reserve if you travel by bus

The bus to Jayanti departs from Behar NBSTC bus terminal at 6 am, no permit is required to enter Buxa Tiger Reserve, and the bus fare is Rs100 per head.

If you don’t get a bus you have to reach Alipurduar then take an auto from there to Tiger Reserve Gate and from there again take an auto reserve to Santalabari.

After reaching Santalabari, a guide should be taken from there. Everyone says taking a guide is mandatory.

Guide Charge Lepchakha Trek:

The guide charge from Santala Bari to Lepchakha is Rs.450/- per group.

Lepchakha Sightseeing

The natural beauty of Lepchakha is extraordinary. You can enjoy nature in a calm and quiet environment and there are also various activities.

• Explore the village on foot Buxa Fort and Buxa Museum are not far away

• Besides, small trekking can be done from Lepchakha.

• The sunrise and sunset views from this quiet little hill village are amazing.

Where to stay in Lepchakha?

There are many homestays to stay in Lepcha kha. Homestays are the homes of residents. Names of some homestays and their phone numbers are given. Like other offbeat places, accommodation and food cost around Rs 1000 to 1200 per head.

Homestay details:

Mr. Indra Shankar Thapa

Buxa Saddar Bazar

9476184362 / 7586830778

₹500(without attached bathroom), ₹1000(with attached bathroom), ₹1500(4people can accommodate with attached bathroom) per night rooms are available.

Meal: veg ₹70, egg ₹90, chicken ₹140, black tea ₹5, Milk tea ₹10

If you’re coming with a group of 8 people and above then stay and meal will cost ₹500 per person per day(from lunch to next day breakfast).

If it is 6 to 7 people then the price will be ₹600 per person per day. Tent facilities are there near the viewpoint area with a pricing of ₹1200 per person per day.

Lepchakha Trek with cost

As told above, you have to go to Santalabari from Alipurduar. Then you have to reach zero point from Santalabari. This distance is about 3-4 kilometers. The car will cost 600 rupees. Then the trekking will start from the zero point by hiring a guide.

From Lepcha kha one can see the dense green forests of Dooars and its fish-filled river.

Lepchakha Buxa Tiger Reserve is located at the top of the hill and is reached by trekking. Roads are not built.

The trekking route is at various places between very beautiful roads and the viewpoint from there is not to be missed the view of the mountains and river of Dooars.

This can be seen, in Buxa Fort where the British used to detain the freedom fighters of India. Since this route has to be trekked up. So not all tourists come this way

Lepchakha Trekking Tips

The distance from Santala Bari to Buxa Fort is 4.5 km. This trekking route is moderate.

It is said here that a guide will force you to go up with the car but the danger is high if you take it. The car cannot go even one kilometer. The road is very bad and rocky.

This trekking is not difficult if you have some walking habits. The first to reach Buxafort is where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was detained by the British.

The distance from Buxa Fort to Lep chakha is another three and a half kilometers. Three and a half kilometers have to be trekked. Lepchakha offers some spectacular views of the Himalayan Bhutan Range, provided the sky is clear.

Conclusion

The accommodation here is as quiet as the environment. This beautiful hill village is located just 33 km from Alipurduar. It takes 1 hour by car to SSB camp then 0 points by Maruti Omni car, and 2 hours by foot from 0 points to Lepcha kha. So let’s plan Lepchakha.

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