Lamahatta And Tinchuley: Lets Get Lost In Nature

Lamahatta

The best way to refresh your mind from all the work stress is to go on a vacation.Mountains are always a great choice to unwind and if those mountains are none other than the Himalayas, the experience becomes more blissful.So we choose an unknown place named ‘Lamahatta’ which is just 23km from Darjeeling.

This place has been developed as an eco-tourism site in the year 2012.The natural beauty of the surroundings and the majestic views of the mountains makes it a Pacific destination.It is known as the honeymooner’s paradise.Lamahatta is a perfect weekend gateway.It stands at an altitude of 17,00m.

The name Lamahatta comes from( Lama-Hatta, which means Lama-Buddhist Monks and Hatta-place of living or home).The main inhabitants of this place are sherpas,tamangs,bhutias and yalmas,dukmas.Earlier it was just a roadside mountain village but later on, with the initiative of the Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the villagers and the forest officers, the village was turned into a perfect eco-tourism destination.Several homestays have come up run by the villagers.There is a roadside garden that has been created with much love and care.The entry in this garden is done by ticketing which is Rs 10 for each person.

The garden is full of beautiful flowering plants and orchids and numerous birds.Long stretches of pine, oak and fir trees can be seen in this garden.

As you enter the garden you could see the colorful flags waving in the winds at one side of the garden.The locals say that the breeze passes through this prayer flags and purify the surroundings as well as the souls of the people.There is a wooden watchtower situated in the garden to get the best possible views around ‘Lamahatta’.

There is a small lake on the hilltop of this garden which villagers consider to be sacred.There are routes that go through these forests by which you can go to the lake in the hilltop.

On a clear day, you could easily see the surrounding ranges, the valley and the Rangit river flowing down and specially the magnificent view of Kanchenjunga.Apart from the plenty of natural attractions, you can also explore some small trekking experiences you can also visit nearby tea gardens which include Glenburn tea estates.

The best quality of lopchu tea and Darjeeling tea are available here.Lamahatta offers an ecstatic atmosphere for all those people who are seeking for peace away from city life.

How To Reach

v It is 72kms away from Siliguri and it will take about 3.5 hours.You have to come to Jorebunglow near Ghoom and then take the road to Lamahatta.You can also take a shared jeep or else a cab to Jorebunglow and another one to Lamahattta.

v You can also come from Darjeeling through a cab which is 23 km and from Kalimpong as well which is 41kms.

Tinchuley

It is a small village nestled between three hills.It is also situated in Darjeeling district and located at an altitude of 5800ft and few km away from lamahatta.The word Tinchuley means three ovens(tin-chullahs)According to the villagers this village from far looks like ovens or chullahs.It faces the Kalimpong hills.

Along with the help of 17 families and WWF(World Wide Federation), this place has turned into a model organic village.The villagers with the help of WWF have adopted modern farming methods and developed floriculture, vermiculture and organic projects, The village homes have extended into guesthouses for tourists.