SILLERY GAON:The Best Nature Trail

one of the homestays

Sillery Gaon is a perfect picturesque Himalayan hamlet in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is situated at a height of around 6000ft. This place was named from a plant which named Sillery as it grows here abundantly. A drive for 20mins through the cobbled stone road reaches you to your destination Sillery gaon from pedong. Sillery Gaon is almost 96km from New Jalpaiguri via Kalimpong. The magnificent beauty of the place is jaw-dropping. Eye-pleasing view of Mt Kanchenjunga can be witnessed from Sillery Gaon. But the weather was quite rude in our case. Due to extreme foggy weather, we couldn't have the clear glimpse of the Kanchenjunga.

This village includes houses of around 25-30 families for whom felling of trees and agriculture was a way of life earlier but now ecotourism is the newly found alternative source of their income. This silent valley is the perfect paradise for bird watchers as different types of birds are spotted here.

forests

DAY 1 : We reached our homestay around lunch time.Immediately after that our food was served hot and it was very delicious too. After having lunch we sauntered the over the village in the afternoon time to watch the beautiful sunset. But as we were not so lucky with the weather. We could not watch the sunset due to extreme fog. When you are in Sillery gaon you must be aware of the fact that fluctuation of electricity is a major drawback of the place, but there is nothing to worry about as the homestays are available with generator service throughout the whole day. Though the village is small it offers nature at its best.

homestays

DAY 2: Waking up in the morning with the chirping of birds amidst nature is a perfect delight. After having our breakfast we got ready to explore the place.

flowering plants

THINGS TO DO

·         Ramitey viewpoint- it is a 20min walking distance from Sillery or else you can go there by car through the road is quite harsh. Ramitey is vantage point which offers an elongated view of river Teesta along with the majestic Kanchenjunga range.

·         Silence Valley – it is a small forest area with grassy lands and tall pine trees where you can enjoy the silence and beauty of the woods.it is a perfect place for picnics and camping.

WHERE TO STAY     

The accommodation of this place is not so stunning as homestays are only available. But the experience of staying in the homestays is much more soothing than staying in a 5star hotel.

WHEN TO GO

Sillery Gaon has a pleasant weather, it remains cold and breezy throughout the year. In monsoons, it remains a bit foggy, so it's not the best time to visit because you will not get the clear view of Mt Kanchenjunga then and its also risky to go there in monsoons as the roads of Sillery gaon are really bad. In winters it does not snow here but the temperature drops very rapidly, if you want to enjoy cold in the mountains you can visit here in the winters. According to me the best time to visit Sillery Gaon is probably between March to June try to avoid the monsoons and weather changes very frequently here so it completely depends on your luck whether you can watch Mt Kanchenjunga or not.

HOW TO REACH

·         It is 94km away from NJP and 97km from Bagdogra.

·         You can book a cab from NJP to pedong or NJP to Kalimpong it is very near to pedong.

·         You can also book a private car.