Now I come to the question most tourists have – Which is the best resort / homestay to stay at Lataguri?
The answer is – Neora Jungle Camp
Neora Jungle Camp
Let me describe the setting in which the property is located. The property is 2 km deep inside Gorumara Forest. On the backside is the Neora River and on the other side of the river is Neora Tea Garden. Inside the property itself there is watchtower called ‘Kalakhawa Watchtower’. The safari vehicles come to ‘Kalakhawa’ and have a stopover 5 – 10 minutes. There is waterbody in front of the watchtower which is frequented by wild animals like – Elephants and Gaurs. There is an electric fencing on the periphery. There are 5 cottages, a common dining and a lawn where you can relax and kids can play around.
Experiences with Neora Jungle Camp
I visited Neora Jungle Camp in the month of December 2020. Slowly cursing through the forest path from NH-31 to Neora Jungle Camp is itself a thrill. Check-in time is 12:00 pm, I reached around 12:30 pm. It was quite sunny considering we are in the month of December. This was my second visit.
Out of the 5 cottages, cottages no R-1 and R-2 at the far end of the property are the best. Rooms are specious and all rooms have a balcony on the backside with a scintillating view of the Neora River. On a clear day you have view of Mt. Kanchenjunga.
After lunch I went for a stroll along the Neora River. Locals told me that at night river bed of Neora is frequented by leopards. As the lights of sun was fading away, I decided it’s better walk back to my abode. You can spend hours at the platform of ‘Kalakhawa Watchtower’. There is a waterbody in front of the watchtower where animals congregate to quench their thirst especially during summers.
The Night at Neora Jungle Camp
Once the night falls you can feel the silence of the place. Sounds of crickets is the only thing you can heard. There is no television in your and if you alone like me, you have nothing to do after it gets dark. I thought to go for a walk around the property. Someone was flashing lights at the jungle on the backside of the dinning space. As I went near, the guy in kitchen told me that an Indian Bison or Gaur heard was grazing on the backside of the dinning hall. Well, I could clearly hear the munching of sound but could not see the heard. After a while two gaurs came out of the dense outgrowth and its head was visible as we projected the search light towards the jungle. A silent night suddenly turned out be a eventful one. This is why my love for jungles never ends it always surprises you with new surprises. After polishing off local chicken with roti, I went to bed early.
The Morning at Neora Jungle Camp
I wake up at 5:30 am and opened the door. Still, it was quite dark and foggy. I went back to bed again and waited for the sun to come out. Around 6:30 am, I could hear the sound of safari vehicles. Safari vehicles were coming one after another. I went to the verandah on the backside of the room. There is a small courtyard on the backside. I took out the chair and was gazing at the Neora River. Suddenly some movement caught my eyes. Oh! It was Barking Deer grazing on the soft grass on the banks of Neora River. What a start for the day…. later people in the kitchen told me that it quite common to see Barking Deer early morning on the backyard or on the banks of Neora River.
After having breakfast and my tired soul fully relaxed, I head for Jalpaiguri- my hometown.
How to book Neora Jungle Camp – Online through WBFDC website. Double Bed Room – Rs 2000 per day + GST. Tariff of Neora Jungle Camp has been revised to Rs 2000/- from Rs 800/- since Oct 2021.
Fooding – Food Package Rs 450 per head per day.
- Breakfast – Puri, Sabzi and Sweet
- Lunch – Salad, Dal, Rice, Bhazi, Sabzi and Fish
- Evening Snacks – Veg Pokara and Tea
- Dinner – Rice or Roti, Dal, Sabzi and Local Chicken
The food tastes awesomely delicious.
Railhead – Nearest railhead is Jalpaiguri Road.
Best Rooms – Cottage number R-1 and R-2.
Best time to Visit – September to May
Things to carry– Binoculars and Essential medicine.
