Lamahatta
Lamahatta is located at an altitude of about 5,700 feet and at a distance of 23kms from Darjeeling hill town. Although it’s just a small village where farming and cattle rearing are the main source of livelihood, it’s well connected by the Darjeeling-Kalimpong state highway. The main inhabitants here are tribes like Sherpas, Yalmos, Tamangs, Bhutias and Dukpas. They have all come together to join hands to create an eco tourism spot.
Lamahatta has a vast stretch of beautiful manicured garden has been created along the slope of the hill and under the dense dhupi and pine forest. This is the ‘Roadside Garden’. From the homestays, you just walk across the road to the entrance of this garden. The garden is full of seasonal flowering plants including white and other colorful orchids.
Only about 87 tea gardens in the world have the right to produce tea that can use the Darjeeling name and logo. All of these tea gardens can be found in a very small area: only about 19000 hectares spread over 7 main valleys in just one district in the state of West Bengal in India.
This very beautiful, very unique, very lush and green region lies in the hilly beginnings of the North Eastern Himalayas. Here, 4000-6000 feet above sea level, the perennially snow covered Kanchenjunga—the 3rd highest mountain peak in the Himalayas—dominates a landscape that is breathtakingly misty, mystic and absolutely magical.
An always crisp weather; pure and clean air; ice-sparkling waterfalls; innumerable clear mountain streams and a sun that pours liquid gold onto the fertile and luxuriant hills—these are the vital ingredients that make Darjeeling a tea without equal; and a taste that cannot be replicated anywhere else on Earth.
Takdah Cantonment, as the name signifies, was a British cantonment in the pre-independence era. The beautiful structures erected during the British era are the living proof of the story untold. This cantonment is filled with cedar trees and offers a panoramic view of the nearby locations.Takdah is close to coniferous forests where small treks and strolls are possible. Takdah Cantonment has an orchid centre with a wide variety of rare Himalayan orchids . This center has been the favourite of tourists visiting Takdah. The nearest tea gardens are Rungli, Giele and Teesta Valley tea gardens. The main junction of Takdah is called Dara Dokan. A weekly market, held every Thursday, is a sight worth watching as people from all the nearby villages come to shop their weekly needs.
Attractions in & around Lamahatta
If you take interest, there are plenty of natural attractions that you can explore in and around Lamahatta.
1) I have already mentioned about the beautiful roadside garden which you should enjoy. It’s a great place to get views. There are ethnic shades around the garden and some meant for meditation (you will need to take your shoes off before you enter those shades). You should climb the watch tower (short flights of steps) and enjoy the excellent views on a clear day.
2) Trekking in Lamahatta:
a)There is a short nature trail that leads to a small lake on a hill top. The villagers consider this to be a sacred lake.
b)You can also do jungle trekking… There is another trail of around 8kms from Lamahatta to Takdah that goes through a maze of pine and dhupi trees.
c)Trek to Takdah Orchid Center (over 5kms). The Ordchid Center is however open usually during the season (February through April)
d)Trek to the Gari Danda – an old fort on top of a hill which is about 3kms away.
3) Tea Estates: Visit the tea gardens nearby (you will get one within about 1.5kms). Some of the well known tea estates nearby includes Glenburn Tea Estate, Rongli Rangliot Tea Estate, Takdha Tea Estate etc.
4) View Points: Peshoke View Point is about 8kms away where you can see the wonderful confluence of rivers Teesta and Rangeet, a place knwon as Triveni.
5) Visit the cave temple (about 2kms)
6) Understand and enjoy the Village Mountain Farming System in Lamahatta.
7) Visit the Lamahatta Village Monastery (Gumpa).
Communication :-
From Siliguri the road distance to Lamahatta is about 72kms and will take about 3.5 hours. You will need to come to Jorebungalow near Ghoom and then take the road for Lamahatta. Easiest is to take a taxi from NJP station. Otherwise take a shared jeep up to Jorebungalow and then another one from there up to Lamahatta.
From Darjeeling the distance to Lamahatta is 23kms. Best is to take a taxi which will take little over an hour to reach. If you are coming from Kalimpong, the distance is 41kms (about 2 hrs).
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