Lepchajagat and Darjeeling : details please

Do you mean to say that if someone has only two days at his disposal, he can manage Kolkata -> Chota Mangwa & its neighborhood -> Kolkata? Or, you mean 2 days without journey time? It seems you have already done this circuit. Whatever be the case, can you please draw a short program (covering Chota Mangowa & its neighborhood) for us, please? You also did say that this trip could be value for money. Is it so? Bangla has reported that for one Non Veg Lunch (very normal spread as I understand from the menu) one has to shell out Rs.250.00!! This can not be called a value for money proposition. Is there any other option for stay, food etc. at Chota Mangowa? You also said that there is no need to hire any car, although Bangla had hired a car from Darjeeling and had to change to another vehicle just before 3 KM from Choto Managwa. Can you please elaborate and clarify? Thanks.

You are absolutely right....all the above mentioned places are very nice,calm and cool.Regarding communication.....well we went there from Darjeeling and it took us around 2 and half hours at an easy pace.....

Reply to
Q1.2 days is exclusive of journey time.
Q2.What I got from the owner that for lodging there are rooms/cottages starting from Rs.1000 and for food it is Rs500/- per head(includes breakfast,lunch,evening snacks and tea,dinner).You can check http://darjeelingblossomecotourism.com/
Q3.The route we went from Darjeeling was very good,lush green,clean,devoid of pot holes and traffic was scanty.Even after reaching the spot from where Mr.Pradhan's car lead us to the resort we waited a while there for the car to come for about 15-20 mins and we found hardly 1-2 vehicle.Public transport was nowhere.So I am in big doubt if anyone can reach there without a private car....

Thank you....

The Final Day:
The day started with utter confusion.......
I think it happens to all who love travelling......
We woke up early and started planning the places to visit on the final day.....
Places to visit:Zoo,Cable car ride,Botanical garden.......
Got ready and walked down to Glenary's for Breakfast.Moved to the taxi stand and bargained hard for Rs.400(visit to Zoo,Cable car,HMI) in a Wagon R.I was interested for zoo only for my daughter and my parents for cable car.They dropped me,my wife and daughter at the zoo and continued for cable car ride!!The zoo ticket was for Rs 40/- per head which includes HMI(Himalayan Mountaineering Institute) ticket also and Rs 10 each for still camera and video camera.The zoo is so clean,spacious.The animals mostly kept in natural environment.I was overwhelmed after remembering the condition of our very own Alipore zoo!!My daughter enjoyed seeing the animals in the open.After covering the first leg of the zoo as we were coming down my mobile phone rang and my parents were waiting inside the zoo for us.Returned so fast!!??Yes the cable car was closed on Monday for maintenance.Felt so sorry for them...they were so very eager to ride.Anyways after another half an hour we were dropped near Botanical garden at around 10.30!We started walking down a very shabby and uneven road.It was horrible!!We reached there.Saw few young couples,school goers and kids inside the park.Moved down to the glass houses and saw the beautiful flowers in their full bloom.There were few orchids also.Hurried for our hotel as it was already 11.30!!We were to leave hotel by 12!!We took a different route.But hilly areas got steep roads and the JOURNEY to our hotel blew our energy tank!!Robin Tamang was already waiting for us.....we quickly moved in the hotel.Checked for anything else left in the room and moved out at 12.30!!We felt so embarrassed. The manager smiled and said,"I hope you enjoyed your stay at the hotel".Took the opportunity and I replied fast,"That's the reason we got a bit late leaving the hotel".Everyone smiled.............
So we dumped our luggage at the rear of the OMNI and started for Mirik.Felt so sad.....leaving Darjeeling!!Ill-managed,dirty,crowded but still every Bengali got a direct link to the nerves with Darjeeling!!
So after about 3 hours we reached Mirik through some picturesque tea gardens.Quickly headed for our lunch.We had our lunch at Hotel Jagjit http://www.jagjeethotel.com/.It is one of the few restaurants at Mirik which would serve you with good food at an affordable rate and at par with the cleanliness standards of any good restaurants at Kolkata.After a heart-filling lunch we took a short walk towards the lake side.My daughter felt sleepy all these while.But immediately she saw the horses and exclaimed with joy.....!!!I rode one with her and bargained for Rs.60/- for half tour of the lake.Robin insisted that he had to go back to Lepchajagat before dark.So we started for our last leg of our journey to NJP.Reached there within 1.5 hours and as agreed we paid Robin Rs.1900/- and another Rs.200/- for his conduct throughout the tour!!My heart said,"go back with Robin to the land of clouds, mist,alpines!!" But.........
Lot of you readers may observe that the return journey was not so elaborately written as I am still feeling bad coming back and hoping to go again....may be in a couple of months!!!!!!

@ Bangla!
Thanks for your reply. More than you, your readers are feeling real low as because your TR has finally come to an end! Yes, go again to another beautiful place and present us an unforgettable TR!!! Thanks.

@ ovjittitir!

Kindly respond to my Post (No. # 106). Thanks.

Thank you once again.I have already started making plans for the next tour.Hopefully I would be able to make it during the pujas only and not before because now I have to observe the normal course as my daughter got admitted to a 'Big school' as she says.
Well.....I went to a trip to Kinnaur on April,2011 and the report is pending.I would finish that off quickly.....

Yes I contact with Robin Tamang. He arrange a SUMO for us. We reached calcutta on this sunday (08-04-2012)from Darjeeling-Bagora trip. Tamang pickup and drop us at Darjeeling and arrange Sumo for this trip.

Hi Ranjan!

Please post your TR with pics. I had been to Bagora recently. Your story would surely refresh my memory! Thanks.

That's great....
Yes,Robin is a nice guy and very relaxed.
Well I heard about Bagora a few times but never been there.Can you put up a small writeup on the details about the route and accommodation??

@ Bangla!

I am not sure as to whether you had gone through my TR on Bangora. If you have already done it, please ignore this post. If not, here is the link: BAGORA: A Gem in Wilderness (with a slice of Dooars)
Thanks!

@ Ranjan!

Awaiting for your TR on Bagora & Darjeeling. Come on fast please!

Nop I didn't.Thanks for the link......

Sorry , for late reply.
ashisdas, first accept my regards. You the backpaker ,taught me , how can I plan a tour . Your Bhutan trip report , pre-plan reporting was just great. Even you can not imagine, I have forwarded so many friends your total Bhutan trip report .Your energy , enthusiasm in this age , is something to respect.Hats off to you.
Now your querries ...
Day 1 : Train from Kolkata.
Day 2 : At NJP.
option a) Take a share jeep /bus upto JoreBunglow (before Ghoom on Hill Cart road).From Jore Bunglow , take sharejeep / Bus up to Takdhah. Take Break fast there. You can contacnt Mr Pradhan early and he may arrange car to receive you from Takdha. Again , you will get jeeps from Takdah to Chotamangwa cottage.Some jeeps even may go to Chotamangwa/Baddara/Takling, you can take any of them and drop at Chotamagwa. Actually the cottoages are on a lower side of that area and no other vehiles goes there. It is almost 1.5 to 2 kms from Takdah-Baramangwa road.
option b) Take a jeep/bus from NJP which are going to Kalimpong/Gangtok and drop at Teestabridge. Cntacnt Mr Pradhan early and he may arrange car to receive you from TeestaBridge. There is no other option to move forward.
option c) If you are coming from Darjeeling , you can take the early morning ( 9am )from Chowkbazar bus stand and drop at Takdhah.You have to purchase ticker on the day before your journey , to get a seat. Rest is as same at option a.
Stay there.
Day 3 : Stay there.
Day 4 : Start around 11.30 am . Tell them to drop you at Teesta Bridge. Please visit at Dr. Anita Gurungs Citrus Garden . Stop at Baddara . See the viilages Takling . Visit the Baramangwa school area , cottages ( of same owner).You will get enough option to return to NJP. Train from NJP.
Day 5 : At Kolkata .

Now ,
1)so if you have three clear holidays you can plan for that. If you have just two clear days , you have to stay there only one day ,which I will not recommend.
2)actually , I did it alongwith my Darjeeling tour . So I mangaged it withing two days.
3)I always try not to hire car , and to travel in loacl bus/jeeps. In this case also , I think car hiring is not necessary. Example ,if you are in a group of 8 as you were in Bhutan , Mr Pradhan may charge you Rs. 1500-1600 to pick-up from Takdha and drop you at Teestabridge , then your perhead costing will be just Rs.200/-.From Teesta bridge , jeeps usually get Rs.80/- per head to drop at Siliguri Bus stand. From Siliguri to NJP auto fare Rs.15/-.Add , Rs.150/- from NJP to Jore Bunglow (may be less in case of Bus) , and Rs. 15-20/- from Jore Bunglow to Takdah.

Yes the trip could be value for money. As I have already mentioned the journey costing.
Now , as Bangla said , there are three cottages of 2 BR,two log huts of 2 BR ,one cottage where 5-6 people can stay. Costing of cottages Rs.1000-1500 and loghuts around Rs.800-1000. But better stay at cottages.
In respect of fooding , this is fixed @Rs.500/- per head for non-veg. If it is veg , it may be less. But if you are in group , you can bargain.
But , what I meant as value for money ,is for the ambience , the beauty . The morning is just awesome. Just stroll around the village (newly made road), and feel the life. And ,if you are there around late October to December , you will obviously find Kancenjunga -Namchi-TigerHill just sitting at your rooms. Here lies the beauty. So I said it is value for money.
I again take this opportunity to say you my heartful of thanks and gratitude.

That was a brilliant detailing.......
But it still seems good for a day trip from Darjeeling by an exclusive car which would cost you only 1200/-.Provided we are travelling with our family....Isn't it??

Dear all IMers..as you can see in my signature..I am much much afraid of making a tour possible nowadays as I have had three cancellations back to back for some sad reasons including sudden demise of my mother last June. Meanwhile..with my tough luck going on, I am again thinking of going to Lepchajagat this June but my heart is beating fast whenever I am looking behind. In this circumstances I badly need your wishes and encouragement. Please help.

Thanks in advance.