The enthralling Rocky Island

Hi friend,
I'm back from four days tour to Rocky Island - 3kms away from Suntalekhola. We reached New Mal Station by Kanchankanya Exp. on 10th Nov. morning and by car reached Rocky Island Adventure Camp 12 noon. The road through the Meteli, Samsing tea gardens enchanted us and at last the familiar bridge on the river Murti with a picturesque hilly, green backgroud told us that we reached. The camp has six rooms having accommodation for 23 heads and a tent for 4 with additional arrangement for another one person, which welcomed 27 of us very heartily. Three swan with their majestic walk, four-five puffy dogs, two scary but beautiful spiders were among the owners to welcome us.
The position of the camp is it's best asset. The rocky river bed aside with her sweet singing, the green hilly tops around, the unknown colouful flowers here and there, the bridge and the solitude surroundings are enough to charm us.
after a brief breakfast all of us became the part of the roaring river. Some sat on the rocks amidst the flowing stream, some started bathing in mini falls created here and there, children started collecting enumerable pebbles lying under the clear water. We, in a small group started moving upwards the stream to make her friend. The rocks in some places were tough to cross, in some places we had to cross the stream making hand chains. The deep jungle on both sides watched us suspiciously but we moved on and on. after a few hours trek, we started returning and took a heavy lunch on reaching the campsite.
Most of us laid in bed in the after noon, but Duronto Jajabar had her enthusiast team for a evening adventure, crossing the bridge on Murti to explore the nearby hilly villages. It was both beautiful and refreshing to stroll on the upward road, to meet the simple living smiling villagers, to find the colourful bushes with known-unknown flowers. We walked until dark and find a concrete culvert to arrange for a sudden camp fire. We collected enough wood pieces etc, but to make it catch fire we even thought to burn the notes in our pockets. At last with the help of one local people, we successfully got the heat. The there appeared the Majestic Full Moon in the clear sky up above the hill - washed the whole place with it's soft whitish heavenly light. We were just spellbound.
Here I am to confess and regret that , i failed to control some junior members from steeling a few ripe oranges which were really provocative.
Next day we had our prog. to trek 10km to Neara Hydel Project. After breakfast we started through the unpaved path of 3-4 km and then through the clean paved broad way with green hilly surroundings, crossed the beautiful 'Sundar gaon', met young chap with nepali Kukri, met little school goers, beautiful young ladies with water pitcher on head and reached another riverside destination. The break was enjoyed with bathing, refreshing, collecting pebbles and chating and chating. Our car with lunch reached at 3pm and we had an open air buffet lunch on rocky riverbed at the hydel project. Then after visiting the small project ground, some of us left by car and rest started the return walk.
At the evening the camp fire by the river side made the darkness glow with fun.
Next day we had a sudden trek for orange garden with our previous day's guide Gajendra- the little smiling young chap, who was unfit of being a guide as he can speak so little but a good companion indeed. The trek was really enjoyable - the hanging bridge (which recalled the recent northbengal incident), the yellowish paddy field on the valley, the orange trees with it's juicious ornaments, the steep upward ways amidst bushy green, the strait downward ways made the trip thrilling as well as joyful adventure. Only the sky was cloudy that day.

Great trip and fine start for sharing experiences.Why don't you put some snaps for us?

I'll post photos soon.

Hi friends,
As we are not good photographers, we tried our best but don't know how much glimpses of that beautiful place can we offer to you.


1. It's way to Rocky island from New Mal
2.In Neora Hydel Project

3. 2nd day trek

Hi Duronto Jajabar,

I will be travelling to Rocky island(near samsing) for a couple of days (Mar 8-9) with family (including 1 yr kid) and friends and will be staying in " on the rocks" (courtesy Rongroute).
1.Can you please suggest what places we can see around Rocky island?
2.How can we visit Mouchuki from there?
3.How is the accomodation " On the rocks"?
4.Is it possible to visit Chapramari watch tower from Rocky island within our 2 night stay in Rocky island...
5. can you please let me know any contact details of drivers so that we can arrange the trips from Rocky island.
6. is it possible to do (i). Rocky Island-Suntaleykhola WBFDC - Mouchuki Camp (Neora Valley National Park) - Sakkham - Rocky Island . we will reach NJP by Uttarbanga EXP at 7AM

(ii). next day, if possible Rocky island -Samsing - Kumai - Jhalong - Paren - Bindu - Jhalong - Khunia More - Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary - Rocky island.

Please suggest detailed info.Please consider we will be having 2 kids of 1 yr age.we will leave rocky island on 10th March for Rishyap. Our return train from NJP is by Uttarbanga exp at 5:40 PM 11th march.

waiting for your reply

I replied your PM, hope you got it.

Rocky Island is a good destination indeed.

Think about going Rishop for last day.

Some more pics of Rocky island...

I became nostalgic, sorry

Here are tags:

1. Orange orange and orange....... we found on our 2nd day trek,
2.The dancing Rocky river
3.went upstream and found this tiny fall
4, Bridge on the river rocky
5. A school in suntalekhola

Thanks a lot for the pictures..It will be nice if you just caption them....also if you can add some more pictures of your trip, we will enjoy it...

Thanks Amit,

So some more ....

1. Starting point for trek, 1st day,
2. passing side by side train route, near Mal,
3. charming colours...
4. setting sun, from the train while returning,
5. we crossed the bridge !!! the ropes- ufff!!!

Posting again........

Hope you will like it

1. Unknown flowers
2. Some permanent residents of Rocky island Advanture camp,
3. Going by the paddy field on hills,
4. climbing one by one
5. flowing gently

beautiful captures DJ - a bit like coorg of west bengal, i'd think

@ Duronto Jajabar

you are great didi.......keep posting

Thanks vaibhav and Pkanti.

I've posted some in my North Bengal photo album.

Please have a look.

Excellent postings Didi, enjoyed a lot