Starting from river Teesta in the East to river Sankoshi in the west, Dooars is a local name given to the floodplains of North-East India around Bhutan. The name ‘Dooars’ has emerged from ‘door’ as Dooars is the gateway to Bhutan.
Dooars comprises of several towns and districts in this region including Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Siliguri, etc. Geographically, Dooars is blessed with such brilliance in its relief, imagine, the mighty range of mountains of the Eastern Himalayas in the backdrop, a band of thick forests, rich in species of Flora and Fauna, continued with tea gardens, and cut here and there by water body. Somewhere in the middle of all this is Dooars. The gateway you wouldn’t want to cross heartlessly.
Mahanada Wildlife Sanctuary
Mahanada Wildlife Sanctuary is a must if you are into wildlife. Located at the foothills of Himalayas in the Terai region, it is spread across the lower catchment area of river Mahanada.
With a thick forest cover, Mahanada homes rare species of animals like one horn Rhino, Bison, Elephants, Tigers, Leopards, Sambar and Cheetals.
Sumsing and Suntalekhola
81km from Siliguri, this place is considered heaven for Nature lovers, two forest bungalows in the middle of a forest, with hills in the backdrop and the constant splashing noise of the numerous streams as they flow, step out of the bungalow and listen to early morning chirping of birds and whispers of the forest as it tells something to the noisily moving river water.
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary
Located at a distance of about 20 km from the Gorumara National Park, this Wildlife Sanctuary is another spectacle of nature’s magnificence. With Kanchanjungha and other Himalayan peaks painted across its backdrop, tourists can see a wide diversity of animals like elephants, gaur, leopards in their natural habitat.
Do not visit the Sanctuary in the rainy season as it stays closed to visitors from June to September. Overnight accommodations are also available in the Rest House
Latpanchore
A small village at the top of a hill top on the Mahanada Wildlife Sanctuary, surrounded by forest and rich in the Cinchona plantation, a British bungalow in the middle of this, which now serves as a forest bungalow.
It is as much vintage as it is heaven like to stay be here. Trekkers trek from here up to Namthing Pokhri. Sunrise from the Aahal Pick is a delight to watch, so soothing and unreal.
Alipurduar
Alipurduar is the newly formed district of West Bengal. It is located in the north-eastern side of West Bengal bordering Assam and Bhutan and it covers the distance of 113kms from Siliguri. Basically Alipurduar town is called a gateway to Bhutan and northeastern states of India. The entire town fully covered with scenic beauty as it is the most important town of the district. Before entering the places like Assam, Bhutan and Coochbehar alipurduar district is the most ethnic places of east zone West Bengal, one cannot cross the border without visiting the essence beauty of the town . It is a very old trading route center also and had a trading route popularly known as silk route with Bhutan and Tibet.
Banarhat
Banarhat is a small town in Jalpaiguri district in the state of West Bengal, India. Banarhat is 75km distance from Siliguri and 65km from Jalpaiguri, the town is surrounded by 23 Tea gardens in the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri district in the state of West Bengal. People of 23 tea gardens are dependent on this town for their essentials. The population of Banarhat is about 25,000 and it is spread in an area of about 900sq.km. Banarhat is connected by the state road to the district city of the Jalpaiguri and other nearby towns of Dhupguri, Gairkata, Mainaguri etc, Banarhat has one of the important railway station also. Actually this is a place where different culture of Tea Garden workers are gathered Marwaris, Bengalis Asamese, Oriya from the other side of the border and Nepalese leave together in Harmony.
Batabari
Batabari is a beautiful small village in Jalpaiguri District of West Bengal. It is located 53 km distance from Jalpaiguri. Basically Batabari is famous for its popular Batabari Tea Estate. The houses in the Batabari was made by particular bamboo species known as ‘Bata ‘which is interesting and amazing to see from outside. Basically Batabari is a small population village located near Gorumara national park. The main attraction of this village is beautiful landscape and the Tea Garden. It is in the mid of Darjeeling district and Jalpaiguri district where tourist can enjoy both sites attraction. The Batabari Tea Estate has struggled to keep its commitments towards protecting the environment and contributing in its own way to sustain nature.