At an altitude of 7887 feet this small Himalayan village called Chatakpur accommodates around 90 villagers. Consisting of 18 houses and flourishing under the supervision of forest department this small village located at a distance of 18 kms from Jorbanglow, 7 km from Sonada on Siliguri-Darjeeling road will offer you a quiet and memorable stay to be remembered for years
The terrace cultivation of organic crops and the shrubs and medicinal herbs acquired from the forest, form the means of livelihood of the locals. The place offers majestic views of Mt. Kanchenjungha, lush greenery, forest trails and wooden cottages and in short, Chatakpur is an ideal destination for those seeking peace and tranquility in the Himalayas. A paradise for bird watchers, Chatakpur offers a magnificent calm holiday with the warmth of peace of nature.
Chatakpur Village situated Within Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary , Darjeeling. The place has now transformed itself to a tourist destination where visitors make a beeline for the lush greenery, wooden cottages, forest trails, trekking routes, and overall, a getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. The Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of 38.88 sq. km has an elevation of 1500-2600 m. Surrounded by high mountains Senchal receives a very heavy amount of precipitation. Also the Sanctuary is crisscrossed by number of streams and Jhoras.
During the switch from a timber smuggling den to a tourist haven, the forest department electrified the village and brought drinking water to the hamlet inhabited by the 90 villagers living. Arrangement for sanitation was also made in each household.
Accommodation
Forest Department had made two cottage with four double bedded room and all modern facilities with warm hospitability’s from the villagers will impress you along with magnificent Kunchandzonga (The third highest peak in world) . Home stay is available in selected houses in Chatakpur. Besides the four cottages, Chatakpur, has homestay facilities in a few houses. The forest department has also introduced organic farming and tourists can handpick vegetables from the field for cooking.
Birding at Chatakpur : Blue Magpie,Rufous Sibia, Black Redstart,Verditer Flycatcher,Himalayan Bulbul,Pipit,Long tail Shrike,Warbler ,Prinia, Blue Fronted Redstart, Water Redstart are the major species one can see in the area. If lucky enough, one can also get a glimpse of the famous Panda.
Places to see at Chatakpur:
Chatakpur offers a number of popular trek routes that lead to the top of the Tiger Hill. During this trek, you might even have a glimpse of the ‘Chumbalumba’ or Mount Everest. On your visit to the forest, make sure to be guided by a trained forest guard as the forest is the home to the Great Himalayan Black Bear family, Leopards, Barking Deer and Antelopes.
Nearby attractions of Chatakpur: You can visit the Tiger Hill or other places that are situated nearby such as Jorebungalow, Ghoom and Sonada. Darjeeling is the nearest popular tourist destination of Chatakpur. You can enjoy a number of small treks to Tiger Hill, Rimbi village, Sixeen village, Labda. Most of the trekkinmg trails run through the wild life sanctuary and you would be accompanied by our expert guide.
Things to do in Chatakpur:
Tourists can climb rock faces or avail the trekking routes both downhill and uphill that lead to various destinations. They can also climb the watchtower to view the sunrise or take a panoramic view of Sandakphu. You can also spend time at the Pokhri (Pond). Bird lovers can spend their time watching birds and tourists can even enjoy the breathtaking view of Mt. Kanchenjunga from nearby or enjoy the folk dances performed by local people. Pick your vegetables from garden fresh organic orchards, feed and even milk the cattle. You can also enjoy the company of story tellers. A generation still exists to share the experience of myth, culture and traditional values.
Best time to visit Chatakpur:
Chatakpur can be visited throughout the year but for those planning to visit the forest are advised to avoid the rainy season.
How to reach Chatakpur:
Chatakpur is located at a distance of around 16 kilometres from Jorebungalow that lies on Siliguri-Darjeeling Road and 7 kilometres from Sonada. You need to go through the Hill Cart Road and enter the jungle trail, in order to reach Chatakpur.
Air Route The nearest airport is Bagdogra. It is 80 km away and connects with Delhi, Guwahati and Kolkata.
Rail Route Ghoom is the nearest station connected by Indian Heritage Toy Train with New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri Junction station which are nearest broad gauge railway station and is 87 km away.
Road NH 55 passes along the Western side of the Sanctuary . The sanctuary is 9 km away from Darjeeling. Chatakpur Eco village is 17 km from Ghoom, Jorebunglow and 7 km from Sonada.
Suggested Route:
Route – I
Hill Cart Road crossing Jorebunglow (79 km from Siliguri) take right turn enter Senchal Wild Life Sanctuary (16 km) and will reach CHATAKPUR the organic eco- village.
Route – II
Hill Cart Road crossing Sonada (67 km from Siliguri) take right turn enter Senchal Wild Life Sanctuary (7 km) and will reach CHATAKPUR the organic eco- village. NB: Road is very stiff and need to be an expert driver to negotiate this road.
Transportation- From NJP / Bagdogra pick up and drop to Chatakpur Eco Village – Kanchanjhau, approx cost INR 3000
Any visit in an around Kanchenjahu , including Darjeeling, Mirik, Pashupati, Mongpoo or any other location transportation can be arranged by the local people with fixed transport syndicate price.
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