Gorumara Forest, Jalpaiguri

Gorumara Forest is located in Jalpaiguri. It couldn't be easier to arrange your visit to Gorumara Forest and many more Jalpaiguri attractions: make an itinerary online using Inspirock's Jalpaiguri online itinerary planner .

This is a very nice forest. If you are lucky then you can see dino, dear. Bison and peacock are also there. You can take a jungle ride by jeep and that will take you to the deep in the forest.

I visited dooars for the first time and in the worst possible time, last week of December. the place was crowded with crowd without any jungle discipline.

Nestled amidst the mighty Himalayas, Gorumara National Park is one destination you simply cannot miss on your visit to Dooars, West Bengal. It lies on the flood plains of Murti and Jaldhaka Rivers in the Jalpaiguri district. The National park has now become a prime tourist attraction due to the magnificent forests, breathtakingly beautiful landscapes and the presence of the Indian Rhinoceros. Gorumara is one of the few places to remain unperturbed by human habitation adding to the serene environment you can witness here. Although many villages are situated nearby, the beauty of this place is unparalleled. A number of adventure activities and a wide range of biodiversity are waiting to be explored.

Wildlife & Vegetation

·         Animals

Gorumara National Park houses fifty mammalian species including the Indian Rhinoceros, Gaur, Asiatic Elephant, Leopard, Sambar, Deer, Sloth bear, Chittal etc. Leopard is the only major carnivore found here. Tigers can often be spotted at Gorumara but don’t form part of the resident population. The endangered and rare species found here include the Giant Squirrel, Pygmy Hog and Hispid Hare.

·         Birds

An estimated 194 species of birds have been reported at Gorumara. The avian species endemic to the land include the Sunbird, Woodpecker, Pheasants, Scarlet Minivet, Spangled Drongo and the Indian Hornbill among others. Among the migratory guests welcomed here, a prime attraction is the rare Brahminy Duck.

·         Reptiles

Many varieties of turtles and snakes are found here. Snake varieties found here include both venomous and non-venomous.

·         Vegetation

Lying in the Terai region of Himalayas, the park comprises of grassland and tall trees including Sal and Teak Forests. Bombax trees and rain trees are also found here. Numerous tropical orchids are also found here.

Distance From Nearby and Major Cities

Gorumara is close the towns of Lataguri, Chalsa, Jalpaiguri and Silguri in West Bengal. Distance from these and other major cities is as follows:

Lataguri: 7 km via NH 31

Chalsa: 14 km via NH 31

Jalpaiguri: 32 km via NH 31

Siliguri: 59 km via Canal Rd

Bagdogra: 85 km via NH 31C

Guwahati: 406 km via NH 31C

Kolkata: 614 km via NH 34

Lucknow: 972 km via SH 72

New Delhi: 1530 km via National Highway 2

How To Reach

          By Air: Nearest airport is Bagdogra in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal.

                  By Rail: Nearest railheads include Chalsa and New Jalpaiguri.

By Road: Gorumara can be reached via road by Chalsa, Jalpaiguri and Lataguri. You can find                                                                                              private vehicles for hire at any of these places.

Other Useful Information

The park remains closed on every Thursday.

The park remains closed from 15th June to 15th September.

Entry fee: Rs. 40 per person. Additional fee is applicable for entry to the watch towers, jeep safari etc

Elephant Safari is available only for those staying at forest department’s accommodation. The tickets for the same are not sold elsewhere.

To obtain tickets to the watch towers, the tourists must carry original and self attested photocopies of the Govt. issued photo identity card. Tourists must stand personally in the queue to collect the tickets. Please note: there are no photocopy counters nearby.

Gypsys are provided by the forest department for jungle safari. The forest charges payable for the jungle safari include Gypsy fare + Guide Charges per gypsy (Rs. 150) + Gypsy entry fee per gypsy (Rs.100) + Visitor’s entry fee. Gypsy fare and visitor’s entry fee charges vary from tower to tower. One Gypsy can accommodate 6 tourists.

Ticket issue timings (according to the shifts): 5.30 am (1st), 6.30 am (2nd ), 1.00 pm (3rd ) and 2 pm (4th )

Safari timings:
1st: 6 am to 7.30 am
2nd: 8.30 am to 10 am
3rd: 2 pm to 3.30 pm
4th: 4.30 pm to 6 pm

Local Attractions

Jungle Safari and Wildlife tours are organised within the park by the Forest Department. It is recommended that you make prior arrangements for the safaris and hire a guide along your tour. There are four watchtowers namely Jatraprasad Watch tower, Rhino Observation Point, Chandrachur watch tower, Chukchuki bird watching point. It is recommended that you carry your binoculars to enjoy observing the wildlife from these high points. You can also avail the Gorumara Jungle (Jeep) Safari. Only the vehicles approved by the forest department are allowed for Safari purposes.

\Gorumara National Park is a National Park in northernWest Bengal, India. Located in the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It is primarily known for its population of Indian Rhinoceros. The park has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the year 2009.Gorumara was a reserve forest since 1895. The park was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1949, on account of its breeding population of Indian Rhinoceros. It was declared an Indian National Park on January 31, 1994. Originally as small as 7 km², Gorumara has grown by incorporating neighbouring lands to about 80 km².