Acknowledgment
The guidance and support received from all the authorities, West
Bengal Tourism Department and others who contributed by
letting me use their database and who are contributing to this
project, was vital for the success of the project. I am grateful for
their constant support and help.
index
SL. SUBJECT HEADINGS PAGE
NO. NO.
1. About North Bengal 3-7
2. Transportation & Accommodation 8
3. Adventure Tours at North Bengal 9-13
4. Steps Taken by Govt. for Development of 14-15
Tourism
5. Threats to Tourism of North Bengal 16
6. Why the Tourism Development Plan 17
for North Bengal is not been
Successful
7. How to Develop Tourism of a Particular 18
Destination
North Bengal
North Bengal comprising the districts of
Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Dinajpur and Cooch
Behar lies at the foothill of the great
Himalayas. The area covers the moist and
dense riverine forests of the Bengal Dooars
(Duars) and the stark foothills of the snow-
capped Kanchenjunga range. The unique
climatic and ecological conditions make
North Bengal an unique home for a large
variety of mega-fauna & superb restricted bird species. Bhutan and Nepal are two beautiful
countries having an easy access from North Bengal. Sikkim previously an independent country
joined union of India later on as one of its states. All these three beautiful places are all adjacent
to parts of North Bengal. North Bengal is a term, for the parts of Bangladesh and West Bengal.
The Bangladesh part denotes the Rajshahi Division. Generally it is the area lying west of Jamuna
River and north of Padma River, and includes the Barind Tract. The West Bengal part denotes
Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda districts
together. It also includes parts of Darjeeling Hills. Traditionally, the Hooghly River divides West
Bengal into South and North Bengal, divided again into Terai and Dooars regions. This region
comprising the state of Sikkim and the adjoining parts of North Bengal - Darjeeling and
Kalimpong, is a rugged strip of vertical mountain country. Wedged between Nepal, Tibet,
Bhutan, and the North Bengal Plains of India. This tiny region is just 90 km wide and 150 km
deep. The grain of the country rises from near sea level to 8500 meters, in a short distance, the
great Himalayan Range with its giant spurs – Singelila and Chola, virtually enclose this region in
a titanic horseshoe. Starting from the plains of North Bengal tangled interlacing ridges rise
range after range to the foot of the great wall of high peaks and passes opening into Tibet, Nepal
and BhutanThe climate varies between the tropical heat of the valleys and the alpine cold of the
snowy regions. With rainfall averaging 348 cm, it is the most humid region of the Himalayas.
Dry season is from November to April. The altitudanal zones of vegetation range from tropical,
sub tropical, temperate to Alpine – some places only 10 km in a direct line separates the palm
growing valleys from perpetual snow. The varied terrain - from the pleasant humid foothill
valleys below 1000 meters, to the arctic cold of the snow capped peaks up to 8000 meters, has
created marked altitudinal zonation in the humidity, rainfall, climate and vegetation.
THE TERAI
Dooars
The Dooars or Duars are flood plains at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East
India around Bhutan. Duar means door in both Assamese and Bengali languages and for the
Bhutanese people can communicate with the people living in the plains. This region is divided
by the Sankosh River into the eastern and the western Duars consisting of an area of 8,800
square kilometer (3,400 square-miles).
There are innumerable streams and rivers flowing through these fertile plains from the
mountains of Bhutan. In Assam the major rivers are
Brahmaputra and Manas, and in northern West
Bengal the major river is the Teesta besides many
others like the Jaldhaka, Torsha, Sankosh, Dyna,
Karatoya, Raidak, Kaljani among others.
forest land dotted with grasslands, harbors the largest diversity of mega fauna in West Bengal. A
large range of foothill forest in North Bengal is called Dooars.
Tea Gardens, alpine landscape, transparent river, National Parks and the Wildlife Sanctuary
create a paradise. Beautiful motor able roads cut through deep forests, rich with wildlife. Mauve
hills stand at the end of velvet green plains. The forests echo with the melody of birds. In
between, there are fabulous wildlife sanctuaries with, log cabin lodges and valleys carpeted with
tea gardens.
main tree species found are the Rhododendron, Magnolia, Oak, Hemlock, Silver Fir, Juniper,
Mailing Bamboo, Buk, Kawla, Bhujpatra etc. Other flora includes primulas, aconitums, gentians,
arisaemas and orchids adorning the forest clearings. The fauna found in the park are leopard,
serow, pangolin, elephant, chinkara, red panda, barking deer etc. The park has a variety of birds
such as pigeons, doves, sibia, minivet, magpie, cuckoo, hornbills, Kaleej pheasants and a large
number of migratory birds.
The sanctuary lies amidst the idyllic surrounding created by the mysterious backdrop of the
Mountains of Bhutan and the confluence of river Torsa and Malangi. The sanctuary covers an
area of 100sq.km. The park is the home of several wild lives, which includes the famous one
horned Indian Rhinos, Swamp Deer, wild boar, leopard and tigers. The sanctuary has the
maximum number of one-horned rhino in India
after Kaziranga. The park has excellent facilities
for wild life enthusiasts.
Bird Heaven
The varied terrain - from the pleasant humid foothill valleys below 1000 meters, to the arctic
cold of the snow capped peaks up to 8000 meters, has created marked altitudinal zonation in
the humidity, rainfall, climate and vegetation. This factor is responsible for the great variety and
abundance of the resident bird life, making this area arguably one of the richest areas of its size
anywhere in the world. 527 species of resident birds have been recorded. In addition there are
vagrants, and transients on migration. It is estimated that more than 30 percent of the species of
the Indian Sub continent can be spotted in this region.
Lava
Lava and Neora Valley National Park are the prime birding destinations in North Bengal.
Located 35 Kms from Kalimpong, it is surrounded by very large tracts of protected forests
ranging in elevation between 1600 and 2400 m. There are several sites for bird watching and
photography around Lava and the adjoining Neora National Park. Some of the rarities that can
be found at Lava are : Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-throated and Spotted Wren Babblers, Yellow-
throated Fulvetta, Ashy wood Pigeon, Red – Faced Liocichla, Blue-fronted Robin, Long-billed
thrush, Cutia, Rusty-belied shortwinged, various Laughing Thrushes ,Warblers and Sunbirds.
Transportation:
Air
Bagdogra airport at Siliguri and Guwahati Airport in Assam are the two nearby airports from
where one can reach to Siliguri or Guwahati and then go to Dooars by air.
Rail
Only one rail route between Alipurduar Junction and New Jalpaiguri via Malbazar covers almost
entire Dooars region. Besides this there are some important and well-connected railway stations
from where one can reach Dooars. They are New Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, New Cooch Behar,
New Bongaigaon, etc.
Road
National Highway 31 is the main highway of the area and the main transportation in the area is
roadways. Regular bus service of North Bengal State Transport Corporation and Assam State
Transport Corporation and other private parties are available to reach all important places of the
area. Share jeeps and maxi-taxies are also available.
ACCOMODATION
Well-equipped tourist lodges are run by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation/ West
Bengal Forest Development Corporation at Malbazar, Jalpaiguri, Jaldapara, Hollong,
Madarihat, Gorumara, Samsing and Jayanti. Besides, there are quite a good number of hotels,
resorts, guest houses etc. at Malbazar, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar & Cooch Behar.
Treking
The Darjeeling hills are the origin of some of the most
enthralling treks in India. The alternatives include high as
well as low altitude mountain treks and jungle treks. Trekking is the best option to reach many
of the destinations of north-bengal.
The most common trek is to Sandakphu. The trek passes through the Singalila range (habitat of
red panda). Sandakphu is the highest point in West Bengal and a unique place from where one
can view both the Kanchenjunga and the Everest range of mountains simultaneously. There are
a large number of other options some of which are briefed below.
1. Sewak-Loleygaon trek - A low altitude trek in the Kalimpong Himalaya that begins on the
bank of River Tista and ends at the famous tourist destination of Loleygaon. Duration of 3-7
days.
4. West Dooars treks - There are a number of trek possibilities in this region including trek to
Rupam valley in Bhutan, trek to Buxa fort and Suntalekhola, trek in the Bhutanghat region, trek
in the Moraghat or Chilapata forests etc.
Rafting
River Tista the preferred destination for adventure lovers interested in rafting. Many rafting
programs are organized on a standalone basis which normally spreads over 1 to 3 days. Rafting
can also be included as part of a total adventure package along with other activities such as
camping and trekking.
White water rafting in Tista was introduced in Darjeeling hills more than a decade earlier and
has gained tremendous popularity since then. Several private organisations along with DGHC
tourism have set up rafting facilities. River Tista is graded at IV on an international scale. With a
series of rapids with varying intensity and character, Tista extends a challenging invitation to the
enthusiasts.
Safety is of highest importance for any rafting program organized. All our rafting programs are
managed by highly experienced staff; the rafting equipment used here is also of very high
quality.
• Alcohol is not permitted at least six hours prior to the river trip.
• Non-swimmers are welcome to rafting but may be restricted to certain sections of the
river, on the advice of the River Guide/ Trip Leader.
• All guests are required to sign 'assumption of Risk and Release' bond before undertaking
the trip.
Camps
There are a large number of suitable camping spots in the region has permanent camping
infrastructure at Rocky Island near Samsing and at Kalijhora on the Sikkim-Bengal Highway.
Few organigations organizes Nature Education / Interpretation and Adventure Camps for
groups in North Bengal. The primary participants in these camps are school children but
customized camps can also be organized for other groups.
The camps offer a tremendous opportunity to know nature first hand, to understand the unique
natural eco-systems of North Bengal, to know about the environmental problems and finally to
participate actively in programs launched to combat such problems.
For school children the camps will be organised by trained and expert naturalists, and will
follow ICSE syllabus for Environmental studies and will combine outdoor sport and fun
activities with essentially academic modules.
Camp Destinations
From Siliguri, Buses and four wheelers will take the campers to the campsite. After that LIVE,
EAT DRINK AND NATURE.
The camping activity will combine adventure and fun with environmental education. The four-
day camp activities include:
• Jungle survival classes including classes on shelter making, fire making, rope knots etc
• Art competition
Mountain Biking
This is a relatively new adventure sports in the region. We organize regular mountain biking
tours in the Darjeeling hills and Dooars plains. It is organize regular mountain bike tours to the
entire north-bengal. All mountain biking tours are customized as per guest specification. The
most common routes include Dooars, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, West Sikkim etc. Please follow the
following link for a suggested tour itinerary for a biking tour to Siliguri - Mirik - Darjeeling -
Kalimpong - Lava - Siliguri (app 10 days).
Mountain Biking is the best way to see the most exotic sights of the Himalaya such as ancient
trade routes of Trans-Himalayan traders and the mystifying rural life of the hilly towns and
villages. Infact, biking and hiking make the best adventure options to witness the timeless
cultural celebrations and life styles of the hill people as well as the rich bio-diversity of the
Himalayan heritage.
The biking tours we organize are relaxed programs for general tourists with little or no
experience. Although good physical fitness is a must, you do not have to be a racing champion to
join them. Do give your body some time to acclimatize with the Indian temperature, especially
the ones at the higher altitude, where bikers are exposed to ultraviolet rays, dry weather and less
oxygen.
The bikes we use are basic Indian Mountain bikes. You can also bring you own bike and join the
tour.
You do not require any special permit travelling within North-Bengal. But if you are an
International tourist and have plans to move onward to Sikkim or Bhutan, you will need permits
for that..
Jungle Tours
Although jungle tours are organised for leisure tourists as well, in an adventure tour, we took
guests to the heart of the jungles of North-Bengal. The programs consist of jungle treks, jungle
camps, elephant rides, jeep safaris and a number of other similar activities.
North-Bengal is endowed with some of the richest natural forests in India. The forests of the
region include Tropical Moist Deciduous, Himalayan Moist Temperate, Himalayan Dry
Temperate, Tropical Semi Evergreen, Tropical Dry Deciduous, Subtropical Broadleaved Hill,
Subtropical Pine forests.
West Bengal has forest cover of 1.19 million ha, much of which is in the Darjeeling and Dooars
region of North-Bengal. There is a tiger reserve in the region known as Buxa Tiger Reserve
(BTR), wild life sanctuaries at Jaldapara and Mahananda, National parks at Gorumara, Neora
Valley and Singalila.
With such wide and varied forest cover, the region is also home to a large variety of fauna. The
animals in the forest include Rhino, Tiger, Leopard, different varieties of Deer, Gaur, Monkey,
and Bear, the Himalayan red panda and countless other species and subspecies of birds, reptiles
and animals.
Tours to most of these forests with prior permission of the govt. The tour options are varied and
include jungle camp, jungle trek, jeep safari or elephant ride inside forests etc.
As regards tourism development in Cooch Behar district, different tourism activities have been
undertaken by the Tourism Department, Govt. Of West Bengal.
AIMS:
1. To expose the Doors area and rich cultural & historical places of Cooch Behar district to
the outside world and to develop infrastructure so as to increase the inflow of tourists
both domestic and foreign.
2. To create economic opportunities for the local people through increased tourism
activities.
The following steps have taken for the development of tourism in Cooch Behar and in
surrounding Dooars areas with the aforesaid objectives:
1. The existing and potential tourist spots in the entire district had been identified.
3. One Tourist Information office had been opened and started functioning at Cooch Behar
district H.Q headed by one Tourism Officer.
4. Amongst the historical and archaeological sites, one archaeological site at Gosanimari
Excavation located at a distance of about 40 kms. from district H.Q is being taken up for
developing into a tourist destination.
destination.
6. The Forest Department has also provided cottages and bunglows at different spots for
the tourists.
7. The Raj Palace has been renovated including museum which is upon to the visiting
tourist and for the comfort & entertainment. A garden with light & sound system has
been provide besides the palace.
development.
Special Steps:
1. With an eye on attracting both domestic and foreign Tourists, the state government has
embarked on an ambitious project for development of an integrated tea tourism circuit.
The Centre has sanctioned schemes worth Rs. 6,00,00,000 for the development of
infrastructure and accommodation in North Bengal to promote Tea Tourism.
2. To attract more tourists, tour packages have been started. The Trekking Programme and
Educational Packages Tour Programmes have been organised. Fairs & Festivals have
been organised in Cooch Behar including Car Rallies and Teesta Tea & Tourism Festivals
which were organised at Cooach Behar as a part of Tourism development. The district
Administration has been actively involved in the development of tourism in Cooch
Behar, in association with the Tourism department, Govt. of West Bengal.
On the political unrest affecting the flourishing tourism and allied trades.
2. The constant agitation of tribal terrorisms of North Bengal and surrounding North East
India.
3. Lack of development at Socio-Economical Infrastructure: Inefficient financial
management and lack of a perspective plan have taken a huge toll on the West Bengal
government’s plan for integrated development of six districts in north Bengal. As a
result, 44% of the Rs 166.67 crore with the Uttarbanga Unnayan Parshad (UUP), meant
for socio-economic development of the most disadvantaged region of north Bengal
during 2006-07, was lying in local funds or personal ledger accounts of district
magistrates.
The poor infrastructure of socio- economical life leads to habit tents life into the poverty
and illiteracy which makes them as hostile population for tourism.
4. Very unstable land and weather: Heavy raining and as a part of east Himalaya
range the land is very prone to land slide. This leads interruption in the road
communication of the area, the main mode of communication.
5. Health concerns: The tea estates look very appealing but are actually a breeding
ground of malarial mosquitoes and other disease causing insects. The whole heath
concerns of the region are very poor in term of infrastructure.
been Successful:
• Due to labour union problem the tea estates are closing down their
business. Which is effecting the local economic structure by
rendering thousands of jobless people, who all are habitant of the
regions worked as the labourer of the tea industry.
• When the tea industry is dying taking along with the people, who all
are dependent on the same, is not be a clever strategy to promote
tea tourism at BOSTON TEA SEMINAR each year.
aspect of the region that else the funds are returned back to govt. without
any development or the funds misused as a result of corruption.
4. Improper Promotion Plan: The tea tourism and all the other products
has been promoted only towards the international tourist. But as India
has a greater potential of the domestic tourist, all the tourism products
should also be prompted keeping domestic market in mind.
• Easy transport
• Easy communication
• Good accomodation
• Good health services
• Enough tourist attractions
• Good security
• Package tours
• Modern tour vehicles
1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3
4. Step 4
5. Step 5
Train tour guides and hotel workers for easy communication and good service
6. Step 6
Improve on transport facilities by purchasing modern tour vehicles and modernize roads to
tourist attraction.
7. Step 7
Organize package tours and improve on security in order to promote peace hence tourist
attraction.
Tourism Development:
1. Securing the Safety of the Tourist: The Gorkha agitation and the other influence of
North eastern Indian extremist groups should be controlled and security should be
tightened to maximize the tourist arrivals of the North Bengal.
2. Socio – Economical Development: The wholesome development of the region will
allow the habitant to live a better life, which is continuous flow of income. This can allow
them to literate themselves and will further allow them to understand the impact of the
tourism and how its effect on their daily life.
3. Highly Efficient Road Infrastructure: As the landslides occur very frequently in
this region the road infrastructure should efficient enough to clear the blockage and
repair the road as soon as possible to keep up an uninterrupted communication.
4. Improvement of Health Infrastructure: The whole region is lacking of proper
health services. As the literacy level is very low there are very few local doctors are
available. On addition of that presence of very few hospitals made the whole situation
much more worsen. So, first of all an improved Health Infrastructure has to develop to
make North Bengal as an attractive tourist destination.
5. Proper Tourism Distribution Channels: It is the biggest problem of the North
Bengal that the tourism product are not able to reached to the public very easily because
the products are not distributed through the proper channels. To improve the tourist
traffic of the region one has improve the all distribution channels which are manned and
managed by trained personnels.
6. Last but not the least as the whole region is lying under developed the first and the
foremost thing is the all over improvement of the whole region is very necessary. For this
all the govt. bodies and the public organigation have to work together selflessly towards
the common goal. As tourism is very part of the human social life , it could not be
developed separately without improving the socio – economical development of the
North Bengal.
CONCLUSION
The primary goal of this report is to identify action initiatives and the problems that
make up the Into the Mother Nature – North Bengal As A Tourism
Destination in order to foster a responsive tourism activity of the North Bengal. To
that end, The North Bengal Project Report calls for an increase in the number of the
tourist arrivals and contributing in socio – economical structure of the region; equal
access to
Resources; and the implementation of existing policies in a effective manner and the
initiation of new policies and procedures.
The North Bengal Project Report proposes will not be realized without institutional
accountability to ensure that they are carried out. As per general observation,
"What is needed is someone who will enforce the policies that exist. There is just so
much disregard of the current policies. Nobody has a way of checking on whether
things are being enforced. So get these results to the authority soon, and make sure
that there's someone in there who is equitable and will enforce the policies."
The Into the Mother Nature – North Bengal As A Tourism Destination will
inevitably evolve as the larger community begins to work on improving the tourism of
the North Bengal. The goals of the North Bengal Project can not only be realized through
continuing development of the tourism of the North Bengal but also ensuring this
development make effective changes in the local habitants life. Moreover, the North
Bengal Project can be deemed a success only if the concern administration, working in
concern with NGOs and other Private authorities, moves forward to address the range of
recommendations outlined in the report.
To conclude with the words of my respected Late father: "Don't let the Projects sit in a
big folder and not be acted upon!"
Bibliography
www.wbtoutism.com
www.north-bengal.com
www.coochbehar.nic.in
www.telegraphindia.com
www.accessmylibaray.com
www.scribd.com