Gorumara National Park

Located in the Jalpaiguri district of the state of West Bengal, Gorumara National Park is a beautiful place to enjoy the serene beauty of nature. The park is situated in the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills and was primarily concerned about the conservation of the Great Indian One horned Rhinoceros.

Gorumara Park located on the bank of rivers Murti and Raidak

and covers an area of about 79.45 sq km. It was established as a National Park in 1992 and was declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the MOEF (Ministry of Environment and Forest) for the year 2009. It has now become a prime tourist attraction in the state due to the breathtakingly beautiful landscapes which offers the perfect amalgamation of flora and fauna.

Climatic conditions

The climatic conditions in Gorumara are known to remain pleasant all through the year. It records temperature of within 24?C-27?C during the summer season (March and April) while the winter months of November to February has a temperature of 10?C-21?C. On an average, the national park receives 382 cm of rainfall during June to September.

Best time to visitGorumara National Park

The rainy season is when the park remains closed as the ambience gets pretty much troublesome. From 15th June to 15th September the National Park is closed for visitors. Therefore, the ideal time to visit the place is from mid-September to May.

Animals that inhabit the sanctuary

Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephant, Wild boar, Hog deer, Barking deer, Gaur, Sloth bear, Deer, Sambar, Leopard, Tiger, Indian wild dogs, Indian wolves, Giant squirrels, Pygmy Hog, Hispid Hare are the most notable mammals in this region. Visitors need to obtain a special permission from the authority to enter into the core area of the park. Approximately 48 species of carnivores and herbivores and 7 species of turtles has been recorded in the forest.

Flora

Sal, Simul, Siris, Bamboo, Teak, Khair, and Savanna grass s the dominant flora of the region. The vegetation here is so thick here that even in the broad daylight there is hardly any sunlight reaches down to the forest floor making it, sometimes, impossible to see through the thicket.

The park is a birdwatcher's paradise and has more than 200 species of birds which include but not limited to:

Indian pied hornbill, fly catcher, Minivet, Drongo, Woodpeckers, Sunbird, Pheasants.

It also is one of the finest places to spot the migratory birds.

Distance of Gorumara National Park from major cities:

Lataguri , 7 km
Chalsa , 14 km
Jalpaiguri , 32 km
Siliguri , 59 km
Kolkata , 614 km
Lucknow , 972 km
Bagdogra , 85 km
Guwahati , 406 km
New Delhi , 1530 km

How to reach the National park ?

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Airways

Accommodation facilities

Camp cottages, managed by the state forest department are the finest stay options. These cottages can be booked through the Divisional Forest Department's Office 'AranyaBhavan' located at Jalpaiguri.

Orchid Resort, Camping De Dooars, Hotel Prime Murti, kadambini resort, Lake View Resort and Resort Sonar Bangla are some of the preferred stays at and around Gorumara National Park.

Things to do

Jeep Safari

This safari takes the tourists around various parts of the forest to spot wildlife and is typically a two hour trip that includes the transfers. The safaris have an expert guide along with the drive who helps you spot the animals in the forest. There are two slots - early morning and afternoon jeep safaris. The entry to the forest for jeep safari is at Lataguri and starts from the main road. There are several villages along the way to the forest which are nestled in the national park such as Sarswati, Budhuram, Kailipur, Bichabhanga, Chatua, Murti forest village. These villagers are engaged in the forest department or work for ecotourism activities.

Elephant safari

This is, what many like to refer, as one of the most thrilling yet romantic way to spot the wildlife. They take you into the core forest area as the elephants have a strong sense of animal presence. However, for those who can arrange for the accommodation at Gorumara Eco Village at Kalipur, Gorumara Elephant Camp at Dhupjhora villages and Gorumara Rhino Camp located at Ramsai are allowed to go for the elephant ride. It is not even accessible to those staying at the tourist lodges of WBFDC and WBTDCL.

Watchtower

The entire Gorumara National Park has been divided into many sections which have watchtowers built to spot wild animals. The watchtowers are located in the core areas of the forest at vantage locations and each visit lasts for about 2 hours. Jatraprasad is the most popular one as tourists are taken to a spot where tribal dance is performed by the local Santhal community post the watchtower tour.

Bird watching

Tourists are advised to carry their binoculars as a plethora of avian species can be spotted at Gorumara National Park. Be it the common Indian hornbill and paradise flycatcher, or the endangered ones like brahminy duck, visitors can spot a plenty of different species of birds.

Lataguri nature interpretation centre

Located just close to the National Park, this Nature Interpretation Centre has an interesting light and sound show that runs the flora and fauna of Gorumara.