Buxa & Jayanti
The eastern Dooars forests beneath the Bhutan border. The Jayanti river valley, the old road to Buxa Fort and the Chilapata forest make this a base for forest travel in West Bengal.
Buxa-Jayanti lies in the northeast corner of the Indian state of West Bengal, in Alipurduar district, bordering Bhutan to the north. It is part of the eastern Dooars (“gateway” in Bengali), a belt of lowland forest. Its core is the Buxa Tiger Reserve, covering about 760 square kilometres. This is where the Himalayan foothills meet the plains. In the north, the forested hills of Sinchula rise steeply, and rivers such as the Jayanti and Bala come down from the Bhutanese mountains, leaving wide pebbly riverbeds at the mouths of their valleys. In the south, the landscape is made up of sal and teak forests and tea gardens.
There are two main attractions. The first is Jayanti village, where you can stay in forest lodges by the river, walk along the dry riverbed, and hike to Mahakal Cave and Bokri Hill. The second is Buxa Fort. From the village of Santalabari, a walk of about 4–5 km up an old path leads to the fort. It was once a key pass on the trade route between Bhutan and India and later served as a prison for Indian independence activists during British colonial rule. Further up, you reach the village of Lepchakha, which offers views across the plains and the mountains of Bhutan.
Inside the reserve, you can take jeep safaris in the forest. Asian elephants, gaur, deer and a rich variety of birds and butterflies are commonly seen, though tigers are very rare. To the southwest, you can visit the Chilapata forest. About 40 km away is Jaldapara National Park, famous for its greater one-horned rhinoceroses.
The best season is October to May, and November to March is best, with cool weather and good visibility. From mid-June to mid-September is the monsoon. The reserve's core area is closed, and the rivers swell dramatically.
Getting there: the nearest town and railway station is Alipurduar, about 30 km away. From New Jalpaiguri (NJP) railway station or Bagdogra airport, a hired car takes about 4–5 hours. You can also take a train to Rajabhatkhawa or Hasimara. Most travel in the area is by hired car. Plan to stay 2–3 nights.
Notes: To enter the reserve, you must buy a permit in Rajabhatkhawa. Tourism rules and open areas change often, so check with the forest department or your accommodation before you go. For hikes, hire a local guide, and be alert for wild elephants.
Top sights
- Jayanti River Valley – A forest village at the foot of the Bhutan hills, where the wide white pebble riverbed and the green Jayanti hills across the water make up…
- Buxa Fort – A fort ruin in the hills at about 870 m altitude, once a trade checkpoint of Bhutan and a British colonial-era prison for independence acti…
- Buxa Tiger Reserve Jungle Safari – Ride open-top jeeps through sal forests and river valleys to spot Asian elephants, gaur, deer and hundreds of bird and butterfly species.
- Lepchakha – A Drukpa mountain village above Buxa Fort, known as the 'Crown of the Duars', with views over the plain and the rivers winding across it.
- Mahakal Cave – A limestone cave on the upper Jayanti River, whose stalactites are revered by devotees as an incarnation of Shiva. The route follows the ri…
- Pokhri Hill – A small pond on a hilltop near Jayanti, with fish and turtles. Locals consider it sacred, and it is a popular half-day hike.
- Rajabhatkhawa Nature Interpretation Centre – The gateway town to Buxa Tiger Reserve, with a permit office and a nature interpretation centre explaining the forest's flora and fauna.
- Chilapata Forest – An elephant corridor forest linking Jaldapara and Buxa, with jeep safaris and the Gupta-era ruins of Nalraja Garh hidden within.
- Raimatang – A riverside forest village in the northwest corner of Buxa Tiger Reserve, backed by the Bhutanese foothills. It suits homestays, birdwatchi…
Where to eat
- Nimti Roadside Dhaba – The best-reviewed dhaba on the Hashimara–Alipurduar road, a handy stop when traveling to and from Chilapata and Buxa.