With continuation from our previous blog on Kalimpong, we are here again with this new blog for the rest of our journey in Kalimpong. If you havn’t read our previous blog, do give a read.
Today also as we woke up fortunately, it was a bright sunny day and cold outside. We quickly got ready, had our breakfast in the dining area and started off with the day trip.
Now, you might want to know…..
1. Where was the first stop for the day in Kalimpong?
Our first stop was Hanuman temple. It was a 5-10 mins of walk to the temple area. As soon as we reached, we saw a huge idol of Lord Hanuman. It was about 30 feet and situated atop small hillock. One could get the serene view of the surrounding location from the temple premises.
There was a small temple complex located close to the Hanuman Temple. We got a clear and awe-inspiring view of the surrounding hills.
After spending some quality time here, we moved next to…
2. Mahakaal Temple
Mahakaal Temple was about 20 minutes from the Hanuman Temple. There were about 200-300 steps to reach the Temple. We observed trees on both sides as we started hiking up the stairs. The best part was that the height of the stairs was such that it would be easier to hike, irrespective of the age group.
After hiking for 10 minutes, we reached the top, where the first temple we saw was Lord Ganesha. A temple was dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva (Mahakaal).
We saw a unique way to pour water or milk on the Shiv Linga. As the Shiva Linga is placed beneath a rock with a small gap, the devotees find it challenging to pour water or milk. It is resolved by making a small channel from which you can pour water or milk. The channel, in turn, will directly pour the water or milk on the Shiva Linga.
The ambience of the temple was heavenly, and so was our devotion. After half an hour, we started our descent to the next destination. In the meantime, we spotted clouds hovering over our heads. The next stop is…….
3. Jalsa Bungalow
It took us around 40 minutes to reach the Jalsa Bungalow. There was an entry fee of 25 INR per adult. We had to walk about 500 meters from the main gate to reach the tree house area. This place has great significance in history as it dates back to the Colonial era.
It is situated in the Upper Munsong Forest area, which will leave you dumbstruck. Unfortunately, the tree houses were closed for the travellers.
We took a stroll of the entire area. We got a clear view of the Teesta River Valley. As we started walking downhill towards the main entrance gate, we noticed a bamboo forest in the close vicinity.
The bamboo forest seemed to be Instagramable. We clicked a few stunning snaps and ended our Kalimpong Local Sightseeings.
But wait! We are not yet done; we continued our journey. Now, you might wonder where we were heading…..
4. Hanging Bridge, Lolegaon
On the way to the hanging bridge at Lolegaon, it started raining quite heavily. Still, we decided to drop by the Hanging Bridge. It was drizzling when we got out of our car. So we started heal and toe racing carrying our umbrella. The road leading to the hanging bridge was not smooth, and we had to keep an eye on the path as continuous rain for the past few days made it quite slippery.
Finally, after 10 minutes, we made it to the hanging bridge. It was broken and was not meant for travellers to climb upon it and cross. The bridge was small and had a length of approximately 180 meters.
Due to continuous rainfall, there was a fear of leeches. We had to continuously look around and take precautions while inside the canopy walk leading to the hanging bridge.
Tip: Always carry salt while hiking through the forest, especially during the rainy season.
On the way, we stopped near a bridge and a pagoda for a quick refreshment and a few clicks for our blog. We enjoyed Maggie, Wai Wai, Momos and hot coffee amidst the beautiful foggy weather.
Our last destination for the night stay was……
5. Charkhole
It took us 20 minutes to reach this beautiful village of Charkhole. It was already late evening. After checking into our stay, the manager greeted us with Tea and snacks. Also he mentioned to us that we may take a stroll in the nearby area and immerse ourselves in the beauty of the place.
It was indeed a memorable evening walk. A foggy weather, a quiet environment, birds chirping in the background and peace all around. This is just the perfect thing you might ever wish for.
After the evening walk, all of us sat together, reflecting on the overall trip experience. As we were discussing our experience, in the blink of an eye it was already time for dinner.
The dinner preparations were made using earthen pots and a clay stove, which took us back to the pre-PLG era (when LPG gas was not readily available for all). We enjoyed the meal and, of course, the ambience.
When we woke up early the next day, we were fortunate enough as the weather got clear for a while. Thereby favouring us to enjoy the enchanting and tranquil view of the Kanchenjunga Mountain Range. It thrilled us to such an extent that we started dancing, putting our speakers on for a while.
Finally, at about 9:30 AM, we had breakfast and started our return journey towards New Jalpaiguri Jn. The journey took around 3.5 hours, and the mercury started rising as we approached the city area.
We had our return train at around 3 PM, hence we waited at the station. With this, we ended another memorable trip.
Hope you were able to visualise through our eyes the beauty of North Bengal. In case you need any help planning your trip, we are just a click away.
Wait, we are not going without this last question……
6. What kind of help are we going to provide?
Let us inform you that we prepare itineraries not only for anywhere in India but also for Asia. We have been travelling since we were toddlers. So here in our blogs and stories, we will give you a glimpse of our journey and help you plan your trip.
Read about our Uzbekistan blogs.
Read about our Kazakhstan blogs.
Read about our Singapore blogs.
Read about our Vietnam blogs.
Read about our Cambodia blogs.
Read about our Bali blogs.
Read about our Kuala Lumpur blog series.
Read about our Sri Lanka blogs.
Read about our Nepal blogs.
Read about our Char Dham blogs.
Read about our Ladakh blogs.
Read about our day trip to Hyderabad.
Read about our Madhya Pradesh blogs.
Do follow our Instagram handle @mindfulllofvacations and watch for the next destination story of Kerala. For any query related to any trip, drop a mail at @mitkau007@gmail.com.
by mitkau