Chapramari
Chapramari is a Wildlife Sanctuary in the western Dooars area. The forest is a continuation of the more popular and well-known Gorumara National Park. The two forests are divided by the Murti River. The North East side of the river is Chapramari Wild Life Sanctuary and the South West side is known as Gorumara national park.
If you are travelling through Dooars via National Highway 17 (Old NH 31), the forest you see on both sides of the road between Chalsa (Murti River) and Nagrakata (Jaldhaka River) is part of Chapramari WLS. The forest is relatively small in size with just about 10 square km of forest area, but it is one of the oldest reserve forests in India since 1895. The West side of the forest is bounded by River Murti and the Eastern side by River Jaldhaka.
In the recent past, the area has come up as an important tourist destination in Western Dooars.
Flora and Fauna
Chapramari makes up for its small size with its great variety of flora and fauna. The elephant is one of the most commonly sighted animals here, and so is Gaur (the Indian Bison). Morning and Evening it is easy to sight these two large mammals, especially near the riverbed. There is a small pond near the Chapramari forest bungalow which is also a popular place for wildlife to sight. There is a rail line through the forest connecting North East with the rest of the country. There have been several incidences of wildlife death including the death of elephants and Gaur in Chapramari due to train accidents.
Other wildlife varieties include deer, reptiles etc. It also used to be the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger and sightings were reported till the 1980s. However, the tiger has become extinct from the forest now. The place is also a haven for bird watchers.
Forest safari is organized here from Gorumara and Chalsa offices. Normally the forest entry remains closed during the rainy season between 16th June and 15th September, recently some safaris have been allowed in the fringe areas during monsoon.
Nearby places of tourist interest
Further North of Chapramari is the Bhutan – Dooars border villages of Jaldhaka, Paren, Bindu, and Jhalong. The area has gained prominence as a tourist destination and can be visited from Chapramari within an hour. You can also visit the beautiful tea gardens of Jiti and Hila above Nagrakata.
Gorumara in the South is easily accessible. Gorumara offers a large number of forest visit options and attracts the largest number of tourists in the Dooars.
Further east of Chapramari is Jaldapara forest about an hour's drive (58 km) from here.
Getting There
If you are travelling by train, Chalsa is the nearest station about 10 km from the forest. But few trains stop here. Malbazar 7 km further has a stoppage of several trains including an intercity express and a train connecting Kolkata. New Jalpaiguri (NJP), the most important station in the area is about 70 km and 1.5 hours drive away.
Bagdogra is the nearest airport. Road connectivity is excellent with all other major places in the region. Most tourists prefer to get down at NJP or Bagdogra and take a car to visit Chapramari.
We have one of the largest fleets of tourist vehicles in Dooars. For hiring a car for your visit, you may contact us.
Where to Stay
If you are looking for accommodation at Chapramari, the accommodation options can be grouped as below.
Resorts around Murti – Several good resorts and hotels exist near the Murti River. This includes private bungalows as well as WBFDC and WBTDC lodges. These are considered to be accommodations for Gorumara forest visitors, but the forest in the vicinity is that of Chapramari rather than Gorumara.
Lataguri / Gorumara Resorts – Although technically these are not around Chapramari, the Chapramari forest is less than an hour's drive from almost any resort around Gorumara forests. Add to the fact that most tourists visit Chapramari as part of a forest safari package which is conducted and booked from Gorumara. As a result, most tourists are comfortable staying in Lataguri or Gorumara area and going for a forest safari here.
Panjhora Wilderness Camp – This is a small tourist accommodation managed by the forest department and situated inside the Chapramari forests. It is inside the forest and close to river Murti. The accommodation can be booked through the forest department office at Gorumara. There is a fair chance of sighting wildlife if you decide to stay here.
Chapramari Forest Bungalow is probably the best option for a wildlife enthusiast as it is located deep inside the forest and wildlife sighting is very common here. However, the forest bungalow is not regularly available for tourist booking. We do not provide a booking for the Chapramari forest bungalow. Anyone interested may contact the forest department directly.
Our Service
We have been organizing tours in Gorumara Chapramari forests for close to the last 20 years. Whether you need accommodation or transportation or both, you may get in touch with our expert team. We have our fleet of vehicles for tourist transport in Dooars, and in and around Chapramari, we manage several Homestay and home lodges as well. For Resort and Hotel booking in and around Gorumara / Chapramari, you may also get in touch with our expert team.
We are Associated with
