Darjeeling’s newest tourist attraction offers rolling
Himalayan views minus the crowds—if you’re willing to break a sweat. In January
this year, the district inaugurated a 20-km cycling trail in the Senchal
Wildlife Sanctuary, which weaves through thick pine forests and past
numerous viewpoints with panoramic vistas. The path is closed to cars and
motorbikes, and is a rare opportunity for the country’s growing population of
bike lovers.
The forested trail begins at the sanctuary’s main gate near
Jorbangla and ends at the state tourism guesthouse in the tiny hillside village
of Chatakpur, inside the park. At Chatakpur, riders can enjoy cups of chai, and
stay on, too. “The path is an old route that used to connect Darjeeling and
Kurseong,” Anurag Srivastava, Darjeeling’s district magistrate, told NationalGeographic Traveller India. “It is not a very difficult route,
with gentle slopes that all riders will be able to handle.”
Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary is one of India’s oldest protected
areas, having been declared a sanctuary in 1915. Its lakes supply Darjeeling
town with drinking water and its forests abound in wild boar, rabbits, and
barking deer. Himalayan bears and leopards have also been spotted at its
perimeter.
The cycling path is open throughout the year from sunrise to
sunset, except during the monsoon. Permits (RS 50) can be purchased at the sanctuary
entrance, about a 30min-cycle ride from Darjeeling city. Cycles and mountain
bikes can be rented from Darjeeling for about RS 800 per day. Local authorities are working
to make the path more tourist friendly with signs, bike racks and marked
viewpoints to enjoy the surrounding mountains. It sounds like a nice
(crowd-free) way to spend the day, but don’t plan a picnic: Cyclists
will not be allowed to carry snacks, although drinking water is allowed.
ORIGINAL LINK: http://www.natgeotraveller.in/
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