A Romantic Getaway To Lamahatta, Darjeeling
Running to the mountains is the brain's most frequent solution to difficulties. If the place happens to be the place of Lamas, the visit becomes more relaxing. Darjeeling is and always will be the most sought place among mountain seekers. After all, Darjeeling is called the “Queen of Hills” for a reason.
But what if we give you a new place to visit in Darjeeling? While travelling to the mountains, you will be looking at your budget restrictions. But, we are taking you to a place where budget won't be an issue, and you will live the best days surrounded by the hills.
A Romantic Staycation At Lamahatta: Walk Through The Greenery
After hustling through a long week, your soul will be looking for something exotic away from the city chaos. With Darjeeling becoming an easy-to-go place, it is getting crowded day by day.
However, just 23 km away from Darjeeling town, a small village is located. The temperature is slightly warmer, but the entire place is surrounded by lush green forests and the huts of Lamas.
Lamahatta is situated at an altitude of about 5700 feet, a tourist spot in Darjeeling, West Bengal.
History of Lamahatta
In 2012, Lamahatta has been rewarded as an eco-tourism place when the chief minister of West Bengal, Ms Mamata Banerjee visited the place, and with the assistance of local villagers and the forest protection team worked together to build the eco-tourism park. Lamahatta breaks down into Lama and Hatta, where lama means Buddhist monk and Hatta means hut. Therefore, Lamahatta means the monk’s hermitage.
The local people are of the tribes of Sherpas, Tamangs, Dukpas, Bhutias, and Yalmos. The eco-tourism park is built to maintain the ecological balance with sustainable biodiversity. The park aims to build an alternative source of income for the locals and protect nature altogether.
Currently, all the homestays are owned by the local villagers. There are near about 15 rooms with basic amenities and five tents with basic amenities. While visiting Lamahatta, you can stay in tents with your partner for an adventurous experience.
Places To Visit In Lamahatta
Lamahatta is popular for its scenic beauty and calm atmosphere. While coming down from Darjeeling, one can spend the day in Lamahatta Eco-tourism Park. After 2012, the park has gone through gradual development. Now several shops and homestays are available right beside the roads near the eco-tourism park.
Right beside the road, scrubs and trees are trimmed to give the garden a picturesque view. While the garden captures your attention and soothes your eyesight, the park enters the slopes of hills surrounded by the dense dhupi and pine forest.
Lamahatta Eco-Tourism Park
The entry fee to the eco-tourism park is 15/- per person. You can get the tickets from the small ticket counter right opposite the road. If you want to book a homestay, you will get the available options from the counter. Once you settle into a homestay, you can walk up to the entrance of the park. You will see it full of seasonal flowers and orchids of different colours. Here, you can walk with your partner holding hands through the slopes surrounded by pine forests. While walking through the park, you will see gazebos where you can seat and relax. The entire park will show you strings of prayer flags. According to the local tales, the flags of prayers purify the nature and mind of the people. If you want, you can watch the entire Lamahatta village from the wooden Lamnahatta watch tower. On a luckier day, you can also see the peaks of Kanchenjunga, Darjeeling town, Tiger Hill, and Namchi of Sikkim, along with the Rangeet river streaming down the hills.
Hilltop Sacred Lake
Take the trail that leads to a small lake on a hilltop. The local people put their faith in the lake. Hence, the name sacred lake or Sacred pond. However, it will be difficult to travel through the trail, as it is not well-marked and steep. Therefore, it will be better to travel with a local villager. If you are staying in Lamahatta, you must visit the Sacred lake and spend some quality time near the Sacred pond. You have to keep near about 1 hour to visit the Sacred Lake and return to your homestay.
Lamahatta Monastery
What did you do, if you don't visit the 500 years old Lamahatta Monastery? The Lamahatta Phunchok Rabten Gayphelling Monastery is 1.5 km away from the Lamahatta Eco-tourism Park. You can walk up to the Lamahatta Monastery from the park in 20 minutes. Surrounded by the Takdah forest, Lamahatta, and Lopchu Bazaar, it is an interesting place to seat, relax, and experience Buddhist culture by lighting an incense stick while the Lama prays with you.
Trekking Through The Pine And Dhupi Trees
Lamahatta is famous for its lush green forest. Therefore, what stops you from soaking your soul in nature while trekking through the woods? If you travel to Lamahatta, between February to April, you can visit the Takdah Orchid Center.
Trekking To The Gari Danda Fort
If you two are fond of trekking, then you can plan a trek to the Gari Danda Fort, which is an old fort, located on the top of the hill. The trekking is easy, which is just 3 km away, and you will get to see the scenic beauty of nature.
Lover’s Meet Viewpoint
While on a trip with your partner, you must not miss the Lover's Meet View Point, 10 km away from Peshok road. From this place, you will also see the confluence of the Teesta and Rangeet rivers, known as Triveni.
Photoshoot At The Tea Gardens
Darjeeling is famous for its tea leaves. As you visit Lmahatta, you can book a cab to the tea estates. There you can take photos amidst the tea garden. During the seasons, local people give stalls for local clothes on rent. You can rent local clothes to wear and take photos as you desire in the tea garden.
Lamahatta is a calm place with the best pine and dhupi tree forest. While the weekdays are spent on computers and shallowing pollutants in the crowd, the Lamahatta tour brings freshness to your mind. Two days are enough to cover these areas. Therefore, plan your Lamahatta trip on a Friday night, and spend the weekend amidst the woods to rejuvenate your soul.
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