Suntalekhola – Solitude to Enjoy

Village by the Stream

Suntalekhola is a small village in Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India. 650 to 950 meters above the sea level it is a place of eternal peace. The name Suntalekhola derives from two Nepali words Suntaley means orange and Khola means stream.

Surrounded by fresh green tea gardens, it is the residence of many rare species of birds and butterflies. Suntalekhola is just 5KM from another small village Samsing, which is also famous for tea gardens. One of the largest tea brand Goodrick has its tea estate in Samsing.

Journey to Suntalekhola

Are you feeling bore, reading all these facts and figures?… Okay, and then let me take you to Suntalekhola. The journey to Suntalekhola is a lifetime experience. I personally enjoyed the journey as much as I have enjoyed the place. You can go directly to Suntalekhola following many different routes.

We started our journey to Suntalekhola from Bauxa Tourist Lodge in Rajavatkhaoa early in the morning by car. At the beginning of our journey, the condition of the road was not so good. There were several bumps and lots of dusts covered the road. All of our team members were pretty much disappointed because we had heard that this journey was equally interesting. And after 15minutes from starting we were still facing the same bumpy hilly road.

But, we were yet to observe the true beauty of the Himalayan mountain region. As soon as we started climbing the mountain, the scenes began to change. All of a sudden, we were surrounded by the greens of tea gardens, fresh cool October breeze and oh! What a relief! The condition of the road was better than before.

The green forests of Dooars and vast tea gardens rest in the lap of the hills were a pleasing beauty to our urban eyes.

On our way to Suntalekhola, we passed through the Goodrick tea estate of Samsing; one more treat for the eyes.

Accommodations in Suntalekhola

West Bengal Forest Development Corporation has its cottages in Sutalekhola for tourist accommodation. The location of these cottages is attractive.

 

The resort is beside a small water spring. The entrance to the resort is through a rope bridge hanging over the stream.

 

For me, it is a remarkable experience to enter a resort walking through a rope bridge with a stream beneath my feet and a vast clear sky over my head.

 

There are several small cottages in the compound each has one double room and a few large cottages which have dormitory for a large group to stay in. Though the cottages are located in a somewhat remote area; however, we found every single modern amenity there. This area is an eco-friendly space. The electricity is obtained from the solar system. So, we enjoyed staying in a purely pollution free zone.

 

The surrounding garden is well-maintained and there are outdoor dining options. We enjoyed the freshness of nature and our delicious food at the same time.

 

At night, when darkness covers the cottages, it is a remarkable experience to enjoy the sweet sound of the stream and twinkling stars in the sky in absolute darkness.

Rocky Island

There is also some famous trek route in Suntalekhola. One of such route is Rocky Island. You can enjoy trekking there and can stay also. There is a camp for the trekkers in Rocky Island.

 

Since Suntalekhola is an isolated place outside the chaos of the town; newlyweds can consider this place as an ideal honeymoon location to enjoy togetherness.