The Rachela Peak trek in Kalimpong district’s Neora Valley National Park will open to visitors in November, giving tourists access to a new watchtower nearly 10,000 feet above sea level and panoramic views of the Kanchenjunga range, the Gorumara wildlife division of Jalpaiguri said.
The route will begin at the Neora Valley National Park entrance in Lava. Visitors will travel by vehicle to Rachela Peak and Chaudda Feri before leaving their vehicles at a fork in the hill road at Dumukha. From there, they will trek a little more than 2km to reach the peak. The drive from Dumukha to the point where vehicles must stop covers about 8km.
The viewpoint is expected to offer views of the Himalayan landscape stretching towards Sikkim, including the formation popularly known as the “sleeping Buddha”. On clear days, trekkers will also be able to watch the sunrise from the peak. The forest department said snowfall at Lava and Rachela in December and January could bring extremely cold conditions to the route.
Rajib De, additional divisional forest officer of Gorumara, said Rachela Peak offered a better vantage point for sunrise and views of the Kanchenjunga range than the popular Tiger Hill. He said visitors would need to prepare for severe cold during the winter months, particularly if snowfall occurs.
The watchtower has been under construction for around two years. Work was put on hold about a year and a half ago after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee waived forest entry fees. The forest department suspended plans to open the route because of concerns that unrestricted access could lead to an uncontrolled influx of visitors.
The remaining construction work is expected to be completed in early November. Wooden planks will be installed over the existing concrete pillars and a tin-sheet roof will be added to the watchtower. The trail passes through dense vegetation and includes several scenic points, according to forest officials.
The department will restrict the number of tourists allowed to undertake the trek. The measure is intended to protect the fragile forest ecosystem, where visitors may encounter Himalayan black bears, deer and the red panda. Drivers travelling to the site will be instructed to avoid unnecessary honking and to use headlights only when required, a source cited by the newspaper said.
The opening therefore combines a new tourism facility with controlled access rules. The forest department’s next stated milestone is completion of the watchtower’s remaining work before the route opens in November.
