Gorumara Travel Guide - Back to the Wilds at Gorumara National Park

If you're looking for a forest trip, there can be few better destinations than the Gorumara National Park in West Bengal. 

The Dooars in the Himalayan foothills is one of the most enchanting places in the whole Indian subcontinent. And it's undoubtedly a paradise for the travel-thirsty souls who love to spend time in forests. With dense forests, such as the Gorumara National Park or the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary located here, this is surely your dream destination if you're in love with forests.

Dooars is rich in vegetation due to the incessant rainfall received every year. The result: lush greenery. So, it's no wonder that forests located here, such as the Gorumara National Park, are full of animals and birds.

Looking to spend a short adventure trip for a weekend?

You need to look no further. Hence, if you are planning to spend a holiday full of adventures, pack your bags and start for Gorumara National Park. With its collection of rich flora and fauna, Gorumara National Park can provide you with excellent opportunities of wildlife sightings. And you'll also come in close contact with nature, which can help you enjoy the trip of a lifetime!

The Short History

Gorumara National Park is a major forest in West Bengal, which was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1949. It was rechristened a national park in 1992. 

Located on the banks of rivers Raidak and Murti in the Jalpaiguri district, Gorumara National Park is a favorite among tourists from all over the world. Gorumara offers the chance of observing a wide variety of plants, animals, and birds.

How to Reach Gorumara

The nearest airport to Gorumara National Park is Bagdogra. You can hire a jeep or car from there to take you to this enchanting forest. The National Highway 31 passes through this national park. This enables visitors to reach Gorumara National Park by car. If you want to take a train to go to Gorumara National Park, you can get down at the nearest stations of Maynaguri or Chalsa. You can even travel from the New Jalpaiguri Junction Railway Station. From there you can hire a jeep that will take you to the Gorumara National Park.

Gorumara National Park Distance

From Railway Stations

• New Jalpaiguri Station: 58.5 Km
• Chalsa Station: 14.7 Km
• New Maynaguri Station: 26.7 Km

From Bagdogra International Airport: 76.3 Km

From Siliguri Bus Terminus: 82.2 Km

Therefore, it is not difficult to hire a cab and go to Gorumara National Park from any of these locations.

Animals in Gorumara National Park

Want to experience the most outstanding adventure watching animals and birds in their natural habitat?

Make Gorumara National Park your next holiday destination.

The park is famous as the home of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. Some of the other animals you might come across in the Gorumara National Park include:

• Indian Gaur
• Leopard
• Different types of langurs
• Deer
• Pythons

Various types of snakes are present within the boundaries of the Gorumara National Park and beyond.

Birds of Gorumara National Park

Its rich biodiversity makes Gorumara an excellent spot for bird watching. Birding in Gorumara National Park is a common and popular activity. A lot of people visit the park to have a look at the birds and click pictures of the winged beauties of Gorumara National Park.

You can find a wide variety of birds in the jungles of Gorumara. One of the most common among the birds of Gorumara is the Indian Roller. Some of the other bird species found in Gorumara National Park include:

• Barn Owl
• Black Headed Cuckoo-shrike
• Yellow-breasted Bunting
• Black Hooded Oriole
• Long-billed Vulture, 
• Black-Necked Stork
• Asian Pied Starling
• Blossom Headed Parakeet
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Barn Swallow
• Malayan Night Heron
• Black-Throated Sunbird
• White-throated Fantail
• Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike

The forest is a regular destination for migratory birds, such as Brahminy duck. These birds frequent the Gorumara National Park in winter.

Activities to Enjoy

Gorumara National Park is the best place to spend a lazy holiday. You can sit on the balcony of your room in the nearby tourist lodge and experience the primitive ambiance of wild forests. 

You can also visit a few watchtowers, buy a ticket, and climb up the stairs to get excellent views of the Gorumara National Park. Some of the renowned watchtowers of Gorumara forest are:

• Jatraprasad Watchtower, Gorumara, named after a legendary elephant
• Chapramari Watchtower
• Rhino Point Watchtower
• Medhla Watchtower
• Chuk Chuki Watchtower
• Khunia Watchtower
• Murti River or Zero Point

If you're planning to climb the watchtowers, carrying a binocular can come in really handy. It will help you get a clear view of the animals and birds of the Gorumara forest.

Safari at Gorumara

You can also go for a Gorumara safari trip of the whole forest on a jeep. Elephant rides are also popular among tourists visiting this national park in West Bengal. There are four shifts of safaris depending on the timings. The shift timings are different for October to February and March to September.

Gorumara Safari Timings

Here's a quick look at the safari timings at Gorumara.

October to February

March to September

Best Time to Visit Gorumara

If you are thinking of visiting the Gorumara National Park, make it between November and April, when the weather in the park remains pleasant. You will need to avoid the monsoons, as the Gorumara forest remains closed for tourists from the middle of June to the end of September.

Where to Stay in Gorumara

There are different options for lodging inside and near the Gorumara National Park. Some of these include the Murti Tourist Lodge by West Bengal Tourism on the banks of river Murti, Murti Banani Resort by West Bengal Forest Department, Hatihana – the Green Castle, Gorumara Forest Bungalow, Murti River Camp, and so on. All of these resorts provide excellent comfort to their guests.

Plan a peaceful holiday in a forest that takes you back to the wilds – make your trip to Gorumara National Park one to remember forever!