You wake up early because that’s how the wildlife decides the schedule here. No snooze button, just the calls of hornbills, maybe a far-off growl if you’re lucky. Gorumara National Park, five kilometers away, starts allowing jeep safaris before the mist even thinks about lifting.
Guides, all local, all knowing, tell you to keep quiet. Rhinos, elephants, maybe a bison herd—depends on your luck. The jungle doesn’t promise, just surprises. Routes like Chapramari Watchtower or Medla Watchpoint? Options exist, pick one that sounds right, or flip a coin.
Best Time for Safari?
First slot: 6 AM – Cold breeze, least people, most animals.
Later slot? 9 AM – Slightly crowded, but still good.
If animals decide to play hide-and-seek? Peacocks, eagles, even the occasional python keep things interesting.
Midday: Breakfast and Uncommon Routes
Safaris drain you. Hunger makes opinions stronger. The usual: luchi-aloo sabzi, mishti doi at a roadside shack. Prefer posh? Few options exist but ask locals for fresh-cooked panta bhaat, if you dare. Fermented rice, mustard oil, and chillies—not fancy but keeps you going.
Now, while most tourists head back to hotels, you shouldn’t. Few know Jatraprasad Watchtower exists—named after a legendary elephant who roamed these jungles decades ago. Less crowded, more peaceful, still great for deer spotting.
Want Something Offbeat?
- Murti River Banks – Feels untouched, kingfishers dive like they own the place.
- Suntalekhola – 20 km away but worth it. A village where streams cut through forests, silent enough to hear your thoughts.
- Murti Picnic Spot – Most ignore it for its simplicity. Sit by the river, watch tea estates roll in and out of sight.
Afternoon: Lataguri Without the Tourists
Sun gets sharp. Forests feel slow. Perfect time to visit Bichabhanga, a place maps don’t always show. Small village, but if you know someone who knows someone, they take you inside, show you age-old tribal ways. Folk tales, music, sometimes dances with wooden masks.
Another hidden corner? Ramsai Watchtower—it sees fewer people, which makes it better. Sit still, and you might spot gaurs, wild boars, sometimes a leopard tail vanishing into the green.
Evening: The Sun Leaves, The Stories Start
People gather near Lataguri Nature Interpretation Centre by 6 PM. Not for a show, but because forests feel different when stories replace safaris. Guides tell of tigers that aren’t here anymore, of elephant encounters, of bamboo groves with old spirits.
Dinner? Lataguri Bazaar is where smoky tandoors, roadside momos, and fish thalis all compete. Rohu fish, straight from the Teesta River, makes for the best meal.
Want something weird? Ask for silkworm fry. Not for everyone, but definitely local.
Final Hours: Before the Lights Go Off
At night, Lataguri stays awake in whispers. Resorts run bonfire nights, with drums, sometimes flutes. Some tourists drink, some watch the fireflies near the tea gardens. The road leading to Chalsa? Silent, except for the crickets, the occasional owl, and the thought of something unseen moving in the bushes.
You head back. Lataguri doesn’t exhaust you. It just makes sure you leave with something to remember.