Dawaipani, an ideal offbeat for nature enthusiasts

After the completion of my son’s ICSE exam, I boarded the Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to Siliguri early in the morning on April 1st with my family and reached NJP station on time. It was our first journey on the Vande Bharat Express, which was a wonderful experience. The Vande Bharat Express is built with state-of-the-art indigenous technology. Apart from Kurseong and Darjeeling, another new offbeat destination known as Dawaipani was the center of attraction on this trip.

After two days in Kurseong, we reached this village in a reserved vehicle. Due to the G20 meeting at that time, a lot of security forces were deployed on the streets of Darjeeling and Siliguri. So that the foreign delegates did not face any problems, and everything was arranged very nicely, and every place was beautifully decorated.
However, we took a reserve vehicle from Kurseong and reached Jorebungalow via Tung and Sonada.
From Jorebungalow, we took the Peshok road on the right, and after 3 miles (Tin Mile), a road goes straight uphill to Dawaipani, where there is a signboard inviting you to this village.
Finally, we stopped in front of a beautiful and well-decorated homestay in Dawaipani, and the warm welcome of the homestay owners won our hearts very easily. Thus began our journey to a new offbeat destination.

Behind the story of the naming of this Village

After talking to locals, we got to know the beautiful story of the naming of this offbeat destination.
In hindi, Dawaipani means is Medicinal Water. This whole area was a tea plantation, which was known as Bandi Kaman at that time. Whereas Kaman means the Tea Garden in the local language.
Before independence, there was an Englishman who was deputed in this tea estate and suffering from skin disease for a long time, but no medicine was working. There was a spring on the way to and from this tea garden, and the water from that spring-soaked different parts of his body. He noticed after a few days that his skin disease started to heal slowly. He then sent the sample of the water to the laboratory for testing, and the tests revealed that the water was rich in minerals. Since then, this tea garden has been named Mineral Spring Busty and later Dawaipani.

In the year 1968, due to a devastating landslide, the actual spring was almost destroyed. But a trickle of the spring can still be seen in the lower part of Dawaipani. Therefore, the lower part of Dawaipani is still called Mineral Spring Busty and is close to Lebong Busty.

Why do we travel to Dawaipani?

This hamlet is blessed with the natural beauty of misty hills and thick forests full of Himalayan plants and wildlife. This village is surrounded by few renowned tea estates like Glenburn, Peshok, Runglee Rungliot,Gielle Tea Garden, and lush green pine trees and it is located very close to Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary. Dawaipani is an ideal place for those who want to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The village has a breathtaking view of Mount Kanchenjunga (Sleeping Buddha). So, Dawaipani can also be called A window to see Kanchenjunga because Kanchenjunga can be seen clearly from anywhere in the whole village. Also, a clear view of Chardham and Samdruptse Monastery which are situated near Namchi in South Sikkim. Dawaipani is located on the opposite hill of Darjeeling town, which is famous for Tiger Hill. So, after sunset, the entire Darjeeling town looks like stars in a galaxy.

Where is Dawaipani or Dabai Pani Located?

Altitude: At around 6500 ft above the sea level.
Location: It’s located in Rangli Rangliot sub-division of Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Essential Information of Dawaipani

Nearest Airport:
International: Bagdogra Airport (IXB), WB

Nearest Town:
Darjeeling Town (Also known as Queen of the Hills)

Nearest Main Railway Stations:

• New Jalpaiguri (NJP)
• Ghum Railway Station: This station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is the highest railway station in India and is situated at an altitude of 7,407 feet. The famous Batasia Loop (a famous bend of the DHR) is located between Ghum and Darjeeling railway stations, which is the most scenic spot and attracts a lot of tourists.
  The railway station has a museum that portrays the history of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

A special story of a voluntary organization in Dawaipani

Name: Parivartan Youth Club, Dawaipani Bhotia Busty, Darjeeling.

There is a voluntary organization in this village whose activities are really commendable. In this regard, I have to mention them in this blog post, and it inspired me a lot. The name of that voluntary organization is Parivartan Youth Club. This organization is basically working continuously to make this village a truly clean village.

Following are some notable activities of this organization:

• Beautifully crafted dustbins made from discarded oil cans for collecting waste can be seen all over the village.
• The volunteers of this organization work to create awareness among the villagers to reduce the use of polythene bags and to dispose of the village’s plastic waste at designated places.
• To beautify the village, volunteers have prepared hanging flower tubs of various designs. Also, the organization has set up useful signboards for visiting different points of the village for the convenience of tourists and newcomers.
• Apart from these, helping with road repair and the construction of new roads are also part of their activities.

So, I thank and sincerely wish every member of this organization, and their efforts are a real example for society.

How to Reach

From NJP, Siliguri, or Bagdogra airport, it usually takes 2.60 hours to 3 hours if you reserve a car to reach here directly, but it depends on the road conditions.
If you want to come by shared car, then there are many ways to reach here.
You can take any Darjeeling bound shared cars from NJP or Siliguri and first reach at Jorebungalow. From Jorebungalow, take the Peshok road on the right, and after 3rd miles (Tin Mile), a road goes straight uphill to Dawaipani, where there is a signboard inviting you to this village.
You can also reach here from Teesta Bazar.
Apart from that, from the Darjeeling taxi stand, you can get shared cars to Dawaipani, but very few cars are available towards Dawaipani, so try to arrive at taxi stand as early as possible before 1 p.m.

Note: But it is better to reach Dawaipani by reserved car from Jorebungalow, as there are very few shared cars available from here. So, if you inform the homestay owner before coming, they will arrange a reserved car from Jorebungalow.

Distance from Dawaipani (Approx. Measurement)

Local Medical Facilities

There is no Primary Health Care Center (PHC), but the government medical team comes to the village once a week. As this village is very close to Darjeeling town, anyone can go there for any medical emergency, as the Darjeeling District Hospital and other government and private health centers are there.

Local Education Facilities

In here, there is a beautifully decorated small school building known as Dabai Pani Bhotia Busty Primary School, which was established in 1974.

Local people and their livelihood

Dawaipani is home to about 150 families, mostly from the Tamang, Rai, Subba, and Chhetri communities. The population here is around 1,303–1,419.
The natives are mainly dependent on agriculture, especially now that they have widely adopted organic farming methods. Here, different types of crops and vegetables are produced organically through step farming. Apiculture (honeybee farming) and animal husbandry are one of the main sources of income here. King cardamom, ginger, and local potatoes are cash crops here. Squash (Iskus), cabbage, and organic tea are grown here in abundance. Some locals are in the Indian Army and other government sectors.
Now many locals have chosen a new way of earning by making a part of their residence a homestay and they are realizing the importance of sustainable ecotourism.

Local Delicacy

There is a lot of variety in the local cuisine here. In Dawaipani, I got a chance to taste some of the unique ethnic dishes along with the conventional and popular ones. I tried to give a small idea of it in this blog post.
If you want to know my earlier experience with such ethnic dishes, then definitely click the Gastronomy category of this blog link where I gave ideas about those dishes.

• Tibetan Bread with Gorkhey Achar: A simple, popular, and quick recipe is Gorkhe Achar, made with lots of onions, peppers, and tomatoes. This spicy dish tastes great with roti, Tibetan bread, and rice.
• Rayo Ko Saag (Mustard Leaf Spinach) is one of the common man’s foods in this region and is made with mustard leaf greens, ginger, onion, tomato, red dry chili, cumin, mustard seed, salt, and oil.
• Gundruk ko Jhol (Gundruk Soup): Gundruk is one of the most popular and favorite dishes of the Eastern Himalayan region. It is made from dried fermented vegetables like mustard green leaves (Rayo ko saag), radish leaves (Mula ko saag), and cauliflower leaves (cauli ko paat). It stores in clay pots for a week or more before winter and is then dried in the sunlight. It can be stored for over a year. The fermentation process helps develop a very unique and tangy flavor. Gundruk is eaten as a soup in the winter and is rich in minerals and vitamins.

What to do & Nearest Attractions

Village Walk: You can walk around this picture-perfect Himalayan village full of natural beauty and explore the people and their culture. Also, you can visit the organic farms in the village.

Bird Watching and Photography: This is an ideal place for those who love bird watching and bird photography, as you will be surrounded by the chirping of birds in this quiet village.

Cultural Activities: Immerse yourself in the traditional cultural activities like dance and folk songs of the locals. You can attend local festivals and events to experience the local culture.

Camping & Picnic: You can also stay in a tent while camping and be part of a memorable picnic in the mesmerizing nature.

One-day short travel: Dawaipani is closely located near some popular and offbeat tourist attractions like Darjeeling town, Sonada, Lamhatta, Tinchuley, Rangaroon, Sittong and Takdah. You can see famous tea estates in this region.

Trekking & Hiking: This place is a paradise for trekkers and hikers. As it is located very close to Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary. Hence, from here, adventure lovers and trekkers can take many short treks through the forest.
One of the popular trekking routes is Dawaipani to Rangaroon, and another is Dawaipani to Peshok Road. There are several other trekking trails of medium to high difficulty for experienced trekkers.
Also, you can go on a hiking adventure in the thick forest and discover the mysteries of nature.

Where to Stay

There are many homestays in Dawaipani now, so tourists don’t have to worry too much about accommodation & food. Most of these are run by locals. The homestays can arrange transportation if it is required. Some homestays have parking facilities. Also, they can arrange nearby short treks, camping, and sightseeing as well.

If you are interested, they can arrange barbeque or any special food dishes obviously you have to pay more. but for this you can easily get the latest information from various online booking sites.
Below are the contact details for some homestays for the latest tariffs and other valid information.

• Lalita Homestay, Dawaipani Bhotia Busty
  Owner: Mrs. Lalita Subba & her husband (ex-Indian Army personnel)
  Contact: +91 9932671384,7583995673

We stayed at this beautiful homestay. The comfortable rooms at this homestay are decorated in traditional decor and equipped with modern amenities. The friendly hosts serve authentic local cuisine to the guests to make them feel at home.

Vegetable and flower gardens in front of this homestay make the surroundings more attractive. Their sincerity and simplicity impressed us. They can arrange barbecue as per your request, but for this you need to pay an extra cost.

• Dwaipani Homestay, Upper Dawaipani
  Owner: Biren Rai, A nice person
  Phone: +91 96414 52718 (WhatsApp)
  Note: This homestay is located at the top of Dawaipani, so you can see the beautiful view of Dawaipani and Kanchenjunga.
• Ahan’s Homestay
  Phone: +91 8391094529, 8617341017

• Deepak Homestay
  Phone: +91 9134399359, 7362945945
• Jasshanti Homestay
  Phone: +91 9339601240, 9002674918
• Sona Homestay
  Phone: +91 8388899359,9564523749
• Karuna Homestay
  Owner: Karuna Tamang
  Phone: +91-7980024105

I have only shared with you my memorable experiences with homestay owners, drivers, or tour guides while traveling, but your experience may not be the same as mine. Hence, I have no responsibility in that case. I am just sharing information only.

Weather & Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Dawaipani is from October to February. Because the weather is very pleasant at this time. Many migratory birds come here during this time, and Kanchenjunga (the sleeping Buddha) can be seen very clearly. So many tourists visit here during this time, especially those who are bird watchers.
As this place is located at an altitude of 6500 feet, it is a bit cooler throughout the year. Always keep warm clothes and a raincoat handy, as it rains heavily from mid-June to September.
But I prefer to visit any Himalayan village during the monsoons because, even though there is a possibility of landslides, the hills look greener and more vibrant during the monsoons.
Here, snowfall occurs occasionally but not every year.
The weather here is pleasant throughout the year, except during monsoons.

√ Although homestays serve food, you should keep dry foods like cakes, chocolates, and biscuits with you.
√ Dawaipani is an offbeat place, and most homestays do not accept credit or debit card payments, so carry enough cash with you.
√ It is better to keep necessary medicines with you.
√ Also carry a slipper, an umbrella and a torch.
√ Carry at least one original ID proof with you.

Without their help, this trip would not have been worthwhile

Prasantha Biswas: A responsible and experienced driver residing in Siliguri. He is very punctual, and he always arrives on time. He also understands a tourist’s point of view and tries to always cooperate. So, my experience with him was excellent. So, a big thanks to Prasantha.
If anybody wants to travel to any offbeat or popular tourist places in North Bengal and Sikkim, they can contact him at his mobile number before traveling.

Contact: Prasantha Biswas
Contact Number: +91 89278 01894 (WhatsApp)

Samuel Chetri: A young singer, photographer, tour planner (for North Bengal and Sikkim), and driver who belongs to Sittong. His place of work is Kurseong. He is a very cheerful, lively young man whose manners and knowledge will impress you. So, I am very thankful to you for making my Dawaipani trip a success.
Contact: Samuel Chetri
Contact Number: +91 93824 04204 (WhatsApp)

Yogesh Tamang: A cheerful young man whom we met at the Lalita homestay. He is a relative of the owner of the homestay, so he also looks after the homestay. He has a lot of knowledge about Dawaipani and the Parivartan Youth Club (a voluntary organization). He is an active member of this voluntary organization. According to my discussion with him, he has a very clear idea about offbeat tourism and homestays. He explained to me what he wants to present to offbeat-loving travelers in the future. The information provided by him has greatly helped me in writing this blog post. Best wishes for him in his future endeavors. Thanks a lot, Yogesh!

You can see some selected stunning photos & videos by clicking on the blog’s Instagram, Facebook and X(Twitter). Also, click the Gallery Section of this blog for only photos. I hope you will like those.

• On February 15, 2019, the first Vande Bharat Express train (originally known as Train 18) on the New Delhi-Varanasi route was flagged off by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. As part of the Make in India initiative, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) manufactured the Vande Bharat Express.
• Samdruptse Monastery, Namchi is well known for the 45-meter-tall, gigantic statue of Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). In Bhutia, Samdruptse means The Wish-Fulfilling Hill. The Dalai Lama laid the foundation of the Samdruptse Monastery in Namchi on 22nd October 1997.