DOBAN, RORATHANG – 84 KMS. FROM SILIGURI

• Weekend Tour

If you are waiting for a lovely destination in North Bengal to have a great weekend with your beloved ones – Doban can be your choice. In Nepali – “Do” means “two” and “Ban” means “to tie”, so Doban refers to the tying of two rivers. This lovely new spot in the Kalimpong sub division is located at the confluence of two rivers, Rangpo River and Reshi River. The destination is gradually gaining popularity among the tourists for its unique location and picturesque landscape with surrounding forests. Moreover, Doban makes a perfect stopover for the tourists travelling through the Silk Route. It can be an ideal place for spending a day in sparkling weather watching birds and angling before taking to the high-altitude lakes of the Silk Route in Sikkim. You would have to cross a wooden bridge over Reshi River to reach Doban.

Things to see in Doban: Doban is surrounded with dense forest and grasslands and is home to a huge population of migratory and residential birds. The golden gleam of sunrise is undoubtedly awesome. You will just appreciate the rivers in moonlit night under the starry sky. It looks like a silver necklace lying on a green patch of land. After a hearty breakfast you can go out for a short nature trek to the surrounding forests.

Nearby attractions of Doban: Just 18 kms from Doban is the small town – Aritar. The main attraction of this village is a beautiful “boot- shaped” lake called Lampokhari. The place, unique in its own way is covered with lush green forest, mountains, stepped farmlands and waterfalls. Aritar top, which is known as Mankhim offers an amazing view of Mt. Kanchenjunga and some great nature trails, monasteries, view points, bird watching opportunities and village tour options. The Aritar Dak Bungalow, built in 1896 by the British is another attraction.

From Doban, you can visit another interesting place, Pedong – a resort town just 38 kms away. There you will find the historical ruins of Damsang Fort, built in 1690 – the reminiscent of the Lepcha Kingdom. Apart from these, you may visit Reshikhola, another riverside destination, just 13 kms away from Doban. You can also take day trips to Kalimpong, which is just 47 kms away and the little hill station Lava just 55 kms away from Doban.

Things to do in Doban: Angling in the waters of Rangpo and Reshi rivers can be fun. Children can run over the place and play “catch me if you can.” If you are fond of trekking, then you can go for short treks along the craggy riverbeds through forests up to Pedong. The crystal clear river is also a delight for water lovers. You would also find some farm animals like rabbits and sheep in the resort. A bird watcher can submerge himself in the exotic species of birds in this location. Doban is a heaven for birdwatchers, anglers, photographers and bookworms.

How to reach Doban: Doban is very near to Rorathang, which is a border town between East Sikkim and West Bengal. It is located at a distance of 84 km from Siliguri and 47 km from Kalimpong. You can avail rented cars according to your choice and budget from both these places to reach the destination.

Best time to visit Doban: The winters bring migratory birds to Doban but during the heavy monsoons of June, July and August, Doban becomes inaccessible and stays closed to tourists.

Lodging and dining facilities at Doban: Accommodation options are very limited in Doban. There is only one village resort nestled at the confluence of Rangpo and Reshi Rivers. Laid out over eight acres of forested landscape on the riverside, this resort has a few cozy cottages decked with all modern facilities. The accommodation is not super luxurious but quite decent. If you are the “Backpackers” type – then you can opt for tents too. Dining is essentially Indian cuisine with freshly harvested locally grown vegetables, local country chicken and sometimes freshly caught fish from the river.