Orange Villages in Bengal-Mirik,Sittong,Shelphu,Mangwa
Orange Orchards & Quaint Homestays: North Bengal has more surprises for your winter escape than you know of.
Sittong & Toryok
One of the most untouched parts of the Darjeeling Himalayan foothills, Sittong & Shelphu Hills are treasure trove yet to be discovered. There are so many unknown villages with Orange Orchard in North Bengal-Mirik,Sittong,Shelphu & Mangwa are one of them.This little picturesque Lepcha village lies is a valley crisscrossed by a rivulet (Khola) and guarded by lush green hills. Every house in Sittong has a garden and every garden has orange trees. The whole village turns orange during the winter. Visiting Sitong is like time travelling – there’s a bamboo bridge, a church, some winding village paths skirting through orange orchards and few meandering streams and a rivulet, which the locals love to call Riyang River. The church guesthouse has been renovated with modern facilities to accommodate guests.
During winter the whole village is ornamented with the beauty of blooming oranges. If you are looking for a place where you would get a chance to have some cozy relaxing hours with your loved ones at the top of any hill station then Sitong will be the best choice for you.
Mangwa
Chota Mangwa or Chhota Mangmaya (as many locals call it) is a small village tucked away in the hills of North Bengal. To be more precise, it falls in Darjeeling district and is still unknown to many tourists, even to many people of West Bengal itself. When Darjeeling has started losing its charm over the years due to increasing number of tourists, this little hamlet just 35 kilometres away from Darjeeling provides a great atmosphere to detox away from the madding crowd. Apart from the pleasant weather, the ethereal views and the breathtaking sunrise, Chhota Mangwa is also a great destination to see orange orchards full of ripe oranges and this is exactly the reason why I wanted to visit this place so badly.
Rangbhang/Mirik
Mirik is a hill station near Darjeeling in West Bengal. If you are visiting Darjeeling, you can hardly let pass Mirik. The place is only 49 km from Darjeeling and 52 km from Bagdogra / NJP and can be reached from either place quite easily. Mirik is 1767 meters above the sea level and has charming weather throughout the year.
The lake Samendu popularly known as Mirik lake is about 1.25 km long and a 3.5 km road surrounds the lake. The lake is the major attraction of Mirik.
From Mirik Bazar a small village road goes east towards the Pahilo gaon area. This area is famous for producing oranges, cardamom etc. You may take a walk in the village among the gardens for an authentic experience of non-touristic Mirik. Most experiential travelers also prefer to stay in this area where a number of homestays have developed with good infrastructure.
Best Time To Visit of Orange Villages
The place is a year-around destination; however, the blooming season of oranges is from 15th November to 15th January, which makes it the best time to visit the place. The harvesting season of oranges is between late December and early January.
How to Reach Orange Villages:
By Air: The nearest airport is the Bagdogra International Airport which is located at a distance of 37 km from here. The airport is well connected to some of the major airports across the country and to a number of the cities abroad.
By Train: The nearest airport to Sittong is the New Jalpaiguri station which is located at a distance of 57 km from here. The station is well connected to major towns and cities across the state of West Bengal and to a number of stations across the country, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar, etc.
By Road: One of the best ways to reach the place is by road as the place has an excellent connectivity by road network with buses and taxis operating from New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri. Siliguri is located at a distance of 55 km from here.
Orange Orchard Tour of North Bengal in Winter
Package Duration- 3 Nights & 4 Days
Places to Stay-Mirik,Toryok & Mangwa (1 night in each place or in your choice)
Cost-
- Rs.7500/- per head (Four person travel together)
- Rs.6500/- per head (Six person travel together)
- Rs.5550/- per head (Eight person travel together)
Inclusions-
- Pick up & drop from NJP/Bagdogra
- Sightseeing
- Accommodation in Homestays
- All meals
- All transfers SIC basis
Accommodation Details-
