W e wanted to take a short break from Calcutta. We googled various destinations but none seemed inviting enough. Then a wildlife enthusiast started us off on an affair to remember.

We reached New Jalpaiguri station and piled into a Bolero to set off for Kolakham, our destination in north Bengal. A couple of kilometres from the station, we stopped at Sevoke. At 8am, one eatery was in business. The husband-wife duo running the little teashop served piping hot momos and boiled eggs. The momos, stuffed with nothing more than cabbage leaves, were succulent and delicious.

We drove through winding mountain roads, climbing higher and higher and looking down at the meandering Teesta. The air was sweet and light. The vegetation grew greener and denser as we drove up the steep, sometimes almost precariously narrow, road. A panoramic view of the rocky riverbed and endless rows of tall green trees spread out below.

We drove through the tiny town of Dam Dim and the bustling commercial centre of Gorubathan, and then Paparkheti. The vegetation changed to thick clusters of tall coniferous trees lining the winding mountain roads. These pine trees were planted by the early travellers with the East India Company, our driver told us. Miles of desolate roads sped by, with the occasional band of mountain labourers waving us on our way.

We climbed higher, leaving behind the sleepy town of Lava. We were now about 7km from our destination — the Neora Valley jungle camp, a resort located above the Kolakham village at an altitude of 6,000m. We drove along a mountain trail along the edge of a cliff staring down at a sheer drop of miles of emptiness. Our stomachs were in knots. However, not even the gut-churning drive could stop us from admiring the breathtaking view from the cliff — fiercely beautiful and desolate. Our car swung round the last bend, and perched on the cliff was a cluster of pine cottages. We had arrived at the Neora Valley jungle camp.

We were received with a warm, traditional welcome with silken scarves, and shown to our cottage, Niltava. The four cottages in the resort are each named after mountain birds — Shyama, Niltava, Besra and Shikra. The cottages are built of pine wood, complete with a wooden staircase leading up to a little attic. Each cottage has a sit out with large glass windows looking out on the Neora valley and Kolakham village.

Directly in front were the majestic mountain ranges of Sikkim with Nathu La pass clearly visible. In the evenings the lights of the new airport being constructed in Sikkim could be seen from our sit out. We could get a shadowy glimpse of the Kanchenjungha on days when the mountains were not covered in mist.

The mornings were spent sunning ourselves on the bench outside the cottage called Shyama directly overlooking the sparsely populated Kolakham village. The evenings were ushered in with lanterns and lamps, as the cottages don’t have electricity yet. Hot pakoras and warm cups of tea accompanied the setting sun. The sight from our cottage was awesome — strokes of deep pink cutting through miles of mist as the last blaze of daylight sank behind the mountain ranges.

On the second day we ventured into the forest. We scrabbled over the rocks and soaked our feet in the icy waters of a waterfall, the source of water supply in the resort. The trees were thick and formed an endless green canopy. We peered down the deep ravines and stumbled over the stony paths before heading back to the safety of our cottage. The evening brought a hailstorm — little balls of white ice rattling against the tin roof of our cottage. Strong winds brought the temperature down by a few more degrees.

We left the Jungle Camp with a sense of wellbeing and peace. As we waved our goodbyes, we knew it was only a matter of time before we returned to this perfect getaway.

Going

Take a train to New Jalpaiguri station and then hire a car to Kolakham.

You can also fly to Bagdogra and then take a car to Kolakham via Kalimpong and Dam Dim.

Staying

The only option is the Neora Valley jungle camp. Call 9831948634 or write to heritage_bengal@yahoo.co.in