Hollong Tourist Lodge - Located 125km from Jalpaiguri deep inside the Jaldapara National Park is a humble abode for nature lovers, Hollong forest, and its tourist lodge. Jaldapara National Park is located on the banks of the Torsa River in northern West Bengal, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. A day trip to Hollong allows you to discover the Jaldapara National Park's remoteness. Jaldapara is a broad grassland with pockets of riverfront forest at an elevation of 61 meters. The lovely Hollong forest reserve and the bungalow, which is approx. 7-8 kilometers inside the national park, is reached through a narrow road through dense trees. The drive from the highway to the reserve is like a safari in itself since you never know when an elephant or a rhino will appear in front of you, staring at you. You will begin your magnificent excursion into the forest even before you get to the reserve.
Hollong's unique location has made it the most popular destination for nature lovers since it provides all visitors with a sense of being close to nature. A salt pit is located straight outside the lodge and is maintained by a forest officer. Forest officials visit the pit on a daily basis to deposit salt in order to attract wild animals such as elephants, gaurs (Indian bison), one-horned rhinos, deer-like Chitals, and Sambars so that guests can see them closely. The Hollong Forest Reserve's elephant safari is well-known for observing wild creatures in the bush. For animal photographers and nature lovers, visiting Hollong can be an unforgettable experience.
Jaldapara is a birdwatcher's delight. It is one of the very few places in India, where the Bengal Florican is sighted. The other birds to be found here are the crested eagle, Pallas's fish eagle, shikra, Finn's weaver, jungle fowl, peafowl (peacock), partridge, and lesser pied hornbill. Pythons, monitor lizards, kraits, cobras, geckos, and about eight species of freshwater turtles can also be found here. The main attraction of the Jaldapara National Park is Indian One-horned Rhino the other animals in the park includes are barking deer, Indian leopard, spotted deer, hog deer, wild pigs, bison, Indian elephant, and sambar and during your visit to Hollong, you can get to spot those wild animal in their natural habitat.
By Train: The nearest train station to Hollong Bungalow is Madarihat at a distance of around 8 km. However, the major one is the New Jalpaiguri Junction. The distance between NJP and Hollong is approx. 125 kilometers.
By Air: You can also get on a plane to Bagdogra, Hollong's nearest airport. The approximate distance from Hollong Tourist Lodge to Bagdogra Aiport is about 130 km.
By Road: The road is the most convenient way to reach the Hollong Tourist Lodge. Visitors can hire a car immediately from Siliguri to reach Hollong Tourist Lodge, which is located 135 kilometers away. To get to Hollong Tourist Lodge by road, visitors can rent a car from NJP or take a cab from Bagdogra Airport.
It is difficult to book a room online at Hollong Tourist Lodge in Jaldapara due to the limited rooms and strong demand among the travelers who visit Dooars. To book WBTDC Hollong Bungalow, one must wait and compete with others in order to successfully book a room. It's also worth noting that reservations must be made at least 30 days in advance due to its intense demand. North Bengal Guide's some Dooars Tour Packages include a night stay at Hollong. Opt for one of them to skip the hassle of booking on your own.
You will find something more in the woods than in the book, there is a different charm in each season which you can relish during your visit to Hollong the scenario will be totally different whether it be in spring when Jaldapara is covered in vibrant color or in winter when the ambiance becomes eerier each season has something new for its visitors making the visit to Hollong more unique and special.