things to know about Latpanchar

Enclosed by the thickly wooded forest and cinchona plantation, Latpanchar is a mesmerizing hamlet in Darjeeling District of West Bengal. Nestled amidst the luxuriant Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpachar is far from the clutch of urbanization where natural beauty is completely untouched and ravaged by the human activities. Often tagged as a birding paradise, the unique flora and fauna of the village have captivated the minds of many travellers.

Places to See in and around Latpanchar

Even though Latpanchar is a small and sleepy mountain village, the tourist attractions here can be found in abundance. However, some of the prominent ones are as follows:

Ahaldara Viewpoint

An ideal place to witness a breathtaking sunrise over the mighty Himalaya, Ahaldara Viewpoint is one of the major attractions in Latpanchar. Approximately 7 km distance away from the village, you can witness a complete panorama of the forests on mountain slopes and the river Teesta flowing. Moreover, the jaw-dropping view of the Kanchenjunga looks unearthly from here. In recent years, few cottages have been built at the viewpoint to offer visitor comfortable night stay.

Namthing Lake

Very close to Ahaldara Viewpoint, Namthing is a serene lake situated at an elevation of 5000 feet above the sea level. Though the lake stays dry for most of the time, it's surrounding forested area host plethora of unique wildlife including the Himalayan Salamander. Due to its surrounding forested area, birds also get attracted which adds more charm to this lake.

Sarsari Dara Viewpoint

Just about 1.5 km distance away from Latpanchar, Sarsari Dara is another worth visiting viewpoint nearby. A great view of Kanchenjunga can be captured along with the surrounding valleys and mountains.

Sittong Orange Orchards

Sittong is known for its colourful orange orchards and it is one of the major sightseeing attractions near Latpanchar. The vast stretch of the orange garden is truly a treat to the eyes of the beholders.

Activities to Do in and around Latpanchar

Surrounded by daunting hill and dense forest all around Latpanchar is truly a less trodden destination where most of the tourist rarely visits. However, visitors to the village can enjoy lots of different kind of activities.

Nature Walking

Nature walking through the Cinchona plantations and through the forest of Teak, Pine and Sal trees is truly a great activity to do here in this village. Apart from a leisure walk birding is a great activity to do as Latpanchar hosts more than 240 species of birds such as Robin, Himalayan Pheasant, Black Bulbul, Drongo, Sunbird, Burn Swallow, etc.

Trekking

Trekking is one of the finest activities to do here as Latpanchar is connected with several trekking trails. A trek through the alpine forest and the cinchona plantation of Latpanachar will lead you to some of the fascinating sites like Ahaldara Viewpoint, Namthing Lake, Sarsari Dara, the temple of Lord Shiva at the top of Raja Rani Hill, etc.