Sittong

Sittong, the Orange Village

How about walking alongside the clouds over a bed of dewy grass and dried leaves? Well, we are talking about an offbeat destination close to the Darjeeling himalayas, almost 4,500 feet above the sea level. Sittong, the land of the Lepchas, is one of the destinations, famous for its sustainable tourism. The naturally abundant destination in North Bengal has displayed the fusion of conventional and contemporary touch in its best form. Witnessing the alpine grove and the soothing waterfalls to enjoy the piping hot plate of noodles with a cup of coffee at the roadside stalls, Sittong is a land of slow travel. 

Nestled on the bank of the Riyang River, Sittong, is also popularly known as Orange village. The large orchards bejeweled with the freshest citrus fruits cannot go unseen for the spring visitors. It is a land that is common sight on social media and has also topped the bucket list of many who are planning some photography tours. Darjeeling is the hub of tea tourism as you move towards the north-eastern side of India and Sittong glorifies it manifold. Locally known as Khasmahal, the area is a cumulative beauty of a cluster of villages. The village tourism that lingers in the air is a ‘peace-sprinkler’ for nature lovers, irrespective of their age.

Sittong is a land where beauty cannot be measured. Those who are planning for a one-time visit will find a piece of their heart lost somewhere amidst nature. It will make you visit the place again and again. The land is full of unexplored places! It has numerous beautiful places to relax and food joints to relish the tastiest dishes prepared from local produce. The authenticity and culture of the land travel with every greeting you receive along the way. Whatever be the purpose of your visit, it will surely be a heritage travel trip for you!

As you feel the air of Sittong, your sightseeing begins from that point itself! The roadways, be it paved or unpaved, the mountains that play hide-n-seek with clouds, and the waterfalls that are busy falling on the river-rocks, out of many, are  a sight to behold! Sittong is a conservation travel destination. You will witness the beauty of India in its rawest form here. Even though everything is worth pleasing your eyes, there are a few sites that one must never miss!

During the spring season, you can witness Sittong in one of it’s bestest forms. It is during this time the aroma is what pleases you the most. The view of the orange orchards at their full bloom, the sight of the oranges at your hands-reach is unexplainable. As we move past the citrusy delight, there is the Jogi Ghat area. The narrow road through the local houses, mountains and tall trees will take you to the famous bridge connecting Sittong with Mangpu. It is an eye-pleaser. The old hanging bridge is another site to see here. Out of many awesome places to see, Ahal Dara View Point, Lepcha Falls and especially, Upper Sittong are some of the few tourist-favorite destinations. 

The picturesque hamlet has temperate weather conditions with temperatures ranging from 10 to 30 degrees Celsius.

Sittong is an ecotourism spot. Thus, one can visit Sittong throughout the year. However, if you wish to see the valley covered with fresh ripe oranges and snow-clad mountains crowned in shapeless clouds, the best time to visit is the month of November and December.

Traveling to Sittong is convenient and affordable with an easy commute. Commonly, there are three popular ways to reach the wonderful location of Sittong. Kurseong-Dilaram-Ghareytar route, is the steepest. The distance from Kurseong to Sittong via Gareytar is 75 km. Siliguri-Latpanchar is the shortest route. The distance to Sittong from Siliguri via Latpanchar is 55 km. Nalidara is the point where the road to Jogi ghat and Darjeeling bifurcates, when traveling from Mangpu. The distance from Mangpu to Sittong is the longest at 78 km.