Gorumara National Park is a National park and Wildlife sanctuary, situated on the Himalayan foothills in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India. This national park is a major habitat for the Indian Rhinos.
Rhino Point Watch Tower inside Gorumara National Park
Gorumara reserved forests were declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1949. Initially, this national park had an area of just seven square kilometers. Now, it is spread over an area of around 80 square kilometers. This national park was declared the best protected National park in India, for the year 2009.
This wildlife park is situated on the floodplains of the Murti and Raidak Rivers. Jaldhaka River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, flows through this national park. This National park is close to Jaldapara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve.
Gorumara national park safari is available inside the forests.
There is no human habitation inside this wildlife park. However, some 10,000 villagers from nearby villages depend on this wildlife sanctuary, for their source of income.
The wildlife sanctuary is rich in flora and fauna. There are around 50 species of mammals, 194 bird species, 22 reptile species, seven turtle species, and 27 fish species, inside Gorumara National Park.
Watch Towers inside Gorumara National Park
There are four watch towers inside the wildlife sanctuary. Jatraprasad Watch Tower, Chandrachur Watch Tower (which is situated near the Murti forest bungalow), Rhino Observation Point (near the Gorumara forest bungalow), and Chukchuki Bird-watching Point.
Dhupjhora Elephant Camp
Dhupjhora Elephant Camp is situated on the periphery of this national park. There are a large number of Elephants in the park. Many accidents involving Elephants were reported in the area.
Accommodation in and Around Gorumara National Park
The Gorumara forest bungalow, which was built during the regime of the British, has a logbook of the visitors who stayed here, right from its inception days!
You can go to a Gorumara jungle camp at the ancient Gorumara forest rest house.
There are no hotels inside the national park. However, there are a large number of good hotels outside the national park. River Wood Forest Retreats is a 4-star resort overlooking the Gorumara National Park is one among them. There are many other hotels and resorts in Lataguri and Ramsai towns. Both these towns are on the fringes of the national park.
There are a few government forest department cottages at Kalipur village, near the Gorumara National Park.
How Do I Go to Gorumara National Park?
Jalpaiguri is the nearest major city around 32 kilometers from the national park. New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station is the major station in this city. Bagdogra Airport is situated in Siliguri.
Siliguri is the nearest major town at around 70 kilometers distance from the national park. Lataguri and Ramsai are two small towns, on the periphery of the national park.
Jalpaiguri is the twin city of Siliguri, 35 kilometers from Siliguri.
The national park is open from 6 am to 5 pm.
[…] Spread over 960 hectares of area, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a reserve forest in 1895. It was made a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1949. It was declared as a national wildlife sanctuary in 1998, by the goverment of India. Teesta, the Neora, and the Murti rivers are the main rivers flowing through this wildlife sanctuary. Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary is situated very close to Gorumara National Park. […]
[…] Spread over 960 hectares of area, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a reserve forest in 1895. It was made a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1949. It was declared as a national wildlife sanctuary in 1998, by the government of India. Teesta, the Neora, and the Murti rivers are the main rivers flowing through this wildlife sanctuary. Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary is situated very close to Gorumara National Park. […]