For a traveller, discovering unknown or even lesser-known places gives more joy than being in a widely known tourist destination. Lepchajagat, a small village in Darjeeling district, is enough to spark joy and give meaning to a traveller's travel. Located just 45 minutes' drive away from Darjeeling town (about 19 km), this village possesses spellbinding serenity. Covered with tall pine tree forest, the place is nothing less than a scene straight from a fairy tale.
To understand the origin of Lepchajagat, one first needs to know the derivation of its name. Lepchajagat is an amalgamation of two words, Lepcha and Jagat, where Lepcha refers to the Lepcha tribe of the hills and Jagat translates to world. So the place literally means World of the Lepchas — it was once totally inhabited by the people of the Lepcha tribe. The area was later taken over by WBFDC (West Bengal Forest Development Corporation), and today it is a reserved forest area.
Nature and Wildlife in Lepchajagat
Sitting at an elevation of 6,956 ft, the place blooms with nature. The dense pine forests here, mostly covered in fog, create a scenery unlike anything one has ever seen. These forests are also home to wonderful Rhododendrons, oak trees, and other numerous Himalayan flora. Lepchajagat is also rich in fauna and is especially a paradise for bird lovers. Enthusiasts of these feathered creatures can spend hours and hours bird watching here at Lepchajagat.
