Darjeeling is unquestionably one of the most picturesque hill stations in India. The mountainous town, ringed by the mighty Himalayas, overlooks the third largest mountain peak in the world, the splendid Kanchenjunga. While most of us have heard about Darjeeling, not many know about the offbeat destination of Kaffergaon nearby. Perched at an elevation of nearly 1,675 meters, the Lepcha Hamlet of Kaffergaon is synonymous to the definition of a secluded paradise. The hidden village near Darjeeling is perfect for a socially-distanced stay. This is what we came to know from four friends Sweta, Bidesh, Madhurima and Shubhrojyoti, who reached Kaffergaon the very day Darjeeling reopened after lockdown. Here’s the story of their journey.
The Only Homestay That Accepted Booking Amid Lockdown
Darjeeling had opened doors to tourists on October 2, 2020. Bent down by the monotony of the lockdown, the four friends had started searching for a cosy resort in hilly destination right from the beginning of August. But as Madhurima said, none of the properties were taking advanced bookings as there was no assurance regarding when the borders would reopen. Finally, they managed to book a homestay in the hidden village of Kaffergaon in Kalimpong. The property, Kaffer Gaon Homestay, had initially accepted their booking but could not confirm their stay as the hill station had not opened up to tourists then. But luck favoured the four mavericks. Darjeeling and the nearby hilly towns reopened on the same day they had their booking.
The Rooms Were Entirely Sanitised
In her conversation with Curly Tales, Sweta narrated, “We started from Sealdah at around 11 PM on October 1 on Padatik Express and reached New Jalpaiguri Station at around 9 AM the next day. We hired a cab from NGP station to reach our homestay. The cab fare was ₹3500 in total. Our car parked at the resort at around 4:30 PM. Before we entered, our rooms were sanitised entirely and we too were provided with hand sanitizers. After freshening up, we had our lunch.” Bidesh added,” Our car was stopped at the checkpost on the route between Kalimpong to Kaffergaon. We had to give details to the cops about the place we had come from, the place we were heading to, the duration of our stay, etc. Then we were called up individually for thermal screening”.
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A Random Tour That Turned Out To Be A Pre-Wedding Photoshoot
Madhurima and Bidesh are engaged now and Kaffergaon was the last trip they did together before their marriage. Shubhrojyoti happens to be a professional photographer. And for the three of them, everything seemed like falling into place at Kaffergaon. The lush green, mist-clad secluded hamlet turned out to be the perfect backdrop for a pre-wedding photoshoot for the young couple. Shubhrojyoti said, “That was an opportunity for me to click some amazing photographs. I wanted to capture their moments right amid the dense forests.” Sweta continued, ” I couldn’t be happier. The trip was getting even more exciting”.
While elucidating about the Kaffer Gaon Homestay, Sweta said, “Our homestay was the only visible property in the entire region. Our journey was smooth till Loleygaon. But from Loleygaon to Kaffergaon, the road wasn’t developed. We had to cross a cragged road for an hour to reach our homestay atop Kaffergaon. The place was extremely serene and can easily detach anybody from the rest of the world. The farther we looked, there were only sky-high mountains. There were very few people around and we had our quality time, enjoying the sunrises and sunsets on the mountains, strolling through the forests and enjoying home-style food. For a two and half-day stay at the homestay, the cost per person was around ₹1500/per day.”
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The View Of The Magical Kanchenjunga From The Bamboo Bridge
The cottages of Kaffer Gaon Homestay, with their semi-triangled roofs, look like the gasshō-zukuri houses of Japan’s Gokayama village. The homestay is around 6 kilometres away from Loleygaon. It sits on the lap of a marvellous orchid garden. Madhurima said, “There are very few people who actually know about Kaffergaon and its homestay. There was a beautiful bridge near our cottage from where we could clearly see the Kanchenjunga”. Bidesh added, “The splendour of the place is beyond words. The forest was extremely dense. We had one uncomfortable incident though. The jungle behind the resort was full of leeches and we were attacked by a few of them during our photoshoot. Thankfully, we had our medications handy.”
What Happens, Happens For Good!
Shubhrojyoti said, “The green expanses of the forest were blending beautifully with the fog. I had to take a picture of the couple with that backdrop. There was a stream too, in the jungle, untouched by the crowd, and I was utterly mesmerised. Thank God, the other resorts did not take our bookings. What happens, happens for good.” Sweta concluded the conversation by saying, ” The day we returned, we had a joyride from Kaffergaon down to NGP station through breathtaking destinations like Loleygaon, Lava and Lataguri. We also gorged on delicious Darjeeling momos at Loleygaon. It was indeed a trip to remember. It was like a breath of fresh air to our tired souls after lockdown”.
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Like these four friends, you too can plan a trip to the fairytale village of Kaffergaon to kick out the monotony of your daily routines. So, start making your plans. Meanwhile, here’s the inspirational story of a single mother and her daughter from Darjeeling:
