Photo: Amitosh Roy · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Chilapata ForestHeight above mean sea level 70 m

wildlife sanctuary · Dooars and the Terai

The elephant corridor between Jaldapara and Buxa

Best Oct – Mar1 nights

Chilapata is a dense forest just south-east of Hasimara that links Jaldapara with Buxa Tiger Reserve and serves as an elephant corridor. Jeep safaris start near Kodalbasti and pass the brick ruins of Nalraja Garh. It is about 140 km from Siliguri, best visited from Madarihat or Hasimara.

Chilapata feels wilder than Jaldapara. Where Jaldapara is open grass, Chilapata is tall, close forest of sal, simul and other trees, crossed by streams and the Bania and Torsa rivers. It is not a national park in its own right but part of the forest land around Jaldapara, and it matters because elephants use it to move between Jaldapara and Buxa. Leopards are still common here, and gaur, sambar and barking deer are seen on most drives.

Jeep safaris start from the Kodalbasti side, a short drive from Hasimara, on routes sold by the forest department alongside the Jaldapara safaris. The drive passes the ruins of Nalraja Garh, a brick fort deep in the forest whose origins are still debated. Rhinos once lived here in good numbers but are now very rare. In winter the light falls through the canopy in long shafts and the forest is very quiet.

The Rabha and other forest villages around Chilapata have lived with this forest for generations, collecting firewood and fodder, and the forest department now runs eco-tourism with them, including simple lodges near Kodalbasti. The forest corporation's Malangi Lodge at Hasimara is right beside the forest. Most visitors combine Chilapata with Jaldapara, staying two nights at Madarihat or Hasimara.

Don't miss

Highlights of Chilapata Forest

Jeep safari through dense forest

Chilapata's safari routes run through tall, close forest rather than open grassland. Sightings are fewer but often closer: gaur, elephants, sambar, barking deer and, with luck, a leopard crossing the track.

The ruins of Nalraja Garh

A brick fort buried in the forest, with walls and a gateway overgrown by roots. Its builders are uncertain, which is part of its appeal. Safaris stop here for a short walk with the guide.

Malangi Lodge at Hasimara

The forest corporation's simple lodge at Barodabari, Hasimara, sits beside the Kodalbasti forest. It is a cheap, quiet base for both Chilapata and Jaldapara.

Rivers and forest villages

The Bania and Torsa rivers and the Rabha forest villages around Kodalbasti show how people and forest share this land. Ask your guide about community eco-tourism work.

Close to Jaldapara and Bhutan

Chilapata is 20–30 minutes from Madarihat and less than an hour from the Bhutan border at Jaigaon, making it easy to fit into a Jaldapara or Phuentsholing trip.

Told in the hills

Nalraja Garh, a fort nobody can quite place

In the middle of Chilapata, trees have grown through the brick walls and gateway of an old fortification called Nalraja Garh, the fort of King Nal. Its origin is uncertain. Some writers attribute it to the Bhutanese, who controlled this part of the Dooars until 1865; others link it to older kingdoms of the plains. Local tradition names a king called Nal, and some accounts date the fort many centuries earlier, but there has been no full excavation to settle the question.

What is certain is that the forest has taken it back. Sections of wall, a gate and scattered bricks lie under roots and creepers, and the guides on Chilapata safaris stop here for a short walk. We tell visitors to enjoy it as a mystery rather than a fact: an old fort on an old route in a forest that has seen several powers come and go.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

Chilapata forms an elephant corridor between Jaldapara National Park and Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Early twentieth-century hunting records describe many rhinos in Chilapata; today rhinos are very rare there.

Chilapata lies about 40 km from Alipurduar and just a few minutes from Hasimara town.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Chilapata Forest

2 hours Jeep safari through Chilapata from Kodalbasti Chilapata Forest · ₹2,500–3,500 per jeep (up to 6), indica…

30–45 minutes on foot within a safari The forest ruins of Nalraja Garh Chilapata Forest · Included in the Chilapata safari

1 night A night beside the Kodalbasti forest Chilapata Forest · ₹2,000–2,700 per room plus ≈ ₹500 per p…

1.5–2 hours A guided walk in a Rabha forest village Chilapata Forest · ₹300–800 per group for a local guide, i…

Getting there

How to reach Chilapata Forest

Reserved carFrom Siliguri drive about 140 km via Malbazar, Birpara and Madarihat to Hasimara and the Kodalbasti side, in three and a half to four hours. A reserved car costs ₹4,500–5,500, indicative 2026. From Madarihat it is 20–30 minutes.

BusBuses from Siliguri to Alipurduar and Jaigaon pass Hasimara. Expect ₹150–250, indicative 2026, and about four hours. From Hasimara, arrange a forest jeep for the safari or a car to your lodge.

RailHasimara station on the Dooars line is the nearest; the Kanchankanya Express from Sealdah stops here. Alipurduar Junction, about 40 km away, has more trains.

Costs in Chilapata Forestindicative, 2026

Chilapata jeep safari (per jeep, up to 6)₹2,500–3,500, indicative 2026
Room at a forest corporation lodge₹2,000–2,700 a night plus meals, indicative 2026
Meals at forest lodges≈ ₹500 per person per day, indicative 2026
Car from Madarihat for the safari₹1,200–2,000, indicative 2026

Fares and fees change with fuel prices, season and local union rates. Check current rates before you travel.

Money-saving tip

Stay at Malangi Lodge for two nights and do one Chilapata and one Jaldapara safari from there; it saves the cost of moving hotels and the room rate is among the lowest in the area.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Chilapata Forest

The forest corporation's Malangi Lodge at Barodabari, Hasimara, sits beside the Kodalbasti forest with deluxe and super deluxe rooms; its Mendabari Jungle Lodge is inside forest land nearby. Community eco-tourism huts around Kodalbasti offer basic rooms. Most visitors stay at Madarihat, where WBTDC's Aranya Tourism Property and private lodges are 20–30 minutes away, and drive in for a safari.

budget

Malangi Lodge, Hasimara (WBFDC) Forest lodge · Chilapata Forest ₹2,000–2,700 per room night plus meals, indicative

Tour packages

Packages that stop in Chilapata Forest

Nº 47956 · Dooars4N / 5D Chilapata, Buxa Fort and Jayanti in 4 nights Chilapata Forest → Buxa Tiger Reserve and Buxa Fort → Jayanti Budget fare from
per person, twin₹13,500

Nº 65411 · Dooars3N / 4D Jaldapara, Totopara and Chilapata in 3 nights Jaldapara National Park → Chilapata Forest Budget fare from
per person, twin₹10,000

On the map

Drawn by Darjeeling Tour Plan from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Next stations

Near Chilapata Forest

All of Dooars

Jaldapara National Park61 m

Bengal's rhino country on the Torsa grasslands

National park · best Nov – Apr · 2 nights

Buxa Tiger Reserve and Buxa Fort867 m

A Bhutanese fort, a freedom fighters' jail and a forest that climbs to Bhutan

Fort town · best Oct – Mar · 1–2 nights

Totopara

Totopara300 m

Home of the Toto, one of India's smallest communities

Village · best Nov – Mar · 0–1 nights

Jayanti150 m

A wide riverbed at the foot of the Bhutan hills, inside Buxa

River town · best Oct – Mar · 1–2 nights

Questions people ask

Chilapata Forest: questions answered

Where is Chilapata forest

Chilapata is in Alipurduar district, just south-east of Hasimara town and about 40 km from Alipurduar. It lies between Jaldapara National Park to the west and Buxa Tiger Reserve to the east, forming an elephant corridor. Madarihat is 20–30 minutes away.

How do I reach Chilapata from Siliguri

Drive about 140 km via Sevoke, Malbazar, Birpara and Madarihat to Hasimara, around three and a half to four hours. Buses to Alipurduar and Jaigaon stop at Hasimara, and Hasimara station is on the Dooars rail line. From Hasimara, a forest jeep or car takes you to the safari start.

Is Chilapata a national park

No. Chilapata is forest land managed with Jaldapara and the surrounding divisions rather than a separate national park. It is protected and visits are by authorised safari. Its value lies in connecting Jaldapara with Buxa for elephants and other animals.

Which animals live in Chilapata

Elephants, gaur, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, leopards and many birds, including hornbills. Rhinos were once common but are now very rare. Leopards are more common here than in many parts of the Dooars, though they are seldom seen in daylight.

What is the best time for Chilapata

November to April, when the forest is open and roads are dry. December and January are cool, with fog early; February to April give the best visibility. The forest closes from 16 June to 15 September for the monsoon. Check current status before you travel.

Where should I stay for Chilapata

Malangi Lodge at Hasimara and Mendabari Jungle Lodge, both run by the forest corporation, are the closest. Most visitors stay at Madarihat, 20–30 minutes away, with WBTDC's Aranya Tourism Property and private lodges. Community huts near Kodalbasti offer very basic rooms.

Can I do Chilapata and Jaldapara in one day

Yes. A common plan is a morning Jaldapara safari from Madarihat and an afternoon Chilapata safari, or the reverse. Book both slots in advance and arrange a vehicle for the transfer, about 20–30 minutes.

Is Chilapata safe

Yes, on authorised safaris with a guide. Stay in the jeep except where the guide says it is safe, such as the Nalraja Garh walk. Do not drive through the forest highway after dark if you can avoid it, because elephants cross often.

How much does a Chilapata safari cost

About ₹2,500–3,500 per jeep for up to six people, indicative 2026, covering the vehicle, entry and guide in most cases. Check what is included when you book. Prices change, so check current status before you travel.