The riverbed road through Titi to Totopara

Leave Madarihat in the morning in a jeep or high-clearance car. The road runs north through villages and fields, then along the edge of the Titi forest, crossing riverbeds where the track runs straight over stones and shallow water. In winter these are dry or ankle-deep; in the monsoon they flood, and Totopara can be cut off for days.

Look out for birds on the riverbeds, peafowl and junglefowl at forest edges, and sometimes elephants' tracks. The Bhutan foothills rise ahead, and Totopara sits at their foot. In some seasons the forest department has sold this route as a car safari from Madarihat, with a guide.

Use a local driver who knows the crossings. Do not attempt the drive after heavy rain, and do not stop in the forest. Combine it with a respectful village visit and return before mid-afternoon.