Tinchuley is a small eco-village at an altitude of 5800 ft. in North Bengal, just 32 km away from Darjeeling town. The name “Tinchuley” means three ovens (or chullahs) that resemble the three hilltops in a formation of an oven or chullah that faces the direction of Kalimpong.
If you love mystic green pine forests amongst the clouds and want to spend the weekend peacefully with excellent quality food, Tinchuley should be your next destination. The weather is comparatively cooler and very comfortable in this region of the Darjeeling district. In this article, I will guide you on how to reach, what are the sightseeing locations and where to stay in Tinchuley.
How to reach Tinchuley?
Tinchuley is very well connected by road to the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (70.4 Km/ 3 hours), Darjeeling Town (32 Km/ 1.5 hrs), Kalimpong Town (35 Km/ 1.5 hrs), and Bagdogra airport (74 Km/ 3 hrs). Although you can hire a car from the railway station or airport, it is advised to make arrangements early.
The route connects Sevoke road (NH10) and later Peshok road, just before the Teesta bridge. From this point, the road condition is not very good. So, do not hire a small car. The fare of an SUV on this route is around ₹3000-₹3500. On the way, you can enjoy green pine forests, tea gardens, and the Teesta river itself.
You should book a room at a homestay at least a month prior to the trip and ask the owner to make an arrangement for a car that can pick you up from your desired location. So, book your homestay and pack your bag and ride out!
Best Homestays and Hotels In Tinchuley
With the help of the World Wide Fund or WWF (The organization changed its name from “World Wildlife Fund” in 1987), Tinchuley has adopted various new-age farming procedures like organic farming, floriculture, and vermiculture.
The village is self-sustainable with its own healthy organic food. All of the homestays provide delicious food recipes with organic vegetables and ingredients. The most famous homestay for the best quality food is Gurung Guest House. Apart from food, comfort and service are also very important when selecting a homestay.
1. Gurung Guest House
The Gurung Guest House is run by Mr Dipendra Gurung, a polite and caring host who always looks upon the comfort and satisfaction of the visitors. The guest house is beautifully organized and systematically maintained. You can check in there after 12 noon and check out within 11 AM. There are 4 double bedded rooms, 2 deluxe rooms, 1 super deluxe room, 4 four-bedded rooms, and 1 wooden cottage.
Among these rooms, you will get a beautiful view of cloudy green mountains from the topmost room in Gurung Guest House. The cottage is crafted with wood and very well-maintained. Though there is no direct view of the mountains from the cottage, the calm surrounding with trees and fantastic wooden design will make your stay worthwhile.
The tariff of these rooms is in the range of ₹2240-₹5000, and the charges for the meal are ₹800/person/day, which includes breakfast (8 AM to 8:30 AM), lunch (1:00 PM to 2:00 PM) and dinner (8:00 PM to 8:30 PM). The meal charge is 50% less for children aged 5-10 years. Please note that the tariffs may vary in different seasons.
Gurung Guest House is incomplete without the mention of the delicious homely food. The mouth-watering special ghee, dalle chilli, dal, alu bhaji, organic vegetable recipes, and fish curry are absolutely amazing.
You can visit the nearby sightseeing places like the sunrise viewpoint, Gumbadara viewpoint, and orange and tea gardens from the homestay. There is a monastery nearby Gurung Guest House- a few minutes’ walk toward the forest.
Book Gurung Guest House
- Address: Tinchuley Lopchu Rd, Tukdah Forest, West Bengal 734222
- Owner: Mr. Dipendra Gurung
- Email: gurung.dipendra@gmail.com, info@tinchuley.com
- Contact Number: 9434514614, 9733326309, 8250744216
- WhatsApp Number: 9933036336
- Official Website: www.tinchuley.com
2. Rai Resort
Rai Resort or Sky High Resort is another famous guest house in Tinchuley, known for budget-friendly accommodations and excellent views. In terms of quality and hospitality, both the Rai Resort and Gurung Guest House are good. But, the Rai Resort has an advantage over the Gurung Guest House for having an excellent viewpoint to watch the mountains and forests.
This homestay in Tinchuley has double bedrooms, 4-bedded rooms, 5-bedded rooms, and a wooden cottage. The tariff of these rooms varies from ₹1900 to ₹3000 (may vary in different seasons), which is slightly cheaper than Gurung Guest House.
The owner Ajit Rai and his team are very polite and caring to the guests. The quality of the food is also excellent, and they never compromise on customer satisfaction. Moreover, most of the well-known attractions are convenient from the location of Rai Resort.
Book Rai Resort
- Owner: Mr Ajit Rai
- Email: ajitrai378@gmail.com
- Contact Number: 9733242876, 8436513757, 9733281506
- Official Website: www.tinchulayrairesort.com
3. Abhiraj Homestay
Abhiraj Homestay is another famous homestay with friendly guest service and food. The homestay is a 2-storied building with its front view open like Rai Resort. Abhiraj homestay has 9 rooms and cottages outside the main building. You can book any of the 4 double bedded rooms, 2 triple bedded rooms, 2 four-bedded rooms and 1 six-bedded room.
Book Abhiraj Homestay
- Owner: Mr. Abhiraj Bhandari
- Contact Number: 9749370965
- Address: Tinchuley Lopchu Rd, Peshok Tea Garden, West Bengal 734222
- Official Website: Visit Here
4. Tinchuley Himalayan Homestay
This homestay is a more recent addition to the list of the best homestays in Tinchuley. The location of Tinchuley Himalayan Homestay is down the road from Abhiraj homestay. This homestay does not have a big property like the previous homestays, but its 4 rooms are spacious and very well-maintained for the guests.
The delicious meals, clean beds, warm water, and the availability of WIFI have made the Himalayan homestay worthy of visiting on a weekend.
Book Tinchuley Himalayan Homestay
- Contact Number: 8372098368
5. Other Notable Homestays In Tinchuley
Apart from the above homestays, I would like to mention the following homestays with all necessary facilities, including clean rooms, good food, and helpful service-
- Tinchuley Gurung’s Homestay
- Humro Home Tinchuley Homestay
- Takdah Tinchuley Homestay
- Kusom Homestay
- Sinkawli Homestay
There is a common confusion among people between the Gurung Homestay and the Guest House. These two are totally separate and operated by different owners. Gurung Homestay is located 15 to 20 minutes of walking distance from Gurung Guest House towards Gumbadara View Point.
Top Sightseeing attractions and activities Near Tinchuley
Tinchuley is a very attractive tourist attraction with beautiful pine forests, a clean village, and amazing surrounding views. I have also selected a few best sightseeing attractions to see nearby Tinchuley. Check it out below!
1. Takdah Orchid House
The orchid house is located just 5 kilometres from Tinchuley and is surrounded by a beautiful, well-maintained garden. In the spring season, you can witness the flowering of hundreds of colourful orchids in the orchid house.
2. Gumbadara View Point
The Gumbradara viewpoint is another sightseeing attraction of Tinchuley, located just 1.3 Km from Gurung’s Guest House. From this location, you can get a mind-blowing view of the mountains, tea gardens, and forest in the lap of clouds.
3. Monastary
A monastery is located inside the Takdah forest at 15 minutes distance from the Gurung Guest House. The forest trail is very easy, and you can witness beautiful Himalayan birds on the way. The view from the monastery is also worth spending some time there.
4. Tinchuley Village
You can walk through the local village to see their organic farming, village life, how they care for nature and the relationships in their life. The way around the village is through the green forest, which is entirely safe. However, I recommend hiring a guide from the hotel and carrying the required travel essentials.
5. Lamahatta
Located just 6 Km away from Tinchuley, Lamahatta is one of the major sightseeing attractions near Tinchuley in the Darjeeling district. The Lamahatta Eco Park is clean, well-decorated, and maintained, and it is a perfect place for enjoyment for families and couples. By hiking 20 minutes uphill from the park, you can witness the sacred lake of Lamahatta.
On the way to the lake, you will be fortunate enough to view the splendid beauty of the sky-piecing pine forest. This is truly majestic and one of the best views of nature near Tinchuley. You can also get several hotels and homestays near Lamahatta.
6. Chota Mangwa and Bara Mangwa
Chota Mangwa and Bara Mangwa are located on two separate hills and are attractive in their own way. I have found Chota Mangwa is more beautiful than Bara Mangwa. The town of Kalimpong can be seen on just the opposite hill to Chota Mangwa. Both places are perfect for spending a couple of days watching the forests, mountains, and birds.
7. Triveni
Triveni is located 15 Km away from Tinchuley and is known after the confluence of the two rivers- Teesta and Rangit. The beautiful scenic view of the place can surely amaze you. For this reason, it is a popular destination for locals during festive times and weekends.
A few hotels are available nearby if you plan to stay near Triveni. However, I would recommend staying in Tinchuley and covering Triveni as a sightseeing destination for utilizing your precious time more effectively.
8. Takdah
Takdah is a popular sightseeing location near Tinchuley, known for its beautiful pine forest. Taking a walk through the forest trails is absolute bliss and peaceful. However, the rainy season should be avoided as leeches spread everywhere in the forest. The best time to visit Takdah is during the spring (Feb-Apr) and autumn (Oct-Nov).
9. Other Sightseeing Attractions
Apart from the above places, I must mention two sightseeing places- Hanging Bridge and Lover’s Viewpoint. The path to the famous hanging bridge is through a mystic forest trail that is well-maintained. It’s a remarkable experience when you are crossing the bridge.
The Lover’s point is actually a viewpoint of Triveni situated uphill. The place is nice for spending some quality time while going to Triveni. A similar tourist place is Srikhola, located right by the bank of Siri river near Singalila National Park in the Darjeeling district.
Watch the following video for a visual guide for your Tinchuley trip.
USER REVIEWS
Thank you so much for nice description. Very useful.
It is nice know more about nature related places. Keep posting so that we can get more ideas for travelling.
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Very helpful I must say.
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