Gorumara National Park

A small rhino park seen from watchtowers, not jeeps

Altitude150m Nights2 BestNov – Mar

Photo: Jonoikobangali · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

In brief

Gorumara is a compact national park of about 80 km² between the Murti and Jaldhaka rivers, home to around 60 one-horned rhinos, gaur and elephants. Visits are mostly short jeep runs to watchtowers over salt licks and grassland, booked through the forest department from Lataguri.

The local story

From a 7 km² reserve to a rhino park

Gorumara began as a reserved forest in 1895, in the years when the British were mapping and taxing the newly annexed Duars. It became a wildlife sanctuary in 1949, when it covered only about 7 km², and a national park on 31 January 1992. Today it covers roughly 80 km² of sal forest, riverine grassland and the flood channels of the Murti and Jaldhaka.

The park's story is really the rhino's. Small, isolated and surrounded by tea gardens, villages and a highway, Gorumara's rhinos have been counted closely for decades. The March 2025 count put them at about 61, up from 52 in the previous estimate. In 2009 the Ministry of Environment and Forests rated Gorumara the best-managed protected area in India.

Then came October 2025, when the Jaldhaka, Murti and smaller rivers burst into the park after extreme rain. Forest staff recovered dead gaur, deer and at least one rhino from the silt, and some animals were swept downstream as far as Bangladesh. The park reopened after repairs; check current status before you travel.

Jatraprasad watchtower takes its name from Jatraprasad, a forest department elephant of Gorumara, not from a person or a village.

The March 2025 rhino estimate for Gorumara was about 61 animals, against roughly 331 in Jaldapara, both counted on the same two days.

Gorumara has no resident tigers; its big predators are leopards, and its largest herbivores are elephants, gaur and rhinos.

About Gorumara National Park

Gorumara does not work like a big Indian tiger reserve with long jeep drives. You buy a slot, ride a short way into the forest in a forest department jeep and spend most of your time on a raised watchtower looking over a salt lick, a pool or a strip of grass. It feels slow at first, then a gaur herd walks out of the sal, or a rhino comes down to drink, and the waiting makes sense.

The base is Lataguri, the village on the highway at the park's edge, with Murti, Chapramari and the forest corporation's small camps close by. Two nights let you try two different towers at two different times of day, which is the best way to improve your luck. Parks close from about 16 June to 15 September for the monsoon.

What to see and do

Jatraprasad and the Rhino Observation Point

The busiest towers overlook a salt lick and grassland near the Murti, where rhinos, gaur and peacocks gather in the late afternoon. Tickets sell out first; book ahead.

Medla by bullock cart

The last stretch to Medla watchtower is done on a bullock cart driven by villagers, a slow, creaking ride that most children love. The tower looks over the Murti's grassland.

Chukchuki for birds

Chukchuki is the bird-watching tower, over a wet patch of grass and forest edge. Hornbills, barbets, kingfishers and in winter many migrants. Take binoculars, not just a phone.

Chandrachur tower

A quieter tower on the forest edge, often less crowded than Jatraprasad. Ask the counter which towers are open on the day, because routes close for repairs.

Elephants at Dhupjhora

The forest department's kunki elephants are kept near Dhupjhora, and their morning bath in the river is the gentlest wildlife encounter in the Dooars.

Gaur at dusk

Gorumara's gaur, the Indian bison, are huge and calm at a distance. They often come out in the last slot of the day, as the light goes gold over the grass.

How to get there

Reserved car: From NJP or Bagdogra, about 75–90 km and two to two and a half hours via Sevoke and Malbazar, ₹3,000–3,800. Your driver drops you at Lataguri or your lodge; safari jeeps are separate.
Train: Dooars line trains stop at New Mal Junction in Malbazar, about 15 km from Lataguri, and Chalsa further on. Check the current timetable, then take a local car to your lodge for ₹400–600.
Bus: Buses from Siliguri towards Malbazar and Maynaguri pass Lataguri; ₹100–150 and about three hours. Lodges can arrange pickups from the highway.

Where to stay

Most visitors stay in Lataguri, where a long line of private resorts and homestays sits on and behind the highway, from about ₹1,200 per person with meals in a family homestay to ₹6,000 a room in larger resorts. For a quieter night, the forest corporation runs small camps at Dhupjhora, Kalipur and Ramsai, and the Murti Banani cottages by the river. Inside the park itself there are no regular tourist rooms; check the corporation's site for what is currently open.

forest bungalowGorumara National Park Dhupjhora Elephant Camp (WBFDC) About ₹2,000 a cottage plus meals (indicative, WBFDC tariff)

Local tips

Book watchtower slots online through the West Bengal forest department's booking site as soon as dates are fixed; weekends and holidays sell out.
Choose the first or last slot of the day for the best chance of rhinos and gaur.
Wear muted colours and keep silent on the towers; a group chatting on the steps clears a salt lick in minutes.
Carry your ID card; it is checked against the booking at the counter.
Gorumara closes from about 16 June to 15 September; check current status before you travel, especially after the October 2025 floods.

02,7005,400

Altitude150 m

Low and warm: humid in summer, mild in winter.

What it costs here

Watchtower safari, jeep for up to 6 with entry and guide₹2,500–3,500 a jeep (indicative 2025–26)

Medla bullock-cart rideAbout ₹40–100 pp extra

Forest corporation cottage near the park₹2,000–4,000 a room

Lataguri homestay with meals₹1,200–2,000 pp

Camera fee (video)About ₹200

Reserved car from NJP₹3,000–3,500

Indicative, 2025–26. Check current status before you travel.

Best months: Nov – Mar
Nights we suggest: 2
From Siliguri: ≈ 75–85 km · 2–2.5 h
Altitude: ≈ 100–200 m
Known for: Rhinos, gaur, elephants, watchtowers
Network: Jio/Airtel fair in Lataguri, weak inside

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BestGoodAvoid or closed

Things to do

Four things to do in Gorumara National Park

Wildlife and birds · 1.5–2 hoursJatraprasad and Rhino Observation PointGorumara National Park · ₹2,500–3,500 a jeep for up to 6 (indica…

Wildlife and birds · 2 hoursMedla watchtower by bullock cartGorumara National Park · Safari jeep share + about ₹40–100 pp ca…

Wildlife and birds · 1.5–2 hoursBirding at Chukchuki watchtowerGorumara National Park · ₹2,500–3,500 a jeep for up to 6 (indica…

Wildlife and birds · 1.5–2 hoursA quieter evening at Chandrachur towerGorumara National Park · ₹2,500–3,500 a jeep for up to 6 (indica…

On the map

Gorumara National Park and its neighbours

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

Close by

Nearby places

forest village100 m Lataguri The highway village at Gorumara's gate

national park150 m Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary Gaur herds at a forest waterhole

river town150 m Murtiमूर्ति A stony river between two forests

tea garden900 m Samsing Tea slopes where the Dooars meet Neora Valley

Routes

Lava to Gorumara National Park

Ways to travel

Wildlife and birds Family trips Photography Long weekends

Questions people ask

Questions about Gorumara National Park

When is Gorumara National Park closed?

Gorumara closes every monsoon, usually from 16 June to 15 September, like the other Dooars parks. It may also close on short notice for floods, census work or repairs, as it did after the October 2025 floods. Check current status with the forest department before you travel.

How much does a Gorumara safari cost?

A watchtower slot for a six-seat jeep, including entry, guide and vehicle fees, costs roughly ₹2,500–3,500 in 2025–26 for Indian visitors, or about ₹450–600 each if you share. Medla's bullock cart and camera fees are extra. Prices are revised often, so treat these as indicative.

How many rhinos are in Gorumara?

The March 2025 estimate was about 61 one-horned rhinos, up from 52 in the previous count. The October 2025 floods killed or displaced some animals, so numbers may have changed. The park is small, which means sightings at the main salt licks are fairly common in winter.

Can we see tigers in Gorumara?

No. Gorumara has no resident tiger population. Leopards are present but rarely seen. The animals visitors usually see are rhinos, gaur, elephants, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, peafowl and many birds.

Is two nights enough for Gorumara?

Two nights is ideal. It lets you take two or three watchtower slots at different times of day, add Chapramari, and visit the Murti river and Dhupjhora's elephants. One night with a single slot often means a rushed trip and fewer sightings.

Where is the Gorumara safari counter?

Tickets are sold from the forest department's counter at Lataguri, on the highway at the edge of the park, and online. Report there with ID and your booking before the slot. Your lodge will tell you how early to arrive; usually 30 minutes before the shift.

Is Gorumara good for children?

Yes. Slots are short, the jeep rides are brief and the towers are safe with railings. The Medla bullock-cart ride and the elephants at Dhupjhora are favourites. Children must stay quiet on the towers, which is easier with a pair of binoculars of their own.

Is Gorumara or Jaldapara better?

Jaldapara is larger with more rhinos, around 330 in 2025, and longer jeep routes. Gorumara is smaller, closer to Siliguri and based on watchtowers. For a three- or four-night trip, do both; for a weekend, Gorumara is easier.

Did the October 2025 floods affect Gorumara?

Yes. Extreme rain in early October 2025 sent the Jaldhaka, Murti and other rivers through the park, killing gaur, deer and at least one rhino and damaging roads. Tourism was suspended for repairs and later resumed. Check current status before you travel for any routes still closed.