Food · Sittong
Walk the orange orchards of Sittong
Walk the terraces of the Riyang valley in the orange season, from November to January, and buy mandarins from the families who grow them. Learn how the fruit is picked, sorted and packed for markets in the plains.
The Darjeeling mandarin is a small, loose-skinned orange, sweet with a sharp edge, grown for generations in the lower valleys of the hills. In Sittong the trees grow on terraces and around almost every house. From November the fruit colours, and by December the slopes are dotted orange.
Ask your homestay host to take you through the orchards of relatives or neighbours. You will see pickers on ladders, baskets lined with leaves, and fruit sorted on verandas into sizes for different buyers.
Buy a few kilograms directly. Prices are lower than in Siliguri and the money goes to the grower. Do not pick fruit yourself without permission; each tree belongs to someone.
Cost: Free · oranges ₹60–120 a kg
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is orange season in Sittong?
Oranges ripen from about November, peak in December, and are mostly picked by late January. Exact timing depends on the year's weather and the height of the orchard. December is the safest month for a trip planned around the fruit.
Can I buy oranges from farmers in Sittong?
Yes. Most families sell fruit directly from their homes or orchards in season, usually for less than Siliguri market prices. Expect roughly ₹60–120 a kg depending on size and the year. Ask your homestay host who is selling.
Is Sittong worth visiting outside orange season?
Yes. March and April are pleasant, with spring flowers and good birding at nearby Latpanchar, and October is clear and green. The village is quiet and cheap all year. Avoid the heaviest monsoon months, July and August, when roads and paths are slippery.
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