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Route · Dooars
Madarihat to Santalabari, the road head for Buxa Fort, is about 55–65 km and one and a half to two hours by car via Hasimara and Rajabhatkhawa. From Santalabari you walk about 5 km uphill to Buxa.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JALDAPARA NA | BUXA | Reserved car | 1.5–2 h | ₹2,000–2,800 A C |
| JALDAPARA NA | BUXA | Train and local car | 2.5–3 h | ₹50–200 PLUS CAR |
| JALDAPARA NA | BUXA | On foot from Santalabari | 2–3 h up | PORTER ABOUT ₹50 |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
The road runs east from Madarihat to Hasimara, then through the Chilapata and Buxa forest belt to Rajabhatkhawa and Santalabari. Forest entry rules apply beyond Rajabhatkhawa; your driver will stop at the check gate. A car can also take you on to Jayanti afterwards.
Dooars line trains run from Madarihat or Hasimara to Rajabhatkhawa. From there take a local car to Santalabari, roughly 15 km. Check the current timetable; services are sparse and a missed connection costs half a day.
The path from Santalabari to Buxa Fort climbs about 5 km through forest on a stone trail. It is steady rather than steep. Local porters and guides wait at Santalabari. Start by noon so you reach the village and homestays well before dark.
Local tip: Leave big bags in the car or a Rajabhatkhawa lodge and walk up to Buxa with one daypack.
Questions people ask
Cars stop at Santalabari. A rough track goes some way further and four-wheel-drive jeeps sometimes use it, but the usual and best approach is the 5 km walk on the old stone path. Check current status before you travel, because forest rules on vehicles change.
You pay forest entry and vehicle fees at the Rajabhatkhawa or Santalabari check point; foreigners may be asked for passport details. Rules and fees are revised often, so check current status before you travel. Guides are recommended for forest walks beyond the village paths.
About two to three hours up for most walkers and an hour and a half down, on a 5 km stone trail with a steady climb to about 850 m. Add an hour to see the fort ruins and the memorial, and three more hours if you continue to Lepchakha and back.
Only if you skip the fort. Jayanti is about 30 km from Santalabari by road. A rushed day of a morning walk to Buxa, lunch and an evening at the Jayanti riverbed is possible by car, but a night at each is far better.
Plan with a local
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.