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Route · Dooars
Lataguri to Madarihat is about 80–90 km and two to two and a half hours by car through Chalsa, Nagrakata, Banarhat and Birpara. It links the two rhino parks of the Dooars and is the core of most first trips.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LATAGURI | JALDAPARA NA | Reserved car | 2–2.5 h | ₹3,000–3,500 A C |
| LATAGURI | JALDAPARA NA | Bus and train | 3–4 h | ₹100–250 |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
Most visitors hire a car for the transfer, often the same driver from NJP. The road runs north to Chalsa and then east along the foot of the hills through tea gardens. Leaving after a morning safari in Gorumara puts you in Madarihat for a late lunch.
Take a local bus or shared auto from Lataguri to Malbazar, then a Dooars line train or a bus towards Birpara and Madarihat. Cheap and workable in the morning, but changes add time. Check the train timetable before you commit.
Local tip: Book both parks' safari slots before you leave home; same-day seats on weekends are rare.
Questions people ask
Four nights is comfortable: two in Lataguri or Murti for Gorumara and Chapramari, and two in Madarihat for Jaldapara and a visit to Chilapata or Totopara. Three nights works if you accept only one safari in each park and a long transfer day.
Jaldapara has the larger population, estimated at around 330 in the 2025 count, against about 60 in Gorumara. Gorumara is smaller and its watchtowers sometimes give closer, calmer views. Sightings are never guaranteed in either; doing both raises your chances.
Partly. Trains on the Dooars line stop at New Mal Junction near Lataguri and at Madarihat or Hasimara near Jaldapara, but you still need local transport at each end. It saves money and is a pleasant ride through gardens if the timings suit.
Late morning, after a dawn safari at Gorumara. You reach Madarihat by about 2 pm, check in and rest before an evening walk. Avoid driving after dark, when elephants cross this road regularly between the forest patches.
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.