government lodge · Jaldapara National Park
Jaldapara Tourist Lodge (WBTDC)
The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation's lodge at Madarihat, a short drive from the Jaldapara park gate and the safari counters. Plain, reliable and the easiest base for an early jeep safari without a long dark drive.
Madarihat is the small highway town at the western edge of Jaldapara National Park, and this is the state tourism corporation's lodge there. Expect a government-lodge feel: big rooms, a dining hall with a fixed Bengali and North Indian menu, a garden, and staff who know the safari routine because most guests come for the same reason. Rooms are booked through WBTDC, not through the forest department.
We suggest it for families and first-timers who want a known name and a short morning run to the park. It is not inside the forest, so you will not hear rhinos at night. Book well ahead for October to March weekends and the Puja holidays, and check current status before you travel: the October 2025 floods damaged roads and bridges around Jaldapara.
Why we suggest it
- Minutes from the Madarihat safari counters, so dawn shifts are easy
- Government rates and a predictable standard
- Food on site, which matters in a small town after dark
We list rates as indicative ranges. We do not take commission from this property for being listed here. Check current status before you travel.
Questions people ask
Good to know
How do I book the Jaldapara Tourist Lodge?
Book through the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation, either on its official website or at a WBTDC office in Kolkata or Siliguri. Rooms are released in advance and fill early for October to March weekends and the Puja holidays. Safari seats are a separate booking with the forest department, so do not assume the lodge can arrange them.
Is the Jaldapara Tourist Lodge the same as Hollong?
No. This lodge is at Madarihat, on the highway outside the park. Hollong was the old wooden forest bungalow deep inside Jaldapara, which was gutted by fire in June 2024. Check current status before you travel if you read about Hollong reopening, because older blog posts still describe it as running.
Can I walk to the safari gate from the lodge?
The forest office and safari counters are a short drive away, and most guests use a hired jeep or the safari jeep itself. Walking along the highway in the dark before a 6 am shift is not a good idea, because elephants cross roads around Madarihat. Ask the lodge desk to fix a car the evening before.
Trips that sleep here
On a ticket
Value
Dooars6 nights · Mixed
Chilapata, Buxa Fort and Jayanti in a week
Chilapata · Buxa · Jayanti · Jaldapara National Park
₹21,000per personabout ₹3,000 a day
Comfort
Dooars4 nights · Reserved car
Murti and Jaldapara with the family, by car
Murti · Jaldapara National Park
₹26,000per personabout ₹5,200 a day
Value
Dooars5 nights · Mixed
Gorumara, Jaldapara and Chilapata in 5 nights
Lataguri · Jaldapara National Park · Chilapata
₹19,500per personabout ₹3,250 a day
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