Sittong

Sittong is a village in the Kurseong block of Darjeeling district, West Bengal, in the Riyang river valley about 55 km from Siliguri. It sits in the heart of the Darjeeling hills' orange-growing country, and travellers come for the orchards heavy with fruit in winter, the birdsong, the forest walks and the slow pace of a hill village of about 3,000 people.

We have two small family-run homestays here, each good for a family or a few friends.

• Kanchan View Homestay Sittong: two deluxe rooms in Upper Sittong, sleeping up to six in all, with free Wi-Fi and parking, from about Rs 1,400 per person. Vegetarian meals and tea are available but not included in the rate. Bird watching, village walks and bonfires can be arranged.
• Shanvi Homestay Sittong: a single quad room at Babu Khola, near the Mahaldiram tea garden in Upper Sittong, from about Rs 1,300 per person. It is family-friendly, with parking and a bonfire, and as the only guest room it suits one family travelling together.

Either is a homestay in Sittong close to the orange orchards.

• From Siliguri: about 55 km by road.
• From NJP: New Jalpaiguri is the nearest major railhead, a short way beyond Siliguri.
• From Bagdogra: the nearest airport, on the Siliguri side.
• Routes: hill roads reach Sittong from more than one side and conditions change with the season, so ask your host which approach is in better shape before you set out.
• Nearby: Mungpoo is about 20 km away, and the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary about 13 km.

Winter is orange season. The fruit ripens on the trees through the cold months, and the Directorate of Cinchona and Other Medicinal Plants holds an Orange Festival in the village every December, with cultivation demonstrations and local performances. Late winter and early summer are the most popular times to visit. The monsoon, June to September, brings heavy rain and landslides across the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills, so leave extra time then.

• The orange orchards: walk through them with your hosts in winter, when the trees are full.
• Village walks: through Sittong's hamlets and the tea gardens around Mahaldiram.
• Mungpoo: about 20 km away. Commercial cinchona planting for quinine began here in 1862, and Rabindranath Tagore stayed here between 1938 and 1940 at the home of Maitreyi Devi, now the Rabindra Bhavan museum with his photographs, paintings and furniture.
• Latpanchar: the highest part of the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, at about 1,400 m, with dense wet forest and three hornbill species, including the great hornbill and the rufous-necked hornbill.
• Birding: Kanchan View arranges bird watching for its guests.

• Festival dates: if you are coming for the December Orange Festival, book early.
• Meals: neither homestay includes meals in the rate, so confirm food arrangements when you book.
• Roads: hill roads here are narrow; a local driver who knows them is worth the cost.
• Cash: carry enough from Siliguri or Kurseong.

• Day 1: Siliguri to Sittong; afternoon walk through the orchards.
• Day 2: Early birding, then Mungpoo and the Tagore museum.
• Day 3: Latpanchar for hornbills, then back down to Siliguri.

Where is Sittong?
Sittong is a village in the Kurseong block of Darjeeling district, West Bengal, in the Riyang river valley, about 55 km from Siliguri.

Why is Sittong called the orange village?
It lies at the heart of the Darjeeling hills' orange-growing area, and an Orange Festival is held there every December.

When is the best time to visit Sittong?
Winter, when the oranges ripen and the December festival is on. Avoid peak monsoon, June to September, when hill roads see landslides.

What is near Sittong?
Mungpoo, about 20 km away, with Tagore's Rabindra Bhavan museum, and the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, about 13 km away, including Latpanchar.

How do I reach Sittong from NJP or Bagdogra?
Drive via Siliguri; Sittong is about 55 km from Siliguri. Ask your host for the best current route, as hill roads change with the season.

Where can I stay in Sittong?
Broz Stays lists Kanchan View Homestay, from about Rs 1,400 per person, and Shanvi Homestay, from about Rs 1,300 per person, both in Upper Sittong.