Royal Eco Hut , Nagrakata, Dooars

Royal Eco Hut is a small eco-resort at Nagrakata in the Dooars of North Bengal, in Jalpaiguri district, between the tea gardens and the forests at the foot of the Bhutan hills. Rooms start at ₹2,400 a night for the whole room, and the river view and the birdlife are what bring people back.

Nagrakata is a working Dooars village rather than a tourist strip. The Jaldhaka river runs past it, and the road from Chalsa reaches it through the Chapramari forest. Tea estates surround it on every side, Jiti, Hope and Sulkapara among them. It sits low, at about 214 m, so the air is warm and green for most of the year. Royal Eco Hut was built for travellers who want that setting without the crowds of the busier safari hubs: a place to hear the birds at dawn, take a jungle safari and spend the evening round a bonfire.

Thirteen rooms in five styles, priced per room per night:

• Ground Floor: four rooms for up to three guests, ₹2,400.
• First Floor: four rooms for up to three guests, ₹2,800.
• Second Floor Bamboo Cottage: two bamboo-built rooms for up to three guests, ₹3,200.
• Premium Glass Tower: a single room for two, ₹3,700. This is the one to ask for on an anniversary.
• Pet Friendly Cottage: two cottages for up to three guests and their pet, ₹2,400.

Together the property sleeps up to 39 guests, so it suits a couple, a family, or a group that takes over the place. Wi-Fi and parking are free.

Home-style meals are cooked on the property and served to guests; they are charged separately from the room rate. Tell us what you'd like and about any dietary needs when you book, so the kitchen can plan, especially for larger groups.

Royal Eco Hut is a base for the western Dooars, where the forests, rivers and tea gardens sit within short drives of each other.

• Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary: the forest you drive through between Chalsa and Nagrakata. It is small and quieter than the bigger parks, and known for elephants.
• Gorumara National Park: the best-known park in this part of the Dooars, for rhino, gaur and elephant from its watchtowers. It now draws more visitors than Jaldapara.
• Jaldhaka, Bindu and Jhalong: villages along the Bhutan border to the north, within about an hour's drive of Chapramari.
• Tea gardens: Jiti and Hope are above Nagrakata, and a walk through the estates in the early morning is one of the simple pleasures of staying here.
• Bird watching and village walks: straight from the property, best in the first hours after sunrise.

Jungle safaris can be arranged; tell us your dates early so we can plan them around your stay.

Siliguri, with New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station and Bagdogra Airport close by, is the gateway to the Dooars.

• By road: from Siliguri, the highway runs east into the Dooars and through Chalsa and the Chapramari forest to Nagrakata. A private car from NJP or Bagdogra is the simplest option.
• By train: Nagrakata has its own railway station on the New Jalpaiguri to Alipurduar line. Trains from Siliguri take roughly two to four hours, depending on the service.

Tell us your arrival time and we will help you plan the last leg.

October to mid-June is the season for the forests. The national parks and sanctuaries of the Dooars, Gorumara and Chapramari included, close to visitors from 16 June to 15 September for the monsoon and the breeding season, so safaris stop then. Winter mornings are misty and cool and are a good time for birds. The monsoon months are lush and very quiet, if you are happy to watch the rain from the veranda instead of a jeep.

• Check-in is at 11 am and check-out at 10 am.
• Rates are per room; meals are charged separately.
• Pets are welcome in the two Pet Friendly Cottages; please book those specifically.
• Free Wi-Fi and free parking.
• The property suits families, couples and senior citizens.
• Bonfires in the evening and jungle safaris can be arranged on request.