Palmajua:The Hamlet in Singalila National Park
Palmajua is a hidden paradise in the Darjeeling district of North Bengal, located in the Singalila National Park. This place is not known to many tourists yet.
This place is a great choice for those who want to get lost in nature and are looking for an offbeat place.
The village of Palmajua is situated between Dhotrey and Srikhola. Those who go trekking to Sandakphu and Phalut usually return by this road.
Palmajua is an ideal place for adventure lovers as it offers a variety of adventure activities from here.
Palmajua village is located at an altitude of 7200 feet. The distance from Darjeeling to Palmajua is 52 kilometers and from Dhotrey it is only 3 kilometers.
Where is Located?
How to Reach Palmajua
Those who want to come directly to Palmajua can come directly from New Jalpaiguri railway station or Bagdogra airport by renting a car. The rent is about Rs.5000 to 6000 and it takes 4-5 hours to reach.
Those who want to come by shere car will have to go to Sukhiya Pokhari first. From there you can reach Palmajua by rented car.
Sukhiya Pokhri can be reached on two roads, one via Mirik and the other in Ghoom. Many shared cars are available from the New Jalpaiguri station and the Siliguri Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus.
Best Time to Visit
The ideal time to come here is from September to May. The natural beauty can be better enjoyed due to the clear skies during this time.
In winter, different species of birds are found here. So November to February is a very good time for bird photographers.
Moreover, in April-May, when it is very hot in the city, many people come here to enjoy the cold nature.
The nearest place (Sightseeing)
Dhotrey-Palmajua is very close to Dhotrei. Located only 8 kilometers away.
Srikhola-It is a beautiful village situated at a distance of only 20 kilometers from Palmajua.
Tonglu-This is another beautiful village that can be visited from this place.
Tumling- Those who cannot reach Sandakaphu can enjoy the Sleeping Buddha of Kanchenjunga with a 180-degree view from this place. Located only 32 kilometers from Palmajua.
Lepchajagat-This place is very close to Darjeeling, a very popular tourist destination is also very close to Palmajua which you can easily visit from here.
Sandakphu-This is a popular trekking destination in West Bengal. Many also started trekking to Sandakphu from Palmajua.
What to do (Activities)
Village walk-You can enjoy the village full of natural beauty on foot.
Biking-Those who love mountain biking can rent a bike from Darjeeling and come here. Plamajua is an ideal place for biking.
Bird watching-This is a paradise for bird photographers as it is home to a wide variety of birds, especially in winter.
Trekking-There are many small trek routes from here and many of those who do Sandakphu trekking start from here.
Ideal Duration for Staying
1 to 2 Days
Average Temperature
The average low temperature in winter is 1-5 degrees Celsius and the average high temperature in summer is 25-30 degrees Celsius.
Best accommodation in Palmajua
Palmajua is a small village. There are some limited homestays here. Two of them are very famous.
SINGLILA JANGLE LODGE
Contact: 9315379466 / Mr.Sangay Sherpa )
SINGALILA CHAMLING HOMESTAY
contact: 9733384870/ 9609891783)
Important Travel Tips
Highly recommended for bringing such a large vehicle with good ground clearance as the last road to reach here is very bad.
This place is an offbeat destination located in Singalila National Park so there is no chemist shop nearby. So highly recommended to keep up with the necessary medicine.
There is no ATM here so be sure to keep it with the necessary cases.
The number of homestays here is very low so if you don’t book in advance, you may not get a room at peak time.