Gone are the days when winter tourists, comprising global travellers, used to travel to the hill resort of Darjeeling to enjoy the snowfall and taking in the majestic sights.

Nowadays, more number of domestic travel junkies from all over India is taking clear breaks from their hassled life during year-end to celebrate the Yuletide spirit and New Year in Dooars, Darjeeling Hills and Gangtok.

The winter vacation is also the time to let your hair down and splurge on partying, dining, shopping and travelling. Dooars has been quite the rage for Bengal tourists who want to experience untouched scenery, snow-capped Himalayan peaks and abundant wildlife.

Dipajyoti Chakravorty, proprietor of the Lataguri-based Panchavati Forest Resort, informed, Most tourists are flying to Bagdogra or reaching New Jalpaiguri for a week-long sojourn in Dooars and Darjeeling.

These tourists are staying for a couple of days in Lataguri to visit Garumara National Park, Jaldapara National Park, Chalsa, Bindu, Jhalong, Samsing and Suntaleykhola. After touring Dooars, they head to Darjeeling Hills.

The attraction of Kanchenjunga, pristine stretches of tea gardens, serene-flowing four rivers, national parks with sightings of one-horned rhino and the eco-tourist hamlet of Lataguri with indigenous tribes is great enough to tempt the tourists to Dooars.

There is everything for all segments of tourists in Dooars. Lataguri has about 50 resorts all of which are presently running full occupancy. The number of three-star haunts is four in Lataguri. Chakravorty said, Without advance reservation of hotels, it is quite difficult to get rooms in hotels in Lataguri during peak season.

We are receiving domestic travellers from Bengal, Mumbai and Haryana. The footfall of domestic tourists is 90 per cent while global tourists turnout is around 10 per cent this time. There has been a growth of 30 per cent in the tourist flow to Dooars in the current period as compared to 2014. Chances of sighting a wide range of faunal lives are more in Garumara National Park.

Dipajyoti Chakravorty added, Since rhino sightings are frequent at Garumara National Park, tourists are in for luck to sight more number of rhinos during this season. Some of the other fauna that can be sighted are bison, elephants and leopards at the park.

There are four rivers flowing around the national park that include Murthy, Neora, Mal and Jaldhaka that provide sound views. Most resorts in Lataguri are done up on the concept of ecotourist hamlet in order to keep the environment intact.

Our cottages are nestled in tranquil ambience and have cots for tourists crafted from wood or stones that have been collected from the banks of the river and polished to make furniture pieces, Chakravorty further added.