Sittong or Sitong

Sittong or Sitong is a "KhasMahal" in the Kurseong division of the Darjeeling district. It is not one village, but a cluster of villages in a large area known as Sittong Khasmahal. The place has become famous among tourists as it is the heart of the orange-growing countryside of Darjeeling hills. However, Sittong has much more to offer to tourists apart from its oranges. Nature is at its pristine best and bestowed Sittong with its bounty. The area is popular among nature lovers as nature is pristine and visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature unaffected by the vices of modern tourism. The place is also quite close to NJP / Bagdogra arrival point which makes it a convenient start or end point of your tour.

Location

The hill cart road connecting Darjeeling with the plains, and the Teesta river, the lifeline of the region, geographically can be considered as almost two parallel lines. Suppose you imagine a line connecting Kurseong on the Hill cart road and Kalijhora beside the Teesta river to form an imaginary H. In that case, Sittong is exactly in the middle of this connecting line.

Getting There

Sittong can be approached from either the Hill cart roadside or from the Teesta side. If you are coming from NJP / Bagdogra or places in Sikkim or Kalimpong side, you are more likely to travel via the Teesta side. If you are coming from Darjeeling, Kurseong or Mirik, you will probably come through the Hill cart road route. It is worth noting that the hills lack arterial single roads as in the case of plains, there is a mesh of small roads connecting places and often the latest road condition is a more deciding factor about the selection of your route than the exact travel distance.

If you are coming here from the Teesta side, you may start climbing uphill either at Kalijhora, Birik Dara or at Rambhi Bazar, the first two roads meet at a place named Ahaldara and continue to Sittong whereas the third road travels via Mungpoo, all the three roads lead to Sittong.

If you are coming via Hill cart road, you have to leave the main road and start climbing uphill from Dilaram and continue to travel via Bagora, Pokhritar, Tham, and Mahaldiram to reach Sittong.

Distance from the nearby area

Darjeeling – 35 Kms
Kalimpong – 54 Kms
NJP – 54 Kms

Looking for a vehicle to go to Sittong? You may contact the HUMRO CARS team, we have our own vehicles regularly plying in the Sittong area. Call 9733052020 or check further details in our website humrocars.com.

You can either travel within Sittong village to enjoy the different attractions here since it is a relatively large geographical area, you may need to spend some time to cover the area well enough. The other option is to go beyond Sittong and explore the entire region.

Sittong Latpanchar Area Map

To see and do in Sittong

The Sittong area is very famous for its orange cultivation, during the winter months the entire area turns orange with its orange gardens. Tourists find the gardens and their products highly attractive.

Within the Sittong Khasmahal area, you may visit the Sittong church, there was a very old bamboo church here which has now been constructed into a brick-and-mortar building. The place is nicely located with a view of the surrounding hills.

There is a very old Monastery in the Upper Sittong made mostly of Bamboo and Mud, this monastery and the ground next to it is an ideal place to view the Kanchenjunga range at its full glory.
Jogighat at lower sittong is a bridge over the Riyang river. This is a common picnic spot for the locals, tourists may also find the small stream and the bridge ideal spot for rejuvenating the soul.

Birding in Sittong – The area is very famous for birds, a large variety of birds can be found here. The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is nearby so is the now famous birding hotspot of Latpanchar. All the birds that can be seen at Latpanchar including the nesting of the Rufus necked hornbill can be seen at Sittong as well.

Treks and soft adventure – There are several soft adventure opportunities around Sittong including trekking and camping, several trek routes originate from Sittong and go to various destinations. For example, you can have an hour's trek to reach the top of the hill, the highest point in the Selphu – Sittong – Latpanchar area, from here you can have a panoramic 360 degrees view covering Dooars, Terai, Kurseong, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim hills, part of Bhutan and Nepal is also visible from here. You can also have a grand view of Mt. Kanchenjunga. Another trek through the forest can take you to Chatakpur, a forest village that has become popular among tourists in recent years. You can also trek to Bagora via Mamring from here. Other trek options include a trek to Kurseong via Majua and Mahaldiram. If you are interested in low-altitude treks, this place will give you plenty of choices.

Camping for school groups and others is also organized regularly besides river Riyang, there is a camping ground which has a small waterfall and a climbing rock for practising.

You can book a complete package and have peace of mind about your tour, fill up the enquiry form below or call our travel experts at 9733064100 or 9733300696 for more information regarding Sittong tour.

To See and Do near Sittong

Sittong is not an isolated tourist destination, it is surrounded on all sides by new and old tourist destinations, most of which still hold their original beauty and have not turned into typical tourists yet.
Mungpoo, the cinchona village made famous by Rabindranath Tagore is just 8 km from Sittong. Latpanchar is about 7 km, Chatakpur is about 22 km away and Kurseong is also about 24 km drive. You can spend several days in the village and explore all the tourist destinations in and around here.

Accommodation

Sittong is a new addition to the tourism landscape of Darjeeling Hills. Most accommodations hence are also relatively new. All accommodations here are referred to as homestays. Irrespective of their size and standard. There are so-called homestays which offer hotel-like facilities with 20 or more rooms that are managed by an army of staff with little or no interaction with the owner. There are also smaller 2-4 room genuine homestays managed by families. Where you wish to stay would depend on your taste and interest.

Geographically, Sittong has a variety of landscapes depending on where you stay. Jogighat at an altitude of about 2000 feet gives you a relatively warmer climate and a riverside valley feeling. Mana - Ghalaytar hilltop area can be as high as 5000 feet with mountain views and colder weather.

Although there are close to a hundred homestays at Sittong at present, tourist booking is concentrated on a few relatively well-marketed commercial properties. We bring an expert in the region and recommend to our guests less commercialised and more authentic experiences.