Forest Walks in Ghoom Pahar Reserve

The reserved forest surrounding Lepchajagat is the village's greatest treasure. A network of informal trails threads through stands of oak, pine, maple and chestnut, beneath canopies draped in moss and orchid. In spring, rhododendrons transform entire hillsides into galleries of colour. Butterflies flit over the undergrowth; the air smells of pine resin and damp earth; and, if you move quietly and early, you may catch glimpses of barking deer, small civets, or, with considerable luck, a red panda moving through the upper branches. Ask your homestay owner to point you toward the trailheads, as the paths are not always formally marked.