To witness the beauty of hills in monsoon, one should visit the small village of Sitong in North Bengal; a four hours journey from Siliguri/ N.J.P. Sitong can be reached via Tista Bazar and Mongpu and also via Kurseong, Bagora Road, and Khasmahal. But the way through Kurseong is more comfortable than the way through Mongpu. On the way to or from, one can visit Rohini View Point, Rohini Tea Estate, Chimney, and Bagora Jungle Camp. The beauty of the hilly roads of North Bengal cannot be expressed in words. If not going through Mongpu, one can visit the Rabindra Bhavan of Mongpu from Sitong. On the way, there is the ancient Jogighat Bridge. Though a new metal bridge has been built, the old wooden bridge still stands there claiming its presence. A narrow path through the side of the bridge goes down to the stream flowing under it. Small waterfalls also fall on the way and the sights are eye-soothing.

Lower, Middle, and Upper Sitong, all have homestays for food and lodging, though they are a bit scarce in Upper Sitong, the most beautiful part. Though the rain-washed green surrounding glows everywhere, the view from Upper Sitong has its own charm. One side covered with pine forests and on the other side, green valley with two rivers flowing through it, Mahananda and Panchami. Both the rivers, with the touch of monsoon, leap over the boulders. Apart from this, folds of hills stretch as far as the eyes can see. If the sky clears for some time, after a shower, glimpses of Kanchenjunga can also be seen from here.

Selpu, a nearby village is also accessible from here. Walking through the rain-soaked paths of the village, the warm hearts of the villagers are sure to touch anyone. Here, the Namthing Pokhri natural lake is home to the endangered Himalayan Newt or Salamander. If lucky, one can be seen too. From here, Latpanchar, the haven of birds can also be visited.

Half of a day can pass by just sitting on the porch and observing the drenched hills and the villagers’ lifestyle. Rain pours down on the boulders, shades, and on the leaves but the villagers’ lives do not come to a halt for that. They carry on with their daily chores with monsoon gears. To join them in the rain, one can take an umbrella or raincoat and visit the Turup village nearby. Few people live there and all remain busy in farming after tending to kitchen gardening in the monsoon. With information from local people, one can visit the Turup Gumpha from here. Or else, Ahaldara ViewPoint can also be visited. Witnessing the sunrise or sunrise from up here is truly an experience of a lifetime. A monsoon-filled hilly lake can be seen in Ahalpokhri.

But, Sitong has a completely different scene to offer in October-November. It gets dressed in orange and green. The famous Darjeeling oranges mostly grow here. The small trees bend down with the weight of oranges and need to be supported with bamboos. And moreover, the oranges taste heavenly.