The Chilapata Forest is a dense forest near Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is a protect park situated at the foothills of Eastern Himalayas in Alipurduar Sub-Division of Jalpaiguri District in West Bengal and on the bank of river Torsa and have an area of 141 km² and altitude of 61 m...

 in Dooars, Jalpaiguri District

Jalpaiguri District

Jalpaiguri district is the largest district of North Bengal, covering an area 6,245 km2. It is situated between 26° 16' and 27° 0' North latitudes and 88° 4' and 89° 53' East longitudes...

. It is about 20 km from Alipurduar

Alipurduar

Alipurduar is a sub-divisional municipal city of Jalpaiguri district, and is located at the eastern end of the district. Situated on the east bank of Kaljani River on the foothills of the Himalayas, the town is a gateway to Bhutan and North Eastern states of India...

, and just a few minutes away from Hasimara town. Until recently, the area was known for dacoity

Dacoity

Dacoity is a term used for "banditry" in India. The spelling is the anglicized version of the Hindi word and as a colloquial Anglo-Indian word with this meaning, also appears in the Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases Banditry is criminal activity involving robbery by groups of...

 (banditry), but it is now safe for tourists.

Ecology

The forest forms an elephant

Elephant

Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...

 corridor between Jaldapara and the Buxa Tiger Reserve

Buxa Tiger Reserve

The Buxa National Park is a national park located in West Bengal, India, in the Buxa hills of the southern hilly area of Bhutan. Located inside the national park is the 760 km² Buxa Tiger Reserve. Animals found in the park include, the tiger, civet and red jungle fowl.-Location:Buxa Tiger...

, and is rich in wildlife. New species continue to be found. The forest used to be home to large Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....

 populations. In hunting expeditions in 1892-1904, in and around Chilapata Forest, the Maharajah of Cooch Behar

Cooch Behar

Cooch Behar is the district headquarters and the largest city of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at . Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage...

 recorded killing one rhino, injury of one, and sighting of over 14. Rhinos now extremely rare. Leopards are still common.

It is hoped that eco-tourism will provide a new source of income for the indigenous Rabha

Rabha

Rabha is a little known Scheduled Tribe community of West Bengal and Assam. The language/dialect spoken by the Rabha people is also of the same name. In West Bengal, Rabha people mainly live in Jalpaiguri district and Cooch Behar district. Moreover, almost, 70 per cent of them live in...

 people, who now depend on the forest mainly for firewood.

Tourism

The West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) runs an eco-tourism resort at Kodalbasti, providing basic accommodation.
One of the main attractions is the ruined "Nalraja Garh", or fort of the Nal kings, built in the Gupta

Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...

 period in the fifth century C.E., the Golden Age of India. Although poorly maintained, the site has considerable archaeological interest. Other activities include Tonga rides through Mathura tea garden, boating on the Bania river and angling on the confluence of the Kalchini, Bania and Buri Basra.