The forest and the watchtower
Sal forest with quiet paths and a watchtower where deer are often visible in the early morning and late afternoon.
travel guide
Joypur Forest: sal trees an hour from Bishnupur
Joypur Forest, near Bishnupur in Bankura, is a large stretch of sal forest with a watchtower, forest bungalows and deer moving through the trees. About 159 km from Kolkata. It is the nearest place to the city where you can stay inside a forest without going all the way to the Dooars or Purulia, and it sits right beside the Bishnupur temples.
travel guide
The short version
- Road distance from Kolkata
- 159 km
- From Barrackpore side
- 157 km
- Usual drive time
- 3.5 to 4.5 hours from Kolkata or Barrackpore
- Best time to go
- November to February
- Suits
- Families with children, first forest stay, a two day trip with temples
travel guide
What you actually see there
Bishnupur temples, 20 km
Rasmancha, Jorbangla, Shyamrai and the rest of the terracotta group, plus Baluchari saris and Dokra metalwork.
The lakes and villages around
Old water tanks, small temples and craft villages in the area. A local guide for half a day is well worth it here.
How to reach
Durgapur Expressway then the Arambagh and Bishnupur road, about 159 km from Kolkata and 157 km from Barrackpore, three and a half to four and a half hours. Forest lodges need advance booking and the good ones go early for winter weekends. Keep the car for the two days, because the forest, the temples and the craft villages are spread over 25 km.
travel guide
What we tell people before they go
Small things that decide whether the day is good or tiring.
Book the forest lodge or resort well ahead; there are not many rooms.
Do not walk into the forest alone after dark, and keep food inside the room.
Bishnupur temples close for a midday break, so do them in the morning or after 3pm.
Road distances and drive times here are checked on road routing data and then widened for real traffic. Timings, ferry hours and entry rules change with the season, so ask us the day before you go and we will tell you what the road is like that week.
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Cars for this trip
These are the trips on our list that match this guide. Pickup is from your gate.
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We pick up from these areas
A day trip works best when the car reaches you early, from your own side of town.
questions
Questions about Joypur Forest: sal trees an hour from Bishnupur
Can we do Joypur Forest and Bishnupur in one day?
It can be done with a 5am start, but it is eight hours of driving in the day. One night makes it a proper trip and costs you very little more.
Are there tigers or elephants at Joypur?
No tigers. Deer are common and elephants do pass through parts of this district at times, so follow the forest department’s instructions and do not walk off the paths at night.
not sure yet? send the date anyway. If we cannot do it, we will say so.
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