Valki Machan Tour | Kolkata to Valkimachan Bardhaman West Bengal

Want to spend a night in the middle of a jungle? Let’s come to the wilderness of Valkimachan. The jungle is well connected to Kolkata and a perfect weekend destination from Kolkata. Valki Machan tour’s main attraction is the forest. The Valkimachan tourist is developing surrounding the jungle.

Valki Machan Tour
Valki Machan Tour

Read List of 40 Best forest in India

Valki Machan tour Burdwan West Bengal

Many years ago, the Zamindars came here for hunting. At that time, the landlord built a watchtower. They sit on the watchtower and hunt animals. When you visit, you can see the tower’s ruins still exist.

Valkimachan tour

The history behind the name of the Valkimachan Forest

There is a history behind Bhalki Machan’s jungle. About 300 years ago, a king lived in this area. One day, he and his queen were passing through the jungle. At that time, the queen was pregnant. Eventually, the king and the queen get separated. After some time, the queen gives birth to a son. And unfortunately, the queen was dead.

The Bears saved the baby boy’s life. The king, still searching for his queen, heard a child’s cries in the forest. He realized that the child was his own. He took the child and brought him back to the palace. When this child became king, he had three daughters — Jamuna, Sweta, and Kalindi. Jamuna Dighi was named after the eldest daughter.

While walking through the forest, use the Bhalki machan map, the sunlight playing on the dense foliage. Be cautious about the monkeys, wild cats, etc. The sun setting behind tall trees is an enchanting experience, and the calls of elephants from the Dalma forest punctuate the silence.

How does the place name become Bhalkimachan?

A rumour was many years ago that many Bhalluk’s (bears) were found in this jungle, and Zamindars are hunted by those “Bhalluk” sitting on the “Machan.” From there, the place is named Bhalkimachan or Valkimachan. In this jungle, bamboo could be found named Valki. In those days, the machan used to be made of Valki bamboo. So, the place’s name becomes Valkimachan.

Hotels resorts at Bhalki Machan

For staying in the Valkimachan forest, the Aranya Sundari Hotel is the first choice. Aranya Sundari Hotel is in front of the jungle. It means where the jungle began; the hotel is there. Here, you get AC /non-AC rooms. You can enjoy Camp Fire, Fishing, Boating, Santali Dance, and Night Staying in a Tent. The charges are extra.

Another choice is the government undertaking the Jamuna Dighi Amrapali Tourist complex, 10 kilometres from the Valkimachan Jungle. Online and spot booking are both available.

Aranyasundari Valkimachan

Valki Machan Tour Forest’s Special Attraction

Many years ago, zamindars came here to hunt animals like jungle bears. But now, in this jungle, you can see the wild pig, hens, poisonous snakes, etc.

Here, you can enjoy

  • Camp Fire, only in winter
  • Local Site Scenes in Motor Van
  • Santali Dance with local villagers
  • Fishing, if you carry your fishing.
  • Stay a night in a Tent only in winter.
  • Boating, only in winter.

Read Bankura Bishnupur Mukutmanipur Tour

How to Reach Valkimachan

From Kolkata to Valki Machan Bardhaman, it takes about 3 hours to reach Bhalikimachan. Valkimaan is well connected from both stations, Guskara and Mankar station.

Valkimachan is located 18 km from Guskara station. It takes 45 minutes to 1 hour by Toto and will take about 13 km from Mankar station at Asansol Line, and will take half an hour to reach Valkimachan from the station by car.

dariyapur dokra village
Dariyapur dokra village

Nearest Tourist Spot

1. Dariyapur  –  The Dokra village

Dariyapur Dokra village is situated near Guskara station in Burdwan. The village is famous for its Dokra artisans. The families moved from Odisha about 120 years ago. At present, 133 craftsmen are practising the craft as a profession.

Dokra is an ancient technique. These craftsmen follow this process, which is almost 5000 years old. They are making statues, animals, gods, and jewellery.

In collaboration with UNESCO, West Bengal’s Department of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises & Textiles has set up a rural craft centre in Daryapur. WBKBIB built a community museum in the village to showcase the Dokra tradition.

Daryapur is an enjoyable one-day trip throughout the year. Visitors of the Valki Machan, Santiniketan or Bankura can easily plan a short tour to explore the ancient Dokra art. The artists of the village are celebrating their annual fair in mid-October.

2. Jamuna Dighi

Jamuna Dighi Amrapali tourist complex is Valki Machan’s nearest tourist spot. It is a 25-hectare artificial lake, and the lake is called Jamuna Dighi.

Jamuna Dighi Amrapali Tourist complex
Jamuna Dighi Amrapali Tourist complex

3. Bolpur

From Valkimachan, Bolpur is just 34 kilometres away. You can make a round trip from Valkimachan to Bolpur or vice versa. You can make a trip plan like going to Valkimachan first, then visiting Bolpur.

Day 1:Dariyapur: The Dokra village, Jamuna Dighi, Valkimachan (stay at Bhalkimachan).
Day 2:Go for Bolpur visit- Gitanjali Rail Museum, Kankalitala, Biswa Bangla hath, Prakriti Bhavan, Amar Kutir, Kopai River.
Day 3: Srijani Shilpagram, Ballavpur deer park, Biswabharati, Kala Bhavan, Biswabharati museum, Khoai boner hat, etc.
Day 4: Kalikapur raj Bari, Ghursia, Fossil Park, Raipur Rajbati, Surul raj bari.

4. Shantiniketan

Valki Machan to Bolpur Santiniketan distance is about 35 kilometres. By car, it takes almost one and a half an hour. We all know about Santiniketan. It is a famous place for all Indians. 

Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore established Visva-Bharati University here. Poush Mela and Basanta Utsav is the main occasion in Santiniketan. Apart from that, Santiniketan has a historical value.

Santiniketan tour from Kolkata

5. Deul

Deul is located on one side of the Ajai River. Valkimachan to Deul distance is approx 40 kilometres by road it takes almost 1 hour.

There is a 500-year-old Bhabani Mandir. Ichhai Ghosh built the mandir.

  • Deul Park.
  • Shayma Rupa Mayer Mondir.
  • Hetampur Rajbari and surrounding religious places.
  • A jungle is also there; you can see wild animals like hens, cats, foxes, deer, and elephants. And many names of unknown birds can be seen and heard.

If you go a little further away, you will get Jaydev Kenduli. It is very famous for the Navaratna Radhabinod temple. It was built in the 17th century. Another attraction is the Poush Sankranti Mela, held on 15th January.

6. Durgapur

Valkimachan Bardhaman to Durgapur distance is 45 kilometres by road. Durgapur has many attractions for tourists. Like –

  • Durgapur Barrage Dam Picnic Spot
  • Durgapur Water Park/ Anand Amusement Park
  • Durgapur solar energy park
  • Bidhan Nagar Ram Mandir
  • Rahreswar Shibtola
  • Bhavani Pathak Cave

From Durgapur, also visit Jaydev Kenduli. It is 25 kilometres away, and it takes 45 minutes to reach.

My Holiday Story – Valkimachan

If you want a day tour from Kolkata, the Valki Machan tour is best for you and is easy to reach. You can stay one night in the middle of the forest. It takes about 3 hours to get to Bhalikimachan from Kolkata. Valkimachan is well connected to Gusakara and Mankar, both stations.

Valki Machan distance is 18 km from Guskara station. A Toto takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach Valkimachan Park.

It will take about 13 km away from Mankara Station at Asansol Line, and ½ hour time requires a car from the station.

I went to the Valki Machan forest in Burdwan from Kolkata and arrived at Gusakara station. From there, I booked a Toto and reached Valkimachan.

We booked the Toto for 400 rupees, and after visiting Valki Machan, he will drop us at the station.

Two Interesting places – Guskara station to Valikimachan

  1. Dariyapur Dokra village is 4 km away from Guskara station. There are many famous Dokra artists still living here. You can buy some souvenirs for the family from here.
  2. Jamuna Dighi is a picnic spot created by the West Bengal Government’s Fisheries Department.

There is an excellent place to stay and eat. Inside the park, they have a big area for play and picnics. This place will be great for all the kids and adults.

There is a sales centre in Jamuna Dighi, where handmade items and many items of Dokra are available. Online booking and spot booking systems are available.

After watching Jamuna Dighi, I went to Valkimachan. From here, Valkimachan is 10 km away. The road is quite beautiful. We have crossed the paddy land and many small villages on the way to the main destination. The ruins of the watchtower are still visible here.

Next to the forest a hotel is located called Aranya Sundari. It’s the only place to stay in Valkimashan.

They have a well-decorated park and an artificial lake. We can go boating here.

We can book Aranyasundari Resort Valki Machan rooms online. This guest house has restaurant facilities—Check-in Check-out Time 1 pm.

This Indian sanctuary is a jungle of shawl trees. A fun night can easily pass on a quiet night in the jungle.

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