Tinjure Milke Jaljale Area is One of the most exquisite places on earth. The forests of Tinjure, Milke and Jaljale are a must-visit if you are fond of tranquility and nature. Dense deciduous shrubs cover and fill the shades of red hues across the 30 km forest in eastern Nepal. The place might not seem large when you are reading about it. but every meter in the 30 km is beautiful. Stunning and leaves an incredible imprint on the heart!
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Highlights:
In these forests, when the rhododendron bushes begin to flower, you will notice something breathtaking and exquisite. The full glory of these bushes and the bright red color, with white, pink and purple cannot be described in words. Rather, it has to be experienced. One of the major highlights of the Tinjure Milke Jaljale Area is the Tinjure Milke Jaljale route. where you can get views of Everest and Kanchanjunga mountains. Guphapokhari is one of the most popular destinations on the Tinjure Milke Jaljale Trail. which is known as the “Rhododendron capital of Nepal”. This region has the highest number of Rhododendron Species, 28 out of 32 found in Nepal.
Tourism and tourism products:
With spectacular natural and cultural landscapes, the TMJ area has a great potential for ecotourism development. Some of the natural landscapes include rich physical and biological diversity such as unique rhododendron forests, rare and endangered wildlife and bird species, medicinal and aromatic plants and panoramic views of the Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and Kumbakarna. The composition of local ethnic groups reflects a diverse socio-culture of the area. Moreover, the area lies en-route to the KCA and the MBNP and serves as a connectivity corridor for tourists and also for wildlife.
The road linkage (Biratnagar-Dharan-Basantapur) has made the destination easily accessible to domestic and international tourists. The rhododendron bloom in spring and snowfall in winter serve as natural tourism products for both domestic and international tourists. Diversification of tourism products is one of the best ways of attracting quality tourists. Agro-tourism can be a new avenue of tourism diversification in the area, which is visited by international tourists from Europe, America, Australia and India and domestic tourists mainly from Dharan, Biratnagar and Jhapa. The present flow of tourists is likely to increase in the future and be an alternative source of income for local people.
Scene and scenery:
There are several places of natural beauty and aesthetic values in the TMJ area with potential tourist destinations. They include the Tinjure, Milke and Jaljale ridges with rhododendrons, the Jaljale Himal, Tamor and Arun Rivers and valleys, Hyatrung fall and the unique biodiversity of the cloud forests in the area. Among other areas, the ridges connecting Goth Khola in the north and Dhankuta in the south seem to be the best preserve of rhododendron forests in Nepal (Milleville 2002). Spectacular views of the Kanchenjunga and the Makalu Range can be seen from several vantage points along the Tinjure, Milke and Jaljale ridges. Excellent views of sunrise and sunset are seen from the Tinjure and Menchayan ridges. Besides, Pathivara temple on the Tinjure hilltop (2800 m) and Sabhapokhari, there are also other attractions for the tourists.
Ethnicity, culture and heritage:
The TMJ area is known for ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. There are more than ten ethnic groups, who have their own cultural and religious practices, traditions and languages. The majority of people belong to the Rai and Limbu ethnic groups Dashain, Tihar, Baishake Purnima, Lhosar, Pushe Mela, Baisakhi Mela, and Fagu Mela, etc. are the festivals of the area. Similarly, the Chandi dance of the Rai and Dhan Nach and Chyaprung dance of the Limbu are found only in these areas. There is a number of religious and cultural heritage sites in the area. Sabhapokhari, Guphapokhari, Singhadevi, Siddhakali, Gaunkhuridham and Pathibhara temples are important religious sites. According to a legend Lord Mahadev lived in Guphapokhari. Bhimsen’s stone is yet another similar legend associated with the Pandava of the Mahabharata.
Physical setting:
The TMJ area located between 27° 6′ 57″ to 27° 30′ 28″ North latitude and 87° 19′ 46″ to 87° 38′ 14″ East longitude, covers an area of more than 585 km2 of three districts – Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum and Taplejung between the Arun and Tamor rivers in the Eastern Development Region of Nepal. It is one of the longest mountain ridges lying between the watersheds of the Arun and Tamor rivers. The Tinjure covers Sankhuwasabha and Tehrathum districts whereas the Milke and Jaljale at the border of three districts. The north-south and east-west lengths of the area measure roughly 30-45 km and 6-25 km respectively.
Faunal diversity
Faunal diversity comprises different wild and domestic animals (e.g. yaks) with subtropical, temperate and alpine components. The area provides habitats for more than 30 mammalian species, which include rare and endangered species such as snow leopard (Uncia uncia), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), leopard cat (Felis bengalensis), the red panda (Ailurus fulgens), musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), Himalayan palm civet (Paguma larvata), Hanuman langur (Presbytis entellus), Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), yellow throated marten (Martes flavigula) and goral (Nemorhaedus goral), most of which are also on the CITES list. Other species include Himalayan bear (Selenarctos thibetanus), common leopard (Panthera pardus), jackal (Canis aureus), Himalayan Thar (Hemitragus jemlahicus), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Assamese monkey (Macaca assamensis). Similarly, more than 274 bird species have been recorded from the Area. Spiny babbler, hill patridge and pheasants such as Himalayan monal and kalij are the main attraction of the area.
Floral diversity:
With over 250 species of plants, the area is rich in floral diversity in general and rhododendron diversity in particular. There are more than 25 species of rhododendron. Some of the important tree species of the area include Rhododendron species , Taxus baccata, Swertia chirayita, Schima wallichi, Castanopsis indica, Pinus roxburghii, Abies spectabilis, Alnus nepalensis, Juniperus species, Michelia doltsopa, Quercus semicarpifolia, Lyonia ovalifolia etc.
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