If you are a wildlife lover and is an ardent birdwatcher then you cannot miss Latpanchar, the quaint paradise along the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary of Bengal. Located amidst the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpanchar is a quaint forest village 40km away from Siliguri known for its Cinchona plantation, and due to its unique location Latpanchar has been endowed with the immense richness of pristine nature. This off-beat tourist destination is ideal for those tourists who wish to avoid crowds and enjoy peace and tranquility. Latpanchar is very rich in flora and fauna and is home to the most elegant, colourful, endangered species of Rufous Necked Hornbill. Thick sturdy beak, brown head, darkish blue plumes bordered by white plumes at the edges – the bird comes here to nest. Not just hornbills, if you are lucky, you can even view the snow-studded Mount Kanchenjunga from Ahal Dara View Point. From here the main road leads to a lake called Namthing Lake that is famous for the rare Himalayan Salamander. Other than bird-watching, another popular activity in this region is jungle trekking, where you can come upon a rich flora and fauna. This place has 36 species of animals and 240 species of birds including Himalayan Black Bear, Barking Deer, Mountain Goats, wild boars and leopards, Laughing Thrush, Sunbird, Scarlet Minivet, Minla, Yuhina, Scaly Thrush, Ashy Backed Shrike, Spotted Eagles, Magpie, Drongo and Woodpeckers. Latpanchar is also famous for Cinchona plantation which is used for manufacturing medicines for malaria. Several Cinchona extraction factories are located here.