Short Sundarban tour from Kaikhali side - - to and fro (unconventional Sundarban tour) for 120/-

Tour plan (in brief) :

2.1.2016.

1. Train from Ballygunge station (in the heart of South Kolkata - nr Gariahat) - 7.25 am (which comes from Sealdah in 10 minutes from local train station side) - Ticket Rs 10

Lakshmikantapur Local , Kakdwip Local or Namkhana Local

Get down at Joynagar Majilpur Station after 1 hour at 8.30 am

2. From Platform No. 2 side of the station go to the main road and get numerous Auto Rickshaws (Rs 18)  to Jamtala Ghat - 45 minutes. After getting down walk for 5 minutes and cross the bridge 

## We (Arun, Dodi, Debashree and me) had our breakfast of Petai Parota (@ Rs 8/- for 100 grams) and tea - Rs 3  ! And 150 gms of Petai Parota is enough for me !

3. From Jamtala Ghat, get a  Auto Rickshaw  to Kaikhali for Rs 12

(Just opposite direction is Piyali Island from Jamtala Ghat - FOR PIYALI - From Jamtala Ghat, get a Auto Rickshaw to Kella . Piyali is at Kella.
While coming back from Kella - one can go to Dakshin Barasat Railway Station and board any Sealdah bound train from Platform number 1; Trekker fare from Kella to Dakshin Barasat railway station – Rs  16; Boat ride on Piyali river – Starting from Rs 100 - negotiable )

 It takes around 30 minutes.

4. The entire bank of river Matla at Kaikhali has concrete embankment. 

At Kaikhali there is a Tourist Lodge, run by Ramkrishna Ashram, Nimpith.THE LOCATION IS SIMPLY JAW DROPPING ! You have to book it from Nimpith. Kaikhali is a small land adjoining the confluence where Matla and Nimaniya rivers flow in to the Bay of Bengal. This place has river banks full of mangroves like Garan, Golappata, Hogla.

The river near Kaikhali is more violent and makes sound. The river in Piyali island is gentle.

 We found that boats can be booked for Rs 800- 2500 depending upon time (upto 6 hours) and size of boat . So it is wise to go in groups of at-least 10 people. Some boats take tourists in the depth of the jungle where tigers are claimed to be seen. 

We took a boat, sharing with local villagers and paid Rs 20 for one hour journey like a local and reached Jhakkhali (jhar = storm in Bengali). It is a nice little place full of green trees. We reached Jharkhali through a narrow creek. I have never travelled in such a narrow creek. Large steamers cannot enter this creek. Only local boats can ply.

One can walk around that village and then go to butterfly park.

There is a Butterfly Park with an entree fee of Rs 30 with almost no butterfly and inside the park there are two tigers (can be seen from a distance). In it there is a children's park , a watchtower . 
For going to this place you have to walk for 5 minutes from Jhakrkhali small ferry ghat and take a shared auto for approx Rs 10 to take you to the butterfly park. Just beside the butterfly park, there is a big ferry ghat.

The return journey had a soothing feel as the sun was a bit gentler and the sky revealed its blue colour. The boat journey was truly spectacular. The river was so vast that the other bank appeared to be just a light mist. The water was gleaming like silver and it was really hard to keep our eyes open.

Return :

There is a last bus waiting at Kaikhali ferry ghat at 5.30 pm - which takes you to Jaynagar railway station.

SOURCE : Most of the information is taken from these blogs.

http://www.tirthatanay.com/west-bengal/piyali-island/

http://tourfreaks.blogspot.in/2014/01/kaikhali.html#.Vp6ss5p961u