SANDAKPHU TREK
Sandakphu is a wonderland for the trekkers. It’s located at an altitude of 11,929ft (i.e. 3,636 meters) in Darjeeling district and north west of Darjeeling hill town. This is the summit or the highest point in Singalila range as well as in the state of West Bengal, India. The trek route to Sandakphu goes all along the Singalila range and therefore this is also known as Singalila trek.
So, why do you think the trekkers from all over the world are so fanatic about Sandakphu and Singalila trek? The answer is simple…. Where else can you see four of the five highest peaks of the world including Mt. Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Lhotse, along with Three Sisters and many other peaks of Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet and Bhutan in one single stretch of snow? Yes, this is what you get to see when you stand on the grounds of Sandakphu.
Where else in the world will you be able to walk through the forests of flowering rhododendrons of numerous types, giant magnolias, spruce and wide range of amazing orchids? There are over 600 varieties of orchids in this area, the largest concentration in any single geographical area in the world. You can see them bloom in spring.
The trek route passes through the Singalila National Park. So your trek journey is further complemented with a national park that has some of the most fascinating rare animals like Red Pandas and Pangolins. However, rare animals are rarely seen. The national park is also rich with varieties of birds.
How to reach the base (Manebhanjan)
In Darjeeling district, the trek route to Sandakphu starts from a place called Manebhanjan, a small township located at an altitude of 7,054 ft (2,150 m). This is virtually the gateway to Singalila and Sandakphu. Manebhanjan is about 4 hours by taxi from NJP (the nearest major railway station) and also from Bagdogra (the nearest airport). The route is via Mirik, and if a direct taxi is not available, you need to come up to Mirik and then take another taxi.
From NJP or Siliguri you can also get shared taxi up to Mirik and then take another one. However, shared taxis are not available at Bagdogra airport. Manebhanjan is only 26kms from Darjeeling and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes by taxi. Trekkers usually reach Manbhanjan on the previous day, stay at a hotel or homestay, and proceed early next morning.
Preparing for the trek
Before you start the trek for Sandakphu, you need to ensure that you have a registered guide (which is mandatory) and if required, a porter. If you are going through Deys Holidays, then we will arrange for the guide/porter. Otherwise you can get them from the Highlander Guides & Porters Welfare Association at Manebhanjan. There is an office of Forest Department by the roadside just before the steep uphill route starts from Manebhanjan. You need to get a permit here . This permit is not a trek permit, it is an entry permit to the Singalila National Park.
Note that if you go only up to Tumling, you don’t need this permit or even a guide. Because the national park starts after Tumling, and the permits are meant for the national park and the guides for guiding you through the park. But it’s quite controversial whether you actually need a guide at all.
From Manebhanjan the distance up to Sandakphu is 32kms which is usually covered in two or three days of trek. If you can trek for 8-9 hours a day, you can complete the one way trek in 2 days, otherwise in 3 days. Usually trekkers do it over 3 days.
From Sandakphu, you can trek further up to Phalut which is another 21kms away. It takes an additional day of trek from Sandakphu on a relatively easy terrain, but it still is a long arduous trek.
From Sandakphu, you can either return by the same route (seldom done) or take an alternative route. A popular return route is via Gurdum, Srikhola and then finally to Rimbik where one takes a transport (usually a shared or a private taxi) for a return transfer.
A full circuit or round trip trek to Sandakphu takes a total of four to five days (depending on your ability). It can be undertaken by anyone who likes to walk. In trekkers world, it’s considered a soft or light trek. But don’t take it too easy if you are a novice… it’s going to be a long hard work anyway.
At places there are more than one routes, one going through Indian territory while the other through Nepal’s. But there is no need for Nepal visa along this route. It’s a free zone for all including foreigners, but there are several check posts along the way guarded by SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal or Armed Border Force). All are subject to identity checks (carry valid Photo IDs, foreigners must carry passport).
NOTE:
1) You should be ready with all your trek logistics before you start, and that includes transport to Manebhanjan, state government registered guide with his own identity badge (which is mandatory now), porter (if required), permit for Singalila National Park (required for all as the route passes through the park), lodgings along the route (dormitory beds or rooms), food & water along the way, gears in case you are trekking in the winter which sees lots of snow & harsh weather conditions (a trekking pole is always recommended), camping equipment (if you plan to camp instead of staying at the huts), and transports for transfers to railway station or airport.
2) Having gone through the complete trek descriptions below, You can get vital information there such as lodging, contact info, guides, porters, permits, food, weather conditions, various costs involved & estimates, and lot more. And finally the last section is where I have commented on numerous questions from trekkers that reveal a lot of inside stories.
Day-1: Manebhanjan to Tonglu (11kms), 6-7 Hours Trek
Manebhanjan (also known as Mane Bhanjyang), Altitude: 7,054ft
Many trekkers come to Manebhanjan a day before the trekking starts. This is to acclimatize themselves with the conditions before starting the trek early next morning. Manebhanjan is a small settlement. There is no ATM here. To get cash, the nearest ATM is at Sukhia which is about 15-20 minutes by car (it would be on your way when you arrive at Manebhanjan).
There are small hotels and homestays here for overnight stays. Many small grocery and stationery shops are available at the market area to pick up your provisions like packaged water, biscuits, peanuts, dry food, medicines etc.
As you walk from Manebhanjan market area towards the trail for Sandakphu, in about 10-12 minutes, you will reach the office of the Singalila Wildlife Division. This is where you get the permit for Singalila National Park.
Earlier, the trekking route up to Sandakphu was same as the boulder road on which 4-wheel drive vehicles take tourists to Sandakphu. By 2001, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (now GTA) and the park authorities created a separate trekking trail that mostly goes through the lovely forests and flowering trees, although merges with the gravel road at several places.
This trekking trail takes various forms along the way. In some parts it’s a muddy trail through forests or open meadows, in other parts it’s a steep stony stairway cutting through the mountains and again meeting the gravel road, and in other sections it’s a narrow gravel pathway. At any section, you can choose to take either the gravel road or the trekking trail, however in several parts both become the same.
Chitre (3kms from Manebhanjan, Altitude: 8,340ft), 1.5 hours trek
Chitre is a small village about 3kms from Manebhanjan located at an altitude of 8,340 ft. The route up to Chitre passes through pine, fir, birch forests and bamboo glades. This part of the trek route is very steep and really warms you up. It takes about 1.5 hours to trek up to Chitre. You will get drinking water here as well as food in a local restaurant. Many not-so-seasoned trekkers actually take a vehicle up to this point and then start the trek. This is to avoid the steep gradient. But there are steeper sections ahead which you can’t avoid, particularly the last 2kms of the trail to Sandakphu. So better start getting your cuff muscles ready now.
There is an old Buddhist Monastery at Chitrey, a make shift lodging for trekkers, a local restaurant and few village huts. You will pass by the monastery. If you want to take it easy, visit the monastery. Then walk a few minutes and you will see a local restaurant on an open field. You can get food and water here, as well as toilet facilities. Halt for a while, freshen up and start the next leg of the trek.
The gravel road between Manebhanjan and Chitre is now a paved (pitched) road. They actually wanted to make it a tarred road all the way to Sandakphu to make it easy for vehicles. But it could not be completed because the wildlife division had raised an objection stating that such pitched road would be harmful for wildlife. Another section of the road (between Tumling and Garibas) has also been tarred but lying unfinished thereafter.
Lamaydhura (further 3kms, Altitude: 8,792ft), +1.5 hours trek
Lamaydhura is a hamlet inhabited only by five Tibetan families. This part of the trek is more comfortable than the earlier stretch up to Chitre. It’s a steady but gradual incline from Chitre and takes over an hour of trek. You will get drinking water here as well as snack-type food like noodles, eggs etc as well as tea/coffee, cold drinks, packaged snacks etc from roadside stalls. There are beds available for trekkers as well (low budget though and with makeshift toilets). From here, one side of the road is part of Nepal, while the other side is in India. The stalls at Lamaydhura have display boards showing they are in Nepal.
The trail ahead of Lamaydhura ascends gradually. So this part of the trek is relatively easy. As you walk further up towards Meghma, you will pass though forests full of Chimal and Magnolia trees.
Meghma (further 3kms, Altitude 9,514ft), +1.5 hours trek
This is another small village located at the border of India and Nepal, and about 3kms from Lamaydhura. Meghma is at an altitude of 9,514 ft. From Lamaydhura, it takes about 1.5 hours of trek to reach Meghma. If you trek continuously from Manebhanjan, it will take about 4.5-5 hours to reach Meghma. There is a monastery at the entrance of Meghma.
Armed border forces have a large camping site at Meghma. There is also a restaurant here serving tea, coffee, snacks, meals etc. A separate toilet facility is operated by the restaurant owner. There are limited beds available as well.
From Meghma the gravel road bifurcates. The one on the right goes towards Tonglu (2kms) which is part of India. The trekkers usually take this route if they plan to stay at Tonglu. There is a GTA lodge here as well as DM’s bungalow. If you do not want to stay at Tonglu but still like to take this route, then shortly before the GTA lodge a trekking trail bifurcates from the main gravel road towards left and leads down to Tumling. Ask your guide and he will show you the way. This trail to Tumling is shorter.
The route on the left from Meghma goes to another settlement known as Tumling (4kms) which is part of Nepal. There are several private hotels and lodges in Tumling offering both rooms and dormitory beds.
You can take any route you like. If you take the route to Tonglu, you will need to trek another 2kms and the route finally merges at Tumling. Both Tonglu and Tumling offer spectacular views of Kanchenjunga on clear days.
During winter time, it can get very cold from Meghma onwards and it would be wise to carry heavy woolens, jacket, cap and hand gloves and keep them handy. You will start seeing accumulated snow on both sides of the street soon after Meghma.
There are only handful of village huts along the way, hardly any vegetation and practically no facility for the trekkers on this route. However, you can remain immersed with nature’s unabated beauty. And the terrain is relatively easy to let you enjoy that.
But for now, we will take the route from Meghma towards Tonglu which is a more popular route for trekkers, because you get to see one more beautiful place – Tonglu.
Tonglu (2kms from Meghma, Altitude: 10,130ft), +1 hour trek
Tonglu is a small hamlet located at an altitude of 10,130ft. This is where most trekkers take the first night halt. There is a GTA lodge here. The lodge is about 2kms from Meghma and takes about 1 hour to reach. The last section is a steep climb.
From Tonglu you can get lovely views of Darjeeling and Kurseong town areas. Down below you can see the great valleys and the plains of North Bengal with rivers like Teesta and Koshi flowing. Tonglu also offers a wonderful view of Kanchenjunga snow peaks.
Day-2: Tonglu to Kalipokhri (15kms), 6-7 Hours Trek
From Tonglu, you should start your trek early next morning. From Tonglu your next destination is Tumling which is about 2kms away.
Tumling (2kms from Tonglu, Altitude: 9,600ft), +1 hour trek
2kms trek from Tonglu will take you to another small Village called Tumling located at an altitude of 9,600 ft. Tonglu to Tumling is a steep descend, but thereafter it’s a gradual descend till Gairibas. Tumling is a great place to stop for a while, freshen up and then get moving for the next leg of the trek.
Some trekkers actually prefer to stay at Tumling for the first night instead of at Tonglu. This is due to availability of better private lodges and facilities here. This is the last point up to which electricity is available.
About 1km from Tumling you will reach the arch gateway of Singalila National Park, which is the highest altitude national park in the state of West Bengal. This park is well known for rare and fascinating high altitude animals like Red Panda, Pangolins, Himalayan black bear, Monals etc. There is a check post here at Singalila gate. If you haven’t taken the permit yet, this is where you must take it, or otherwise you won’t be allowed to go any further.
NOTE: Few yards inside the arched entrance of Singalila National Park, the road bifurcates. The one on the left is a dirt road and goes through Nepal to a place called Jhaubari. You can see nice rolling meadows of Nepal on this route. The other road straight ahead goes through a forested area all the way up to Gairibas. This road belongs to Indian territory and has now been concretized up to Gairibas.
You can take either route. While the trek up to Jhaubari is almost on a level terrain and is easy, after Jhaubari the road becomes downhill and steep, and could get slippery. If you want to avoid the steep downhill walk, then take the concrete road through the forest. There is also a third trekking trail here which also meets at Jhaubari and merges with the two other roads. But most trekkers actually take one of the two roads instead of the trail.
Jhaubari (6kms from Tumling, Altitude: 9,186ft), +3 hours trek
A small village further along the way to Sandakphu at an altitude of 9,186 ft. This place may not be important from trekking perspective. But I always combine trekking with exploration of life in the mountains.
Gairibas (1km from Jhaubari, Altitude: 8,600ft), +0.5 hour trek
From Jhaubari one has to take a right turn towards Gairibas. It is further 1km ahead and located at an altitude of 8,600 ft. From Tumling, up to Jhaubari is a gradual descend and a relatively easy trek. But after Jhaubari it is a steep descend up to Gairibas.
Halt at Gairibas for a while. There is a tea stall here (which also has dormitory beds for trekkers). Piping hot vegetarian momos are great (no non-veg items). If you started early in the morning, you can complete your breakfast here or have some tea, before you proceed towards Sandakphu. The stall also offers noodles, toast and other snack items, and even meals. You can get packaged snacks, biscuits, soft drinks and bottled water here as well. Opposite to the stall is a check post of Armed Border Force.
The three routes that originate shortly after entry to Singalila National Park (a concrete road through forest, a dirt road through Jhaubari of Nepal, and a trekking trail) all come and meet here at Gairibas.
There is a nice GTA lodge at Gairibas (about 100 yards before you reach the check post and located at a lower level on a grassy flat land). The landscape around is picturesque with pine trees and lot other plantations. This is the best accommodation here.
The trek route passes through bamboo glades. Gairibas is essentially a valley full of bamboo grooves. If you are here during spring (April), you can see colorful red Rhododendrons in full blossom.
From Gairibas, the route is a steep climb for about 2kms till you reach a tiny settlement known as Kaiyakatta. There are only couple of stalls here where you can get refreshment and water. The place gets its name from a strange story. A Marwari man used to run a business here. Marwaris are locally known as Kaiya. However this man deprived the locals to keep most profits for himself when one day a local came and beheaded him (an act known as katta). The place is since known as Kaiyakatta.
From Kaiyakatta, there are two routes. The trail at the upper level goes through Nepal. However most take the other route that goes through India. Both routes finally meet at Kalipokhri where the lake is located. From Kaiyakatta, it’s a gradual climb till you reach Kalipokhri.
Kalipokhri (6kms from Gairibas, Altitude: 10,400ft) +3 hours trek
From Gairibas, the trek up to Kalipokhri takes about three hours. It’s at an altitude of 10,400 ft. Initially you will trek uphill through forests of oak, rhododendrons and bamboo to reach Kaiyakatta in about 1.5 hours which is about 2kms from Gairibas. The trail is up & down from here. In another 1.5 hours or so you will reach Kalipokhri.
Kalipokhri is so named because of a pond or a water tank filled with black water. The word Kali means black and pokhri stands for water area. However the black color is not due to pollution, it’s muddy and the water never freezes. The small lake is considered sacred by the local villagers. Due to all-time water availability, a small village settlement has taken place in this area (about 100 yards ahead at a higher level). This is where all private trekkers huts are also located.
You will pass through forest of rhododendron, Singalila Sanctuary and then by the pond to reach the Kalipokhri village area. This is where most of the trekkers stay for the second night. There are several private lodges here including Pandim Lodge, Chewang Lodge, and Himchuli Lodge.
There is no GTA lodge here, but the private ones also offer similar accommodations at reasonable rates. Drinking water is available at both Kaikatta and Kalipokhri villages. As you are entering the village, look up 45 degrees towards left, and you can get the first real glimpse of your targeted destination far away on a clear day… Sandakphu.
Day-3: Kalipokhri to Sandakphu (6kms), 3 Hours Trek
If you are staying overnight at Kalipokhri, start very early in the morning next day. You will not like to miss out on the panoramic view of the snow peaks from Sandakphu, which is best seen early in the morning. An early start from here will give you a chance to view the snow peaks twice, once as soon as you reach Sandakphu and again next morning before you start your return or onward trek.
Bikheybhanjang (2kms from Kalipokhri), +40 minutes trek
From Kalipokhri, the trekking route gradually ascends up to Bikheybhanjang which is located 2kms away. On the way you will cross a place called Chowri Chowk (there is no signboard though) where you can take a break for couple of minutes. There is a hut here where mostly drivers leaving tourists at Sandakphu come back for night stays. The lady there will make you a cup of tea.
Then walk towards Bikheybhanjang. This is another small hamlet. The name means “Valley of Poison” because of the poisonous Aconite plants that grow in abundance around this place. Don’t worry, The plant by itself is harmless unless you eat the leaves.
There is nothing much at Bikhey Bhanjan. Once you come to the small tinned hut like structure on the right (which is supposed to be a Check Post), you can see three routes ahead. The gravel road steers along the right. A steep stairway right ahead climbs up to a Stupa on top and then continues and meets the gravel road. And a trail on the left passes through lovely meadows (this is also a motorable route, but very steep and narrow). You can take any route, all finally merge.
Sandakphu (further 4kms from Bikheybhanjang, Altitude: 11,929ft) 2.5 hours trek
And now the final destination and the climax. You could see the Sandakphu Peak from Kalipokhri itself. But like all great things in life, this won’t come easy. From Bikhheybhanjang the climb up to Sandakphu is the steepest. The 4kms route can easily take about 2.5 hours. There are stretches where the gradient is so steep that you will think your nose is about to touch the ground.
But the final rewards are awesome. All your strains will disappear as you see the board saying “Welcome to Sandakphu”. You are at an altitude of 11,929ft, on the summit of Singalila range and at the paradise of trekking… Wow, you made it !!!
Sandakphu is the place from where you get a 180 degree panoramic vista of some of the highest and most beautiful peaks of the world, right from Nepal all the way up to Arunachal. Some of the greatest peaks include the Mt Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Chomolhari, Pandim, Three Sisters, Kumbhakarna etc.
There is a GTA lodge in Sandakphu and also several other private accommodations including Hotel Sherpa Chalet, Hotel Sunrise, Namo Buddha Hotel etc. Sherpa Chalet is arguably the best hotel here and great for viewing the snow peaks from the rooms.
Day 4 – 6: Onward and Return treks from Sandakphu
From Sandakphu, you have two options. You can either continue up to Phalut (another trekking destination) and then return via Gorkhey, Rammam, Srikhola to Rimbik where shared jeeps are available for Darjeeling or getting back to Siliguri. Or take a shorter return route from Sandakphu itself. If returning from Sandakphu, most trekkers take the trail that goes via Gurdum and meets at Srikhola, and then come down to Rimbik.
Alternative Route for Sandakphu Trek
There is another route which several trekkers prefer for trekking to Sandakphu. The route however merges with the common one I described above at Tonglu. From Siliguri you can take a car and drive all the way up to a place called Dhotrey (via Manebhanjan). It takes about 4.5 to 5 hours drive. After a night stay at Dhotrey, take the lovely scenic trek route (6 kms) that leads to Tonglu.
The first 2kms is through a forested trail. And then the landscape opens up and you can sea wonderful meadows. It’s an uphill trek route and takes about 3 – 3.5 hours to reach Tonglu from Dhotrey. Note that the route remains closed during Monsoon (mid June to mid September). If you are planning to take this route, a popular itinerary is:
Day 1: NJP/Siliguri to Dhotrey by car, stay overnight at Dhotrey
Day 2: Dhotrey – Gairibas Trek, stay overnight at Gairibas
Day 3: Gairibas – Sandakphu Trek, stay overnight at Sandakphu
Day 4: Sandakphu – Phalut Trek, stay overnight at Phalut
Day 5: Phalut – Gorkhey Trek, stay overnight at Gorkhey
Day 6: Gorkhey – Srikhola Trek, stay overnight at Srikhoila
Day 7: Srikhola – Rimbik Trek, then to NJP via Manebhanjan by jeep/car
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