08 NIGHTS 09 DAYS SANDAKPU TREK

DAY 01 : NJP/BAGDOGRA TO DARJEELING

On arrival at NJP Railway Station / (IXB) Bagdogra Airport, (500Ft / 150Mts) you will meet by our local representative who will assist you to board your vehicle to Darjeeling 120 Kms / 04 to 05 Hrs), Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 02 : DARJEELING SIGHTSEEING

Early morning around 4:00 AM we drive to Tiger hill (2590 mts) for the breathtaking sunrise over eastern Himalayas Mt Kanchenzonga and Mt Everest. On way back visit Ghoom Monastery built in 1857, belonging to the Gelukpa sect has the beautiful statue of Maitera (the future Buddha) and Batasia Loop. Come back to hotel After Breakfast day sightseeing begins with Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, P.N. Zoological Park (Thursday close) Tenzing Rock, Tea Garden (outer view), Tibetan Refugee Help center & Happy Valley Tea State. Evening free & leisure Shopping. Overnight at hotel. Car Service till drop point.

DAY 03 : DARJEELING –MANEYBHANJANG –TONGLU/TUMLING

Wake up early (around 5:30 - 6 am) and reach Manebhanjang, your trek should start early in order to have fulfilling adventure tours and panoramic grandeur. This little village is 58km from Darjeeling i.e about 1.5 hours ride and is inhabited by modest village dwellers of the Bhuddhist Sherpa tribe. Have some breakfast before starting the trek.

Today you could hike up to Tonglu (3070 m), it is 11 km from Manebhanjang and would take you 5-6 hours to reach. Enroute you shall pass through pine, fir, birch, bamboo glades and reach another tiny Buddhist settlement, Chitre (2530 m). This will be a quite steep uphill climb on a stoned pathway. Crossing Chitre you shall reach a small hamlet Meghma (2900m). You could take a break here and have local, forget not to interact with the friendly villagers and resume trek after lunch. You shall have two choices now to halt either at Tonglu or Tumling as the route will bifurcate here but meets again at Tumling. If you want a good view of the mountains then head to Tonglu, just 2 km from here and commands an excellent view of the entire Himalayan Mountains. If you halt in Tumling then in clear nights you would see dazzling night-lights of Darjeeling Kurseong, Pasupati town and Siliguri. You could camp overnight or stay at a homestay, both the options are available.

DAY 04 : TONGLU - GAIRIBAS - KALIPOKHRI

Try and wake up early to witness the magical golden sunrise behind the Himalaya Range. It will be a rewarding day today as you shall enter the famous Singalila National Park (declared Indian National Park in 1992) and discover some exotic plants of the mountain and perhaps even spot a red panda. After breakfast you could begin your easy downhill trek to Garribas (2621 m). This small village is approximately 9km from Tonglu and will take you around 3 hours to reach.

Enroute you shall pass through the simpler walks of life, a quaint hamlet, their modest farmlands and lots of bamboo glades. You should have lunch at Gairibas and then gear up for a continuous uphill climb to Kalipokhari (3170 m). It is 6km form Gairibas which should take you around 3 hours of hike. If you are trekking in springtime then you will love this hike because you shall pass though the blooming forest of rhododendron. At Kalipokhari (Black Lake) as the name suggests you shall find a small dark colored lake amidst pine trees and fluttering prayer flags. I should tell you that you also have the option of taking a 2hr jeep ride form Tonglu in case you feel tired (the jeep needs to be organized at Manebhanjang). You could halt overnight in Kalipokhri at a homestay or tent.

DAY 05 : KALIPOKHARI - SANDAKPU

Good morning and gear up for ‘The day’. Sandakphu, the highlight of the entire Singalila Trekking route also called the 'paradise of trekkers' shall be yours today. Sandakphu (3636 m) commands an expansive 360-degree view from the top and a spectacular vista of the entire Himalayan belt. The towering pinnacles in Nepal - Mt. Everest, Lotse, Makalu and Sikki'’s Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt.Pandim all appear at the horizon in a continuous arc. While the foreground valley is surrounded by hills covered with rhododendrons and silver fir trees. But to reach this awesome place you should start early from Kalipokhari. The ridge trail descends till Bikhebhanjang (Valley of Poison) but from here it is a steep climb of 4 km till Sandakphu. It is the steepest slope of the entire Singalila trek ridge and perhaps the most tiring one too but it is equally rewarding. The route passes through thick magnolia and rhododendron forest and it should take you 2-3 hours to reach Sandakphu (Height of the Poison Plant). The poisonous aconite plants are found in abundance in the region and said to have harmed cattle in the past, hence both Bikhebhanjang and Sandakphu have been named after it.

You have a choice of lodges, guesthouses and trekkers hut or camping areas at Sandakphu. If the entire uphill trek till Sandakphu seems tiresome to you then you could also hire a vehicle form Manebhanjang itself. It is a 4-hour journey by jeep and could be a very adventurous ride. From Sandakphu you can choose between a longer or shorter downhill trek. To finish the trek you can take a shortcut route though dense forest and reach Rimbik or you could head towards Phalut.

DAY 06 : SANDAKPU – PHALUT

You should wake up early to see the golden rays of the morning sun shining on the white snow of Himalayas Mountains. You could stay for one more night at Sandakphu and indulge in the heavenly atmosphere else resume your trek and walk towards Phalut (3600 m). If you think that nothing after Sandakphu might interest you as much then hold your thoughts. The trail form Sandakphu to Phalut is one of the most spectacular sights. You shall cross through thick rhododendron, oak, pine trees but the burned silver fir forest makes the most of the beautiful and dramatic landscape. You might also spot some yak herds at the lakesides on the way and yes you shall not miss a roofless stone house on a small hillock in Sabarkum. The trek is easy and walking on the ridge crest you shall cross the indo-Nepal border and reach Phalut. The distance is 21km and should take you around 6 hours to reach. Mt. Kanchenjunga range appears much closer from here as compared to the rest of the trek. You could halt tonight in the trekkers hut or camp.

DAY 07 : PHALUT – RAMMAM

Wake up early and witness the magical sunrise behind the prodigious Himalaya Mountains. From Phalut the trail descends downhill and would take you through thick virgin forest of chestnut, pines, hemlock and more. After breakfast resume your trek, perhaps take some light picnic snacks too and walk till you reach Gorkhey Khola, this fresh water stream is where two small streams meet. Don’t hold back, jump into the running stream and bathe to devour the freshness of this fresh water. You could enjoy your picnic lunch here and resume trekking to Rammam via Samandin. The total distance covered is 14km today and should take you around 5 hours of walk. You could halt overnight at Ramman in a local homestay, guesthouse or camp.

DAY 08 : RAMMAM – RIMBIK – DARJEELING

Today would be the last day of your trek; you will walk 19km from Ramman to Rimbik. You could start your trek after breakfast, the road is almost level for 9km and then it descends down to reach Sirikhola (river). From here you shall hike uphill to reach Rimbik. Enroute you shall pass through quaint hamlets and their farmlands. After reaching Rimbik you can have good lunch further proceed to Darjeeling.

DAY 09 : DARJEELING TO PHUNTSHOLING

After breakfast check out from hotel then transfer to Bagdogra Airport/ NJP Railway station.