The northern part of West Bengal is covered by the lofty Himalayas that provide an amazing mountaineering and adventure sports opportunity to tourists. The treks vary according to the level of difficulty and time. Sandakphu trek is one of the favorites for trekkers and people who want to experience the high of trekking.
Table of content:
1. About Sandakhphu trek
2. What to expect on the trek
About Sandakphu trek
The Sandakphu trek starts from New Jalpaiguri where the tour or trek guide will pick everyone up for the journey. It is considered to be an easy trek with some gorgeous views on the way to the peak. This trek is also known as the Singalia La Trek as it goes up till the Singalia ridge which forms the international border between India and Nepal. During the trek, you will get a glimpse of mountains covered in snow, forests of pine, oaks, deodars, and spruce along with some picturesque villages with small settlements.
Days on the trek
Day 1: you can arrive in Darjeeling a day before the trek and get some rest
Day 2: the walk starts from Manibhanjan which is the starting point and goes till Tonglu. From here, the rhododendron-covered part leads to Jaubari adjacent to the Nepal border.
Day 3: from Jaubari to Gairbas before reaching a small settlement called Kalpokhri. From here it takes 2 hrs to reach the trekker’s hut at Sandakphu
Day 4: a walk to the Phalut which takes about four to five hrs with a spectacular view of Everest and Kanchenjunga.
Day 5: A steep descend from Phalut to Raman river and then to the Raman village.
Day 6: a 9-10 km walk till Shrikhola and then about 3kms to Rimbik.
Day 7: from Rimbik to Darjeeling the drive is about 5 hrs. You can also walk to Bijanbari and then drive from there.
Day 8: the Sandakphu trek ends with you reaching Siliguri on the last day.
What to expect on the trek
The sandakphu trek packages are a good option to have a memorable experience. The trek packages include pick up and drop along with providing stay and a meals chart which is provided in the itineraries. However, there are some aspects during this trek that you need to be aware of and prepare yourself for which include:
The accommodations on the trek are basic and you might not have all the facilities available. Hot running water supply or attached bathroom are not available everywhere.
Rooms are dormitory-style and you may have to share rooms on a quad share basis because twin share rooms are not available on the trail.
It is best if you have a mind-set of having some adventure and experiencing new things and enjoy the trek.
