Sandakphu, located in North West of Darjeeling at an altitude of 11,900 feet is the highest peak of West Bengal State. Sandakphu trek has everything going for it. If you are into hiking & haven’t done this trek yet, you are really missing something. Where else you will see 4 of the 5 highest mountains in the world ; Mt. Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, and Lhotse. The heavenly experience of walking through the Forest of blooming rhododendrons, giant magnolias, spruce and wide range of amazing orchids is something you will find nowhere else. Sandakphu is part of Singalila range. The trekking route passes thorugh Shilgalila National Park which is another attraction of this trek. The park boasts rare animals like Red Pandas and Pangolins & a vide varieties of birds. The starting point of the trek, Jaubhari is approx. 5 hours drive away from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) which is the closest railway station. If you want to travel by Air then closest Airport is Bagdogra.
| 1 | Region | Sikkim |
| 2 | Difficulty Level | Moderate |
| 3 | Max. Altitude | 3636 M |
| 4 | Stay | Camping/Guest House |
| 5 | What is included in the fee | Accommodation during the trek Meals during the trek Trekking permits and forest camping charges tents,sleeping bags,Mats Safety equipment Services of an certified leader Services of guide, cook, helpers, porters/mules |
| 6 | What is not included in the Fee | Food during travel Carriage of personal rucksacks Any kind of travel Insurange Personal expenses of any kind Anything expense not covered under inclusions inclusions |
GST @ 5% is applicable on the fee.
Arrive at Jaubhari by evening. Team introduction in the evening. From Jaubhari the closest railway station is NJP & closest airport is Bagdogra. The travel time from NJP/ Bagdogra to Jaubhari is approximately 5 hours. On this day we stay in Jaubhari. Trek will start on next morning.
After morning warm up exercise & briefing begin trek to Tumling. The trek is moderate with flat sections & some steep ascents. Today we cover a distance of 10 Kms approx. Be careful as the trail can be slippery during the rainy season. The trek trail is not very obvious with many left right turns. The trail constitutes rocky paths, some muddy sections & meadows. Fill your water bottles from the start of trek. Water sources are available only at Chittrey, Lamaydhura and Meghma. We will halt at Chittrey Monastery. India Nepal border starts at Chetrey. From here Indian is on your right & Nepal is on your left. From Chittrey there are stairs made till Meghma. Chimla and Magnolia flowers are in abundance on the trail. If you are lucky, you can also spot a Red Panda in this region. From Chettrey walk for another 3 kms to reach Lamaydhura which is a small village with few Tibetan families. From Lamaydhura walk for another 3 kms over almost flat terrain to reach Meghma. Then we reach SSB checkpost where our IDs will be checked. Foreigners should keep their Visa & Indian should keep their photo identity card with them. Tumling is on the India Nepal Border. We will stay at Tonglu which is a few hundred meters before Tumling.
Wake up early to view the sight of sun rays falling on the Kangchenjunga family of peaks which is also known as sleeping Buddha owing to its shape. Ask your guide for the names of various peaks visible from here. Today’s trek is approx. 13kms. Notice the two roads diverging as you start the trek. We trek on the Nepal Road & reach the Singalila National Park entry point. Once we enter the national park we can see Mt. Everest. Next place is Gairibas which is 5 kms away and takes about 3-4 hours. Gairibas is a small place with few staying options on the Nepal side of it. From Gairibas, Kaiyakatta is at a 2 km distance. From Kaiykatta, Kalipokhri is about 4 kms. Kalipokhri translates to the Black lake and is exactly on the Nepal India border. There is a small Buddha temple near the lake. We camp near the lake tonight.
Start early so that you do not miss the view of Snow clad peaks. Today’s trek is easy 7 kms & will take about 4-5 hours. From Kalipokhri the trail gradually ascends to Bikheybhanjang which is a small hamlet. It literally means the “Poisonous valley” because of the Poisonous Aconite plants that grouw here in plenty. The trail just before you reach Sandakphu is very steep. At places you might have to use all 4 limbs to climb. All the pain of steep climb will be gone in seconds when you reach Sandakphu from where you get a 180 degree panoramic view including 4 of the highest mountains in the world ; Mt Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Chomolhari, Pandim, Three Sisters, Kumbhakarna etc. Ask your guide for more information about the peaks. Overnight stay at Sandakphu.
Start trekking early morning from Sandakphu to reach Sabargram. Today’s Trek is moderate but long covering 15 km in approximately 8 hours. Today’s trek is a treat for the eyes as the scenery is one of the best. Rhododendron trees are in plenty & in full bloom if you happen to come here in the months of April or May. Camp for the night at Sabargram.
Trek is easy today with mostly a descending trail. Views of Kangchenjunga on your left will keep the photographer in you alive. Trek will take about 5 hours to reach Gorkhey. Once we cross Gorkhey river we enter Sikkim. Camp overnight at Gorkhey.
Start early from Gokhey . Walking through Sammamden and Rammam villages, we will reach Sepi at around 2 PM.Trek ends here.
