Sandakphu & Phalut Trekking

Sandakphu & Phalut Trekking

The trek along the Singalila Ridge to Sandakphu and Phalut is one of the most popular trekking trails in the Eastern Himalayas. The trek covers Sandakphu (3636 m), the highest point of West Bengal and Phalut (3600 m) the northern most point of West Bengal. Both Sandakphu and Phalut provide a panoramic view of Kangchenjunga and its sister peaks along with Mt. Everest, Mt. Makalu, and Mt. Lhotse. Most of the route runs along the Indo–Nepal border crossing and re-crossing it innumerable times.

The trek route passes through the Singalila National Park. Both Sandakphu and Phalut are connected by motorable road from Maneybhanjang however a trek route also exists. There is now a 4 WD motorable road to Sandakphu. One can hire a land rover of 1950’s vintage from Maneybhanjang and Darjeeling to reach Sandakphu via Tomling and Tonglu. Concrete roads are made recently. Earlier roads were made with gravel. The trek route is different from the motorable road however they do overlap at many places.

The entire route has lodges and tea houses serving meals. The route is open to trekking, jeep tour or a combination of both. The trek to Sandakphu is easy however the Phalut section is moderate. The trails are well marked. There are tea stalls located every few kilometers till Sandakphu. The Sandakphu - Phalut route difficult is difficult during the winter due to heavy snow. One need to take a permit from the Forest Department located by the roadside just before the steep uphill route starts from Maneybhanjang. It is mandatory to take a guide and optionally porters for trek to Sandakphu and Phalut.

The Sandakphu Phalut trek can be done in all months except the rainy season. The trek can be done from September to April months. There are two best seasons to go for the Sandakphu trek. The first season, with the temperature ranges from 6° C to 12° C, is from April to May and the second season is after the monsoon starting from October to early December when the temperature ranges from 1° C to 6° C. Autumn months of September and October are the best time for bird watching. Rhododendrons & Magnolias bloom in the months of March & April the most.

The trekking routes are as follows:

Manebhanjan to Meghma:

Maneybhanjang (2150m) is a small Himalayan hamlet, is the gateway to the Singalila National Park and is also the starting point of this trek. Maneybhanjang (2150m) is a small Himalayan hamlet, is the gateway to the national park. Maneybhanjang is located at about 19 Kms from Ghoom, 19 Kms from Ghoom Railway Station, 25 Kms from Darjeeling, 29 Kms from Mirik, 37 Kms from Bijanbari, 48 Kms from Rimbik, 75 Kms from Siliguri, 83 Kms from Bagdogra Airport, 86 Kms from New Jalpaiguri Junction Railway Station, Maneybhanjang can be reached from New Jalpaiguri Junction and Bagdogra Airport via Mirik. It is also well connected with Darjeeling via Ghoom.

One need to start the trek from Maneybhanjang to Chitre. It is a 3 kms route and takes 1.5 hours. This route passes through beautiful pine, fir, birch, and bamboo forest. Chitre is a small mountain hamlet situated at an altitude of about 8,340 ft. It is a good place to freshen up after a tiring trek. It is also home to a small Buddhist monastery. Trekkers need to trek from Chitre to Lamay Dhura. The trek route is about 3 kms and takes about 1.5 hours.

Lamay Dhura is another tiny hamlet with few shops selling water, drinks, and food. It is situated at an altitude of about 8,792 ft. After a brief halt at Lamay Dhura, one need to trek to Meghna. It is about 3 kms and takes about 1.5 hours from Lamay Dhura. It is a large village situated at an altitude of about 12,000 ft on the Indo Nepal border. This village houses an Indian army base and a Buddhist monastery.

Meghma to Gairibas:

There are two alternative trekking routes. One route is a direct route to Tumling (9,514 ft), and the other route is via Tonglu (10,072 ft). The direct route to Tumling is about 4 kms while the other route via Tonglu is about 5 kms. Both Tumling and Tonglu provides an enchanting view of snowy Himalayan peaks, including Kanchenjunga. Tonglu is a large village located on a hilltop. It takes one hour to reach this place from Meghma. It offers panoramic views of Himalayan peaks and the surrounding plains with meandering Teesta and Koshi Rivers.

There are several lodges and Tonglu can serve as the first night halt of the trek. The village lies entirely in India. Tumling is a small hamlet in Jogmai VDC in Ilam District of Nepal. It is situated on the Indo-Nepal border. It is situated at about 3 Kms from Tonglu and takes about one hour to reach from Tonglu. The trek from Tonglu to Tumling is downhill. It houses a few lodges and trekkers who bypass Tonglu make their first night halt at Tumling. Tumling actually is part of Nepal although there is no restriction for Indians or foreigners with Indian visa. 

One is able to see the Kangchenjunga Range from here and going forward for about 15 minutes visitors can notice the Mount Everest. From Tumling, one need to trek for about 6 kms (three hours) to reach Jaubari. The trek is easy and is downhill. Jaubari is ward no 07 of Jamuna Village Development Committee in Ilam District in the Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. It is located on the Indo Nepal border and is situated at an altitude of about 9186 ft.

It has few lodges and hotels for the benefit of the trekkers. A steep descend from Jaubari takes one to Gairibas. It is about 3 Kms from Jaubari and takes around one hour. Gairibas is another village located on the Indo Nepal border at an altitude of about 8602 ft. It is a good stay option for trekkers reaching Sandakphu in two days. For those spending the night in Tonglu or Tumling Gairibas can be a good option for a lunch stop. There are a few eateries serving good food. 

Gairibas to Sandakphu:

Trekkers need to trek 2 kms from Gairibas to reach Kaiyakata. This trek takes around 1.5 hours. This trail climbs steadily through oak, rhododendron, and bamboo forest. Kaiyakata village is a nice stop for having tea and refreshments. Kalipokhri can be reached after a climb of about 2 Kms from Kaiyakata village and takes about 45 minutes. Kalipokhri is a small Himalayan village situated at an altitude of about 10453 ft.  It lies roughly halfway between the steep final stretch of the trek from Gairibas to Sandakphu.

The word, Pokhri means lake and kala means dark in Nepali, and the village is named after a local lake with dark waters or a lake whose water is dark in color. The water never freezes, and the lake is of extreme religious significance to the locals. A border check post of Nepal Army is situated opposite to the lake. This village is an ideal spot for spending the night for trekkers heading for Sandakphu in three days. Bikeybhanjan can be reached after a trek of about 2 kms from Kalipokhri and takes around 45 minutes.

This place is the final resting spot before the Sandakphu. It has a tea shop for the trekkers. The final ascent to the Sandakphu starts from Bikeybhanjan. Trekkers need to trek 4 kms to reach Sandakphu and takes about 2.5 hours.

Sandakphu is about 3636 m (11,930 ft) tall. Sandakphu is a big village with several lodges and homestays for the benefits of the trekkers. Four of the five highest peaks in the world, Mt. Everest, Mt. Kangchenjunga, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Makalu can be seen from its summit. It also affords a pristine view of the entire Kangchenjunga Range.

Trekkers bypassing the Phalut can trek to Gurdum through dense forest. It is situated at about 10 kms from Sandakphu. It has a GTA Trekker’s hut for night stay. Gurdum is situated at about 8000 ft above sea level. It is a settlement of 25 houses scattered along a terraced valley enclosed by the Singalila forest in West Bengal. It is frequented by trekkers on the Sandakphu trail. Srikhola is situated at about 6 kms from Gurdum.

Sandakphu to Phalut:

Phalut (11,800 ft) is a one-day trek via Sabarkum covering 21 kms. Sabarkum is situated at about 14 kms from Sandakphu. Sabarkum has an abandoned British era check post lies on the Sandakphu – Phalut route. The entire 21 kms trail between Sandakphu and Phalut is totally uninhabited. The entire route lies above 3500 m. This trail offers magnificent views of the Kanchenjunga and the surrounding Himalayan peaks. Trekkers should carry enough water and dry food to sustain the trek. This trek might take around 10 hours.

Molley is one of the least visited places situated on the Sandakphu to Phalut trail. It is not on the main route to Phalut. Molley is situated at about 3 kms to the east of Sabarkum. There is a hut in Molley, situated in the middle of the forest, perfect for the nature lover to spend a day. There is also a camp of SSB, a paramilitary force, due to its proximity to its border with Nepal. The hut is with several rooms to accommodate the larger number of tourists. The visitors can, however, try their hands-on cooking to help the caretaker, who is the only person available in the hut. Molley is also connected with Rammam by a trek route. 

This detour will make the trekkers to trek extra six kms in their journey. The final ascent to the Phalut from Sabarkum is about 7 kms trek. Phalut ((11,800 ft)) is the northernmost point of West Bengal. Phalut is located on a hilltop. Phalut has a GTA trekker’s hut and is the only option to stay. Phalut offers panoramic views of Mt. Kangchenjunga along with Mt. Everest, Mt. Kangchenjunga, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Makalu. A short walk to the north of the trekker’s hut leads to the actual trijunction of Nepal, Sikkim, and West Bengal. A ruined British era check post still stands at the trijunction. 

Phalut to Rimbick:

Trekkers starts their descend from Phalut to Gorkhey. The trail is about 15 kms from Phalut. Gorkhey is situated at an altitude of about 7703 ft. Gorkhey is a picturesque little village surrounded by thick pine forests and a small river flowing through it known as Gorkhey Khola. This river marks the boundary between Sikkim and West Bengal. Gorkhey has a GTA trekker’s hut and a few private lodges. It is an ideal place to spend a night after a tiring trek. Samandem is another village situated adjacent to Gorkhey. It has a similar landscape like Gorkhey. It has few lodges to stay.

One has to trek 9 kms from Gorkhey to reach Rammam. Rammam is a small village situated on the banks of the Rammam river, which originates in the Singalila range and merges with the Rangeet river near Jorethang. Rammam is surrounded by lush green forests, tea gardens, and snow-capped mountains. It is a paradise for nature lovers, trekkers, and adventure seekers. It is an ideal stop for lunch. One has to trek 12 kms from Rammam to reach Srikhola. It is a beautiful village situated at the junction of Ramman and Srikhola River. This settlement is an excellent rest stop for trekkers returning from Sandakphu or Phalut.

It has GTA Trekker's hut and few other lodges. Trekkers with an extra day can spend a night at Srikhola. Jeeps are available from Srikhola but are not frequent. One has to trek 7 kms from Srikhola to reach Rimbick. It is the endpoint of this trek.  Rimbick (7500 ft) is a village near the India-Nepal border. It is 56 km away from Darjeeling town. Lodging facilities are available in this village. Jeeps are available to Darjeeling via Dhotrey and Maneybhanjang. 

Panoramic Views of other Himalayan Peaks:

The following mighty peaks can be viewed from Sandakphu and Phalut during this trek;

·      Baruntse (7220m)

·      Chamlang (7319m)

·      Chomo Lonzo (7818m)

·      Lhotse (8516m)

·      Makalu (8462m)

·      Mount Everest (8848m)

·      Nuptse (7861m)

·      Kanchenjunga (8586m)

·      Talung (7349m)

·      Rathong (6679m)

·      Kabru N (7353m)

·      Koktang (6147m)

·      Simvo (6812m)

·      Frey (5853m)

·      Kabru S (7318m)

·      Kabru Dome (6600m)

·      Kabru Forked (6100m)

·      Pandim (6691m)

·      Tenchenkhang (6010m)

·      Jupono (5650m)