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)
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