Sandakphu

A Hikers’ Delight

Alluring! Exhilarating! Breathtaking! None of these expressions is enough to describe a land blessed with the Himalayas' virtues. Sandakphu in Singalila National Park, on the highest point of Bengal at 3600 meters above sea level, presents the most beautiful landscape in the entire Eastern Himalayas - undoubtedly. The reasons are many.

Towering snowy peaks with an incredible panorama of more than 300kms of the Greater Himalayan Ranges in Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Tibet gracefully adorn the horizons. On a clear day, at least ten world's highest peaks over 7000-meter, including four above 8000-meter mountain peaks, are visible from Sandakphu, and you can capture this in a single photographic frame even with a standard camera lens. Mt Everest, Mt Kanchenjunga, Mt Makalu, and Mt Lhotse are some of the most prominent summits that attract several trekkers, nature lovers, and photographers worldwide, bringing this place one of the most exciting trekking destinations in the Himalayas.

It is not only the landscape and colours that make Sandakphu a popular destination. The rich, untouched forests of Singalila create a vital biome, which houses some rarest Himalayan mammals and birds. An elusive Red Panda on rhododendron thickets or a flashy flight of a gorgeous Satyr Tragopan will make any wildlife enthusiast spellbound.

Apart from the natural wonders, Sandakphu is an enchanting place, where you can experience a different rural scape in the Himalayas. Situated in the rugged and remote terrains without any motorable roads to most of them, these tiny laidback hamlets - as small as three households sometimes - and ever charming people reveal an entirely different philosophy of life—the secret of being happy.

Accommodation

In Singalila, the only staying options are village tea houses or homestays. They offer a basic and simple arrangement, but it is a much better option than staying in a tent. You get privet rooms and also a privet toilet in most of the homestays. You basically stay in Nepal, and even foreign nationals do not need any Nepal visa to stay in these villages. Just get the name registered at the Maneybhanjang Check post before the trek, and this is sufficient. But staying in one such tea house or homestay, the local hospitality and food will add to your experience.

Activities in Sandakphu

Trekking and Hiking - Sandakphu has many hiking options with various grades, from easy to challenging. The most classic hike starts from Maneybhanjang at 7000 Ft - a small market at the base of Singalila Park. The trail that runs along the ridge also marks the border between India and Nepal and provides a fascinating panorama of the Higher Himalayan Ranges. You need to be blessed by excellent weather, though, to get this scene. Often the clouds and mist cover the entire surroundings irrespective of the season. But this feature also makes this area very charming and unique. MORE

Red Panda Tour - Other than beautiful birds, Singalila is one of the very few places in the wild where the rare Red Panda can be sighted in their favourite habitat of bamboo and rhododendron forests. Singalila currently has a population of about 35 Red Pandas. MORE

Bird Watching in Singalila - Besides the gorgeous views of mountain peaks, the park is a famous destination for a rich collection of birds and wildlife. Singalila Forests are a treasure hunt for bird lovers. More than 350 species are recorded in this small park. MORE

Village Life - Most of the famous Himalayan treks run into the wilderness or in a very remote location without any human presence. Interestingly, in Sandakphu, the human scape adds to the landscape attraction and makes it a complete Himalayan experience. During this trek, you will come across many small villages along the route, mostly on the Nepal side. MORE

Night sky - Usually, the nights in any trekking destination remain free from any activity as you are forced to stay inside the room or camp. But here, you have an exception. If you love the sky, you need to brave the cold and wind. Singalila, being located at a high elevation and far from the city light pollution, the sky offers a brilliant opportunity for star observation, creating star trail and nebula photography.

Attractions in Sandakphu

Tonglu & Tumling
Tonglu & Tumling is like a twin-sisters in Singalila National Park. An International Border between India and Nepal separates them politically, but they lay side by side, sharing the same gorgeous mountains, climate, terrain and people.
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Phalut
Technically, Phalut is the second-highest point in Bengal, but the difference from the highest point, Sandakphu, is just a few meters. Being second does not affect the charm, though, as Phalut presents the Himalayan Ranges' finest views, which is perhaps better than Sandakphu. Phalut is a lonely Hill Top that draws your eyes to the endless layers of hills and valleys, wrapped in clouds and mists, leading to the highest part of the world. Mt Everest and Mt Kanchenjunga are the two most prominent peaks seen from here. At an altitude of 11900 Ft, Phalut acts as a tri-junction between Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal.
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Gairibas
While Tumling, Tonglu and Sandakphu are known for their magical mountain views, Gairibas, on the other hand, is known for a vibrant and virgin natural forest. Lying at a basin of 8500 Ft in Singalila National Park's core area, Gairibas is a vital place for Red Panda conservation.
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Kalepokhri
Kalipokhri, or literally, 'black pond', is a small village in the Nepal side with few households and a homestay for trekkers. Kalipokhri can be used as an overnight stopover for the hikers who do not want to cover the entire distance of 20kms between Tumling and Sandakphu in one day. At 10500 Ft altitude, the area offers a lovely view of Nepal villages in the distant valleys. It provides an opportunity to explore some laidback village life in the remote Himalayas.
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Gorkhey
A sharp descent from Phalut Top will take you to Gorkhey - a village on the Bengal Sikkim border separated by a meandering stream. Ghorkhey, a little over 2200 meters altitude, remains hidden inside a picturesque valley encircled by pine forests. The pleasant weather and a peaceful environment with a few small village huts represent a scene comparable with a serene, fairy-tale hideout in the Swiss Alps. A timeless village slowly wakes up on a magical morning as the horses graze leisurely on sprawling green pastures; a sparkling stream gurgle through it.
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Connectivity

To Reach Sandakphu, you need to come to Bagdogra Airport. This is the main gateway to the eastern Himalayas. All the major metropolis like Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Ahmedabad have daily direct flights to Bagdogra. The Airport is a 3hrs drive to Maneybhanjang, which is the starting point of the trek. Or else you can reach Darjeeling or Kurseong and stay the night in a hotel before going to Maneybhanjang the next morning. Form Maneybhanjang, both these locations can be reached in a 1.5 hr journey.

Climate

Bestowed with six different seasons - Spring, Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, Per-winter and Winter - the entire Singalila National Park glows with a distinctive charm in each alternative month. Because of the stunning views of mountains and a riot of colours on the virgin forest canopy dominated by rhododendron, magnolia, oak, birch, maple and pine, Spring, Autumn and Pre-winter are considered the best hiking seasons in Sandakphu. However, visiting in the winter and summer can be attractive too.

Usually, the trekkers would find this attractive during November and December when the sky remains very clear, allowing you to watch the mountains. Or those who love to see the colour and flower bloom should come in March and April. January and February remain very cold, and the temperature can drop below – 8 DC, and snowfall can be a frequent possibility.