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| Darjeeling
is the best for Adventure!!
Plenty of trekking routes have been
opened in the Darjeeling area to savor
the breathtaking beauty of the Eastern
Himalayas. In the Darjeeling area, the
summit of the trekking adventure culminates
at Sandakphu-a summit at an altitude
of 3,658 meters (12,000 ft) on the famous
Singalia ridge. It is fit to make mention
of a visionary and dreamy-eyed Jesuit
Rev. Fr. MacDonald, who pioneered trekking
as an organized holiday and sport in
the Darjeeling and Sikkim area where
hundreds of trekkers now cluster for
its joys. Trekkers have virtually to
just take themselves upon the mountains--the
equipment, food etc, is shipped upon
the climb site by the porters. In Darjeeling,
trekkers who are too old or don't have
the time to walk seven hours a day for
the allotted time of five to ten days,
can always trek upon Sandakphu by jeep
or Land Rover. The journey is memorable
and tests both the mettle of the driver
and the intensity of the vehicle. The
trek into the Darjeeling area can be
undertaken by any casual walker. |
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Duration |
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07 Nights / 08 Days |
| Destinations
Covered |
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Batasia - Barahatta –
Rimbik - Raman – Molle -
Phalut – Sandakphu - Tonglu
- Maneybhanjang |
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| Day
01: Batasia-Barahatta (1,744 meters
or 5,725 ft) -It is a two-hour
drive from Darjeeling to Batasia, the
starting point of the trek. The first
two hour trek is a slow ascent up the
dirt road and trail to Dhodre, 2,438
meters (8,000 ft) where it is time for
lunch and a short rest. It is then downhill
all the way through forests and streams
to Paimajua from where after another
hour's walk down-hill the village of
Barahatta is reached. Here camp is set
in the village school ground. The descent
has offered lovely views of surrounding
valleys and ridges and steep terraced
hillsides. |
| Day
02: Barahatta-Rimbik (2,286 meters or
7,500 ft) - After breakfast
an early descent leads to crystal clear
waters of the Lodoma Khola, where it
is hard to resist a dip and a wash.
It is a steady climb for the rest of
the day through open country and field
of millet, potato and corn. The Nepalese
are in a majority. The Rimbik Forest
Bungalow provides a good view of Darjeeling.
Amidst the emerald green of the forest
filled with several kinds of orchids
and close to the bungalow is the site
for the camp. |
| Day
03: Rimbik-Raman (2,453 meters or 8,000
ft) -The day starts with an
hour's steep descent to the Siri Khola
(stream) through forests teeming with
hundreds of species of birds, including
the colorful Himalayan Monal, the Emerald
Dove, the Maroon Oriole and others.
After the river is crossed, begins the
stiff climb through towering forests
of exotic, moss laden trees- rhododendrons,
silver firs, pines, spruce, chestnuts,
oaks, giant magnolias and hemlocks as
well as through open country fields.
The camping site is near the forest
bungalow at Raman. |
| Day
04: Raman-Molle (3,590 meters or 11,803
ft) - A pleasant three hour
morning walk takes one to the top of
the Singalila ridge, where a corresponding
change in the vegetation with the altitude
is discernible with the forest gradually
giving way to the stark landscape of
dead trees. A couple of hour's walk
northward after lunch leads to rolling
open country and the first glimpses
of Everest and the Kanchenjunga ranges.
The camping site is at Molle. |
| Day
05: Molle-Phalut (3,599 meters or 11,811
ft)- Always in sight of the
Himalayan peaks, an excursion to the
northernmost point of the trek at Phalut
and back, takes three hours each way.
With the beautiful valleys of Nepal
on one side on those of Sikkim on the
other, the vegetation is of the alpine
class-an undulating ripple of dwarf
rhododendron bushes and shrubs of poisonous
aconite. Forming the junction of Nepal,
Sikkim and West Bengal, Phalut along
with Pamyangchi and Sandakphu, is considered
one of the most rewarding places to
visit. |
| Phalut
- Peeled Summit (Denuded Peak) |
The
top of the mountain is bare of forests,
hence the name Phalut. Kanchenjuna is
only 48 km away as the crow flies and
bestows the honor of the best view on
Phalut.
Conquered Everest remains aloof and
rarely designs to come out from behind
the veil; it is however, hidden by the
peak No. XIII, a mountain resembling
an enormous armchair of snow. Nearly
all treks pass through to the Phalut
Ridge for a one-night stop. The Government
is now working on a project to improve
communication between Sandakphu and
Phalut through the forests roads and
the aerial ropeway. Some day, a possibility
exists of holding winter sports there
as well. |
Day
06: Molle - Sandakphu (3,638 meters
or 11,929 ft) - It takes a
full day's walk along the ridge to Sandakphu-the
culmination of the trekking adventure
at its highest. At a distance of 58
km from Darjeeling, Sandakphu is a window
to one of the finest views of the snowy
mountains from the mighty Everest in
Nepal, to the revered Kanchenjunga in
Sikkim and the legendary Chomolhari
in Bhutan. Everest is 144 km from here
as the crow flies. The sunrise and sunset
over the mountains is a spectacle, one
cannot afford to miss.
The deadly aconite plant grows thick
just below Sandakphu, the loftiest peak
of not only the Singalila Range, but
of the whole district; it is there,
it might seem, to protect this green
tableland, from human exploitation.
Indeed, all is quiet, all is calm and
but for a stray shepherd, not a soul
can be seen.
As one approaches Sandakphu, the wild
elemental grandeur of the snows begins
to assert itself, till the climax is
reached at sunrise, when it soaks the
snow laden peaks in crimson and mauve,
orange and gold. Kanchenjunga and Everest
are seen in all their glory against
the background of an azure sky speckled
with lazily floating, fleecy clouds.
The whole snowy range of Bhutan, Sikkim
and Nepal, about 320 kilometers in length,
a wonderful square mass of mountains
looking like a wall of snow, is visible,
but the gigantic height and breadth
of towering Kanchenjunga, with its attendant
peaks, Karbu, Janu and Pandim dominates
the scene; Everest, (8,848 meters or
29,028 ft) graceful and majestic, 160
kilometers away, soars above, peeping
shyly from the northern horizon with
Lhotse (8,500 meters or 27,890 ft) on
the right and Makalu (8,482 meters or
27,824 ft) on the left.
Sandakphu is a trekker's paradise, the
narrow road leading from Darjeeling
is jeep-able to Maneybhanjang, about
26 km from the town and 11 km from Tonglu
(37 km to the west of Darjeeling). Mules,
hired in Darjeeling, carry the food
and warm clothing to Tonglu from Maneybhanjang.
After resting for a night in Tonglu,
the Dak Bungalow crowns the Summit of
the peak, the trekkers proceed to Sandakphu
passing through magnificent forests
of Oak, Magnolia, Chestnut and Rhododendron;
woods, overflowing with a wealth of
vegetation, abound in moss-covered and
creeper bound giants of the forest,
the dimensions of which inspire awe.
The night is spent in a Dak Bungalow
or Youth Hostel, afloat in the clouds.
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| Day
07: Sandakphu-Tonglu (3,070 meters or
10,074 ft) -It is a pleasant
day's walk descending slowly through
villages, the population of which is
mostly Sherpa - the hardy, generous
and famed people steeped in Himalayan
lore for their indispensable role as
fearless guides. After stopping for
lunch at one of the Sherpa villages,
Tonglu is reached by evening. |
| Day
08: Tonglu-Maneybhanjang (1,969 meters
or 6,458 ft) - The final descent
to Maneybhanjang takes only three hours,
passing an old monastery which is worth
visiting for a look it the Tibetan statues.
From Maneybanjang, you have a 26km ride
by jeep to you hotel in Darjeeling.
It has been a rewarding venture brimming
with scenic delights. |
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So, what are you waiting
for…!! Just pack
your sports gear and get going! |
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