Day 01 : Arrive Darjeeling
Afternoon
check in at your hotel and day at leisure
Day 02 : In Darjeeling
Full day city tour of Darjeeling
Darjeeling, situated at an altitude of 2,134 m, was developed by the
British as a hill resort to escape the heat and rains of the plains. In the
1840s, tea plantation was introduced in the area. At the centre of the town
is the Mall, Darjeeling's commercial street, lined with souvenir shops which
leads to Chaurastha, a square with a bandstand and several antique shops.
The Observatory Hill is perhaps the oldest built-up site in Darjeeling. A
Red Hat Buddhist monastery, Dorjeling once stood here but was destroyed by
the Nepalis in the 19th century. On Birch Hill to the north stands the
Shrubbery, the residence of the Governor of West Bengal and further down
along the Birch Hill Road is the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
previously headed by the late Tenzing Norgay. A museum displays the
equipment used on the first successful expedition to Mount Everest. The
nearby Zoological Park specializes in high-altitude wildlife - yaks,
Himalayan black bears, pandas, but is also has four Siberian tigers. Below,
the tea estate of Happy Valley is one of the best in Darjeeling and can be
visited every day except Sundays and Mondays. Dominating the Mall is the
Planter's Club, where planters from all over the area meet, particularly on
Sundays. The Lloyd Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1878 on land donated
by the owners of Lloyd's Bank. They present a collection of Himalayan and
alpine flora. Nearby is the Tibetan Refugee Self- Help Centre with its
temple, school, hospital and a shop selling carpets, textiles and jewelery.
Mount Kanchenjunga can be seen from Observatory Hill but a much better view
of the peak is from Tiger Hill, 10 km south of Darjeeling. On the way back,
you can stop at Ghoom, a small Tibetan monastery by the roadside, built in
1875 and housing a 5- meter statue of Lord Buddha.
Day 03 : Transfer - Darjeeling to Maneybhanjyang : 27 km / 1.5 hours
After breakfast drive to Manaybhanjyang. The drive takes you down through
Ghoom, Bhanjyang (pass) and to Sukhia Pokhari, literally meaning dried lake,
a small town. There is a weekly haat (market-day) on every Friday where
people from the surrounding areas (including the villages in Nepal) come to
sell their farm produces. After a brief halt over here, we continue our
journey to Manaybhanjyang, 2000 m, a border town between India and Nepal,
mainly inhabited by Sherpas, Gurungs, Newars, Tamangs and a few Indian
merchants from Bihar and Rajasthan.
Your
trek begins with a gradual ascent to Chitray, where we stop for lunch. Visit
a small Sherpa monastery while lunch is being prepared. After lunch the
trail ascends all the way to Meghma, 2,600 m., a Nepali village amidst a
forest of rhododendron trees and bamboo groves. Here one can also get to see
some fine specimens of Himalayan cobra lilies, orchids and daphne plants. If
the caretaker is around, visit the Hoshel Dechenling Gompa, a Nyingmapa
monastery built in 1953, now supported by the local Tamang community. A
magnificent view of Kanchenjunga awaits you. From here the trail ascends to
Tonglu (meaning the hill of fire). Tonglu, at 3070 m. overlooks the entire
Darjeeling hills and offers another breathtaking view of the Kanchenjunga
range including that of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Sukhia Pokhari towards the
south.
Day 04 : Kalo Pokhari : 3,000 m.
Rise early today for sunrise view. After breakfast descend towards Tumling,
a Gurung village and then ascent for about two kilometers towards the
viewpoint. After spending some time here, head on the trail that drops to
Gairibas, 2,800 m., your lunch spot. There is a forest bunglow in this
village. After lunch the trail ascends all the way through dwarf
rhododendron forest to Kalopokhari, meaning black lake. This route is also
rich in Primulae species, Impatients falcifer, Owl-eyed Impatiens, Sorbus,
Pyrus, Enkaithus and Roscoea alpina. Your camp will be set beside the dark
crystaline waters of Kalo Pokhari lake shimmering in the breeze and
surrounded by alpine trees with the mountains looming across the horizon.
Day 05 : Kalo Pokhari to Sandakphu : 3,636 m.
Today's trail ascends to Sandhakphu through magnolia, blue pine and
rhododendron forest. Sandhakphu is the highest point in this trek and the
reward for all the trudging culminates in a magnificent panorama of the
eastern Himalayas of Nepal and Sikkim, from Everest in the east all the way
to to Jhomolhari in Bhutan.
After lunch we take an excursion around Sandhakphu, which is a veritable
botanists' paradise. Apart from the different varieties of rhododendrons,
plants like Streptous simplex, Trilidium govanianum, Primula rotundifolia,
Fritillaria cirrhosa, Llydia and other flora like Anemone and Iris can be
found here.
Day 06 : Sandakphu to Phalut : 3,500 m.
An
easy day's walk along the ridge through the forest of rhododendron,
magnolia, chestnut, oak and silver fir to your lunch spot at Sabargram, 3536
m. All along, the imposing Himalayas loom large on the western horizon.
After lunch, it is a short flat walk on the trail barring a gradual ascent
finally before arriving at Phalut, a tri-junction point between Nepal,
Sikkim and the Darjeeling District. Other than the different varieties of
rhododendrons, you will also come across vaieties of Meconopsis, Primulae,
Orchids, Parnassia etc.
Day 07 : Phalut to Rammam : 2,453 m.
The trail goes all the way down through dense rhododendron forests and
bamboo groves towards the village of Gorkhey. After lunch at Gorkhey, a
short ascent will lead you to a picturesque village inhabited by Sherpas,
Samanden, better known as the lost valley. Standing at a plateau in the
middle of a dense forest this village is noted for it's fertile land. The
trail then leads to Rammam, a small village inhabited by Sherpas and
Tamangs. From here there is a good view of Sikkim's western hills.
Day 08 : Rammam to Gumba Danda
Today the trail descends through forests and villages leading to your lunch
spot at Srikhola. This stretch is well known for its orchids and birds.
After lunch we have an easy ascent through forest trails and terraced fields
to Rimbik, 2,280 m., the main village of this area. Spend some time in the
market and head towards Gumba Danda to camp.
Day 09 : Gamba danda to Darjeeling
After breakfast drive to Darjeleing for an overnight stay.
