Route: Manebhanjan - Tumling – Kalipokhari - Sandakphu - Sepi

Trek duration: 4 days

Best time to trek: Mar-May and Oct-Jan

Location: West Bengal

Trek highlights: Witness rhododendron blooms in April, sunrise over the Sleeping Buddha, views of Kumbhakarna, Korbu North, Korbu South, Khangchendzonga, Pandim, and Everest peaks

A trek in many ways is a test, a challenge you throw at yourself. More often than usual, a trek teaches you lessons for life, changes your perspective on regular events, and lets you rediscover your limits. On a similar quest, I left for the Sandakphu trek in April 2021 where I encountered picture-perfect rhododendrons, experienced a magical snowfall, and witnessed a glorious sunrise over the Sleeping Buddha.

Sleeping Buddha Range at sunrise

Darjeeling to Manebhanjan

To reach Manebhanjan, you can either book an entire cab, which can be done at the counter for private vehicles opposite Keventer’s in Nehru Road, or opt for shared cabs. We opted for shared Sumos, which are comparatively cheaper. Due to the unavailability of a direct vehicle, we broke our journey at Sukhiapokhri. A Sumo from Darjeeling to Sukhiapokhri and another from Sukhiapokhri to Manebhanjan took us about 2 hours, spending around INR 120 per person to reach Manebhanjan. Manebhanjan is a sleepy town that has gained popularity due to the trek route. There is no ATM in Manebhanjan so you must remember to withdraw cash before you arrive here. The town has a small market from where you could buy last-minute essentials and medicines as beyond this point everything starts to become expensive. There are budget-friendly options for stay, with basic amenities. We stayed at Druk Homestay run by Tenzing and her lovely family where we booked an all meal inclusive plan for stay. Tenzing also helped us arrange a trekking guide.  

Druk Homestay in Manebhanjan

Trek day 1: Manebhanjan to Tumling

With Roshan as our trek guide, we began our trek to Tumling. The distance between these two places is 12 km. The first 3 km till Chitrey was a steep climb, as we chose to climb through the shortcuts in the forests. The first halt was at Chitrey Monastery. We took some time to visit the monastery and soak in the mystic energy of the surroundings. From Chitrey, we walked a considerable distance through vast meadows, cutting through clouds and discovering a quiet trail. The pitstop for lunch was at Lamey Dhura, where we ate a bowl of Wai Wai instant noodles. We continued to walk through Lamey Dhura towards Meghma and took the route that goes through Nepal and avoided Tonglu. It took us about 6 hours, including the halts, to reach Tumling.

Chitrey Monastery

At Tumling, there are many options for accommodation ranging from trekkers huts to comfortable cottages. Due to the prevalent pandemic situation, we opted for a triple bedded private room at Satkar Lodge in Tumling. Roshan suggested we try tongba, a millet-based local beer known throughout the Eastern Himalayas. The tongba did help us stay warm. The homestay provided us with a delicious dinner and breakfast the next morning. 

Meadows before reaching Tumling

Tongba - local millet beer

Trek day 2: Tumling to Kalipokhari

The second day’s walk covers a distance of 13 km, starting from Tumling to reach Kalipokhari. On this day, the trail cuts through the dense forests of Singalila National Park. At the entrance of the Singalila National Park, we were warned by the forest officials to stay with our guide throughout the trek as there have been incidents of bears attacking men on the trail. We continued to walk through Singalila National Park where we spotted various shades of rhododendrons spread all over, making the surroundings look absolutely magical. The first 7 km were mostly a downhill walk till we reached Gairibas, a stopover for lunch. At Gairibas, there are a couple of tea huts where trekkers can halt to grab some lunch. If you do not stop at Gairibas, there is no other place where you can find food before reaching Kalipokhari. A brief break later, we continued our journey towards Kalipokhari. The next 2 km from Gairibas is a very steep climb; I found it the most difficult stretch of the entire trek. Many short stops later, we managed to cross the steep 2 km to walk the remaining 4 km till Kalipokhari, which was comparatively a flat walk.

Entry to Singalila National Park

Rhododendrons in Singalila National Park

Kalipokhari gets its name from the bean-shaped lake known as Kalipokhari, which is believed to be in the shape of Lord Shiva’s foot. Cellular network is absent in this area; however, there is an SSB camp at the top of a hillock from where you get decent Airtel and Vodafone network connectivity. We spent the night in Chewang Lodge in Kalipokhari. Most of these homestays provide Wi-Fi on a chargeable basis (INR 100 per device). We ended the day with another serving of hot tongba followed by dinner.

Kalipokhari Lake

Trek day 3: Kalipokhari to Sandakphu

The 3rd day of the trek is the shortest one, requiring you to walk a distance of only 6 km. As we started to walk post breakfast, it began to rain. With no shelter in sight, we decided to continue our walk till we found a place to rest our heads. We took refuge in a tiny tea hut and dried ourselves by the fire. The rain continued to pour for more than an hour. The uncertainty of the weather and the grey clouds overlapping the entire sky made us feel gloomy for a while. We did not know if all the hustle was worth it. Suddenly the lady who ran the tea hut exclaimed that Sandakphu was covered in snow. We could not contain ourselves in the hut anymore. As the rain stopped, we came out to get a glimpse of Sandakphu, covered in snow, all white under the glistening sun. The shades of rhododendrons became more vibrant after the shower. The trees looked fresh and the air cooler. After struggling on the slippery roads for 2 hours, we managed to reach Sandakphu.

Beautiful rhododendrons on the trail

We had booked our stay in Sherpa Chalet Lodge, one of the best stays in the area. As we went in, we were directed to our room. We came down for lunch to the dining area and gathered around the tandoor as it continued to snow outside. The Khangchendzonga range still played hide and seek with the clouds without revealing its complete self. We engaged in conversation with another group of travellers, and in no time all of us became friends, making merry by the tandoor while sipping rhododendron wine and tongba. We danced, sang, and continued to celebrate the climb to the summit at 11,950 ft.

Sleeping Buddha range

A beautiful sunset and a snowy wonderland

Trek day 4: Sandakphu to Sepi

We woke up at dawn to witness a gorgeous sunrise over the Sleeping Buddha. The sun rays falling over the peaks of Kumbhakarna, Korbu North, Korbu South, Khangchendzonga, Pandim, and Everest looked ethereal. I could stare at the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas for hours: they looked calm and fierce at the same time; the sight was beyond what words can describe.

After taking a tour of the viewpoint and indulging ourselves in a sumptuous breakfast, we started our downward trek to Sepi. The well-marked, 14 km trail took us through bamboo forests, pine trees, and beautiful tiny villages. We stopped for lunch at a village called Gurdum and continued to walk to Sepi via Srikhola. By 4 pm, we reached Sepi and checked into Pritam Homestay, which is located right by the road. 

The downward trail to Sepi

After finishing the trek; Srikhola

Departure: Back to Siliguri

The next day, we started early in the morning from Sepi towards Siliguri. As we drove back, the memories of the trek, the winding roads, and Bipul Chettri’s songs playing the vehicle intertwined to bring a perfect end to our trip.

Other trek route

Sandakphu - Phalut trek-  the journey ahead