I pictured my first hike to be on a bright and sunny day at some wood, with me trudging down a seemingly straight path lined with arching trees, carpeted with russet leaves and twigs, and admiring a squirrel or two eating acorns.

However, the first hike I took delivered none of these things yet was perfect in every sense.

On a cold winter morning clouded with mist, a couple of us mustered the courage to hike inside the Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary in East Sikkim. The weather forecast threatened a thunderstorm at noon but nothing deterred us that day—hiking we will go!

 We drove up to Golitar, paid the entry fee at the Forest & Wildlife Management Department’s office there to obtain a permit, and hired a guide.

I started off with great enthusiasm, sturdy stick in hand, into a captivating 4-hour walk I’ll never forget. The trail took us through a forest of magnolia, rhododendron, bamboo, pine, and maple trees. Brightly colored flowers peeked through the green hue of leaves, branches, and moss now and then and birds chirped high from the tree tops. I was trying not to miss the trees for the forest, so I immersed myself in looking and envying every leaf, some speckled with dots, others between transitioning colors; intricate spider webs glistening with dew drops caught in a sliver of sunlight; small purplish berry clusters inviting you to quench your thirst; and the most magnificent tree roots I ever saw. We trudged on slippery stone steps and mud pathways, surprising us with sudden steep ascents; under gnarly tree roots; over bamboo bridges built over rivulets; around fallen tree trunks cutting our path; and past rain-drenched leaves soaking our hair wet.   

The enveloping mist cast an eeriness that lent a natural monotone filter to the forest surroundings, making the experience of the hike a unique one.

The hike is a little more than 5 km, and it takes anywhere between 2-2 ½ hrs to reach the top. Lacking any kind of skill to undertake any hike, since a hilly terrain is new to me, it wasn’t long before the altitude and constant climbing got to me. Luckily, there’s a rest point halfway up to recharge your energy levels.

At the highest point of the trek is a watch tower from where you get an awe-inspiring view of Gangtok town and the China border area on the eastern side. This is at a height of 7980 ft. We of course couldn’t see anything past the heavy shroud of mist but the walk to the top was worth it. Teenjurey roughly translates to 3 hilltops, so from there we proceeded to the second hilltop and then the third, thankfully each of them only 3 minutes apart.

I came back sore after the 4-hour hike (throw in a twisted ankle) but it was a great experience; maybe the best. I would definitely recommend this day hike for anyone visiting Gangtok or locals who haven’t been yet. Be cautious if you’re taking this hike during rainy weather as the path, scattered with leaves, twigs, and stones, can get quite slippery. There are also bears about but they are rarely spotted.

If you’re looking for other such beautiful hikes and challenging treks, get in touch with TourGenie. Their itineraries include hikes and treks in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and even Bhutan.

Blog post: Trekking in Sikkim

Tour Package: Hike to Teenjurey