Bangali BackPacker: 11/12/15

SANDAKPHU SUNSET : Feels like heaven is right there. You can just put one foot in front and walk on the clouds. Yes! You are above the clouds. Everything else is below you at the highest point of West Bengal.

Sandakphu is a wonderful place for those who really want to get away far from the maddening crowd within a very economical budget, specially for people of Kolkata and West Bengal. If you love mountains, Sandakphu is a must visit place.

There are two ways to visit Sandakphu.

Trekking
Land Rover

If you are fairly fit and can walk; want some light adventure; please choose option number 1. It’s much more fun than taking a land rover.

If you are not fit enough to walk a lot, please don’t take the risk. Take a Land Rover. The altitude and slight less amount of oxygen might cause a little trouble.

HOW TO GO THERE:

There are different ways according to different people, but this is what I did in December 2011.

With my two friends Reetam Chowdhury and Avirup Saha, I boarded a train and reached New Jalpaiguri on 23^rd December 2011. The train was so late that we had to drop the idea of reaching MANEBHANJAN that day. Let me tell you that Manebhanjan is a small village on the hills only 2 hours’ drive from Darjeeling.

So, we went to Siliguri in an oversized Auto Rickshaw (Piaggio) which took Rs.15/- per head.Then we got up in a share Tata Sumo from Darjeeling Gate Bus stand of Siliguri and reached Darjeeling at 8pm for Rs.110/- per head. We had no plans for Darjeeling and had no booking. We somehow found a hotel for the night and left for Manebhanjan the next morning. We reserved a cab for Rs.800/- and reached Manebhanjan within 2hrs 30 mins.

Manebhanjan is like a small village with shops meant for tourists only. There are probably one or two small and shabby hotels there which we hardly noticed due to the hurry. There is a Land Rover Union Booking Counter at the end of the shops on left hand side of the road. You cannot get a Jeep without going there. The rate is fixed. No bargaining. Rs.4,800/- to take you from Manebhanjan to Sandakphu and back within 48hrs. Rs. 500/- less if you do it within 24hrs(which is not recommended). Or you can take a guide and Trek. The guide should not take more than Rs. 200/- per day. If you have excess luggage which might be difficult for you to carry, you can opt for a porter who will be a guide too. I don’t know exactly, but a porter should take approx Rs. 300 to Rs. 400/- per day.

LAMEY DHURA/DHUREY

Lamey Dhurey was our first stop for tea and refreshment.

An insignificant fence that hid nothing!

A frame at Lamey Dhurey

We had tea and some light food here

The polythene packet behind me was the evidence the presence of ultra-idiots passing by.

A lonely hut at Lamey Dhurey

View of Kanchendzonga from Lamey Dhurey

A Telephoto zoom-in. Mount Pandim

TONGLU

Then we set off for Tonglu.

Tonglu looks like a Texas Ranch on a mountain.

The hotel there seemed too shabby. After roaming around the whole place we decided not to stay. The room for 3 charged Rs.350/- per day.

But the view was too good to forget. Just have a look through my lens –

My friend Abhirup

I decided to rest and soak the beauty

TUMBLING

Then we moved on and reached Tumbling. Tumbling is a wonderful place. We were lucky enough to have a clear sky and a wonderful view of Kanchendzonga mountains. The place is the most peaceful one I have ever seen. The world stands still there. Just still. The gushing wind sometimes speaks with you and tells that you are now in the cradle of nature.

We checked in to HOTEL SIDDHARTH. Room for 3 – Rs.400/- per day. It’s a cozy cottage made of wood. It has separate rooms with attached bathrooms with running chilly water. The hotel has a Dormitory too. The local food is awesome. Local Thuppa, Tibetan bread, Pickle, rice, vegetables, Yumm….. The price was very reasonable.

Hotel Siddharth Dormitary

Me in the Dorm Room (12 beds)

The Clouds Roll in (from our balcony) Pic Courtesy: Abhirup Saha

Cuteness Overdose... Pic Credit: Reetam Chaudhury

The view from Tumbling was so great, I didn’t want to leave the place. It was nothing less than pure heaven.

Sunset at Tumbling

View of Kanchendzonga from Tumbling

The Sleeping Buddha. Kanchendzonga Range

The Formidable 28169 feet high Kanchenjunga Peak

A closer view

At night it was real chilly inside the wooden cottage. The sound of the wind leaking through the creaks of the wooden planks was clearly audible. Consumption of Rum became necessary for keeping us warm, because we could easily feel the mercury level going below the “Zero” level. The solar light is kept on till 9:00 pm. After that we had to light candles.

The Nice people who run the Hotel and Abhirup.

Our Room in Hotel Siddharth

Reetam and Abhirup

The next morning, after having a wonderful breakfast consisting of Tibetan Bread, 2 types of pickles and thick and hot tea we set off for Sandakphu.

Tibetan Bread and Pickles. Image Courtesy: Reetam Chaudhury

KALIPOKHRI

Kalipokhri Lake

Pic Credit: Abhirup Saha

With Finso(middle), our Guide and friend at Kalipokhri Lake

SANDAKPHU

There was a shortage of rooms at Sandakphu. We somehow managed to get a small room in Sherpa Chalet with a even smaller bed for 600/-. No one took any picture, so I couldn’t provide any. It was a room of wooden flooring and wooden walls. The bathroom was so small that we had to be a little acrobatic to close the door after entering. There is very little water available and no hot water apart from one mug for washing your hands and mouth after eating. Food is a bit costlier here in Sandakphu compared to Tumbling. The taste was ordinary. The price of Tea everywhere was 10/-.

There is a sunset view point less than a kilometer uphill from Sandakphu. I found my heaven there. The sunset could not be more beautiful than this…….