Sikkim and Singalila Trek

1-Join tour in Kolkatta
Our tour begins this afternoon in Kolkata (Calcutta). Once the capital of British India, Kolkata has had a turbulent past. It was central to the struggle for Indian independence and thousands of Bengali refugees came here at the start of the 1900′s. It is a city of striking contrasts and the unusual sights, pungent smells and the cacophany of sounds of the country’s second largest city are an experience unique to India.
Overnight: Simple Hotel
Single Room option available

2-Sightseeing tour; Overnight train to New Jaipalgiri
We plan to visit St John’s Church and the many historic Raj buildings around Dalhousie Square and the magnificent marble dome of the Victoria memorial, where the sumptuous grandeur of European and Mughal influences come together in a blaze of white marble. We will also visit the flower market and clay modeller’s village before returning to our hotel. The potters here spend all year creating a wealth of images and idols for the annual festivals and, as the time approaches for the models to be prepared for the coming pujas, the streets are filled with an overwhelming display of brightly coloured and richly attired idols. This evening we will transfer to the station to catch our overnight train to New Jaipalgiri.
Overnight: Basic Overnight Train

3-Drive to Darjeeling; sightseeing tour
On arrival we will drive by charter bus to the hill station of Darjeeling. In the days of the Raj the Bengal government escaped from the Calcutta heat to take up its official summer residence here and today’s city dwellers still do likewise with Darjeeling being a popular holiday spot. At 2134m, the town is beautifully situated on a mountain ridge; the near vertical streets are crowded with a colourful mixture of peoples – Nepalis, Tibetans, Lepchas and Bhutias among them. On a clear day the views over the mountains to the snowy Himalayan peaks are magnificent. This afternoon we will take a walking tour and visit the Himalayan Institute of Mountaineering and Zoology (which has had some remarkable success at breeding snow leopard, Tibetan wolf and red panda), the Mountaineering Institute, with its Everest Museum and the Tibetan Refugee centre, where Tibetan craftwork is on sale. We will also view the lush setting of the Happy Valley Tea Estate, probably the finest in the area.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

4-Sunrise trip to Tiger Hill: Toy Train ride to Ghoom Monastery
Tiger Hill is the highest viewpoint (2590m), some 8 miles from Darjeeling and you may wish to make a dawn excursion here to contemplate the sunrise and the ravishing beauty of the world’s third highest mountain Kanchenjunga (8586m) and other eastern Himalayan peaks, (although you may also chose to rest and save the views for our trek). We also journey to the Ghoom Gompa (monastery), about 8km south of the town, travelling along 2ft gauge tracks on the steam “toy train” (seasonal). The return to the town can be made on foot, following a scenic ridge track back down to Darjeeling. The afternoon is then left free for you to relax and enjoy Darjeeling.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

5-Drive to Rimbik
Leaving Darjeeling behind this morning we head towards the town of Rimbik (2286m), a large Sherpa village set amongst the forest landscapes of Singalila National Park and the starting point for our trek. The journey through these remote northern reaches will give us something of a flavour for the days ahead and on arrival in the town we will check-in to our simple mountain inn, after which there will be time to relax and contemplate the coming trek.
Overnight: Basic Camping

6-Begin trek: trek to Forest Camp
Our first day of trekking see’s us leaving our campsite and following an ascending trail through forests of rhododendron, magnolia, bamboo and fern. In March and April the flowers are in full bloom which makes the route particularly spectacular. We pass through the small village of Maneydara and continue on to our campsite for the night.
Approximately four hours walking
Overnight: Basic Camping

7-Trek to Bikhay Bhanjang
After breakfast we leave the campsite behind and begin another gentle ascent through forest. For most of the day we are climbing but we take our time with plenty of stops to rest and enjoy the views.
Approximately five hours walking
Overnight: Basic Camping

8-Trek to Sandakphu
Whilst our walk today is fairly short, approximately 4 kilometres, for much of it we are on a steep uphill path. Once again we walk through rhododendron and magnolia forests until we reach the settlement of Sandakphu. We reach the top of Singalila Ridge and are rewarded with fantastic views of Kanchenjunga as well as views of Mt Everest and Chomolhari in the distance. The name Sandakphu translates as ‘Hill of the Poison Plant’ given to the area because of the poisonous plants of the aconitum family which grow in abundance here.
Approximately three hours walking
Overnight: Basic Camping

9-Trek to Phalut
It is worth getting up for sunrise this morning as from the ridge the views of the Himalaya are a photographer’s delight. Today’s trail is undulating as we follow the Singalila Ridge to Phalut. Throughout the day we have views of Kanchenjunga to keep us motivated. Phalut is located at the point where Sikkim, Nepal and West Bengal come together presenting a quite spectacular panorama of snow-capped mountains and wooded valleys.
Approximately seven hours walking
Overnight: Basic Camping

10-Trek to Gorkey
Today we start to descend as we leave Phalut and make our way to Gorkey, a small settlement with just a few houses and huts. Despite the small numbers the welcome we receive is extremely warm and we get a chance to talk to people who inhabit this remote village and learn a little of their simple way of life.
Approximately five hours walking
Overnight: Basic Camping

11-Last days trekking, trek to Rimbik.
Our final days trekking sees us passing through farmland, following the Siri Khola River and through small villages as we descend back to our starting point at Rimbik.
Approximately eight hours walking
Overnight: Basic Camping

12-Drive to Gangtok
This morning we head for Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim and the second part of our fascinating journey. Spectacularly located on a long ridge that flanks the Ranipool River, the town affords us some fabulous vantage points across the entire Kanchenjunga Range, a mountain sacred to the indigenous peoples of Sikkim. The town sits along part of the old trade routes between India and Tibet and, on arrival, we will check into our hotel, after which the rest of the day is free to explore at your leisure. Once an independent Himalayan kingdom, Sikkim was annexed by India in 1975, but the town still retains something of its traditional cultural values, giving us a rare opportunity to discover something of the cultural heritage of this lively hilltop town.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

13-Visit Rumtek Monastery
Today we spend some time exploring the area around Gangtok. This morning we visit the incredible Rumtek Monastery occupying a valley to the southwest of the town. The headquarters of the Kagyupa (Black Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism, it was built in the 1960s as a replica of the Karmarpa’s Monastery in Tibet and contains a fabulous wealth of statues thankas and writings that were rescued by the original monks and secreted over the border when the Chinese invaded Tibet. The religious murals are still being added to today and the monastery’s finely decorated facades and colourful latticework makes this a most spectacular setting. Returning to Gangtok this afternoon we also aim to visit the small gompa of Enchey. Set amongst a forest of pines, this charming monastic retreat was built during the middle years of the 19th century by the 8th Chogyal and today houses some 100 monks. Filled with Buddhist symbols, elegant murals and setting for the annual masked lama dance, it is one of the town’s prized possessions. We also pay a visit to the nearby Handicraft Centre to see traditional Sikkimese handicrafts being made, perhaps even picking up a bargain before you leave.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

14-Drive to Kalimpong; visit Dzong-Dog-Phalri Monastery
This morning’s drive sees us heading for the hill station of Kalimpong, set amongst the wooded hills that once provided a major trading route for the wool merchants travelling across from Tibet. Its traditional market is still an excellent place to witness an eclectic clash of cultures and religions and this afternoon there will be some free time to wander through its bustling streets to soak up the rich atmosphere and vibrant colour of the town. The majority of its people are ethnic Nepali who moved here looking for work during British rule, but its close proximity to Bhutan and China has seen the town become a melting pot of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian beliefs. Dominating the town to the southwest sits Rinbkingpong Hill, site of the Dzong-Dog-Phalri Monastery, a centre for Tibetan medicine that was consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976. Housing an impressive collection of frescoes, thankas and a rare 3-D mandala, it overlooks a landscape of rolling meadows that in spring lie blanketed in flowers. Kalimpong is also renowned for its orchids and gladioli. Famed for their exceptional variety and colour the regions orchids number some 300 different species and are famous the world over, whilst the town’s production of something in the region of 80% of India’s entire stock of gladioli makes it one of the country’s most important growing regions.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

15-Overnight train to Kolkatta
Today we make our way back to New Jalpaiguri and from there take the overnight train to Kolkata.
Overnight: Basic Overnight Train

16-Free day in Kolkatta
We arrive in Kolkata early in the morning and transfer to out hotel. The rest of the day is left free to personal exploration.
Overnight: Simple Hotel
Single Room option available

17-Tour ends in Kolkatta
Our tour ends in Kolkata this morning.

Tour includes:

16 Breakfast
7 Lunch
7 Dinner
Transport:
Bus, Train
Accommodation:
2 nights Simple Hotel
2 nights Basic Overnight Train
5 nights Standard Hotel
7 nights Basic Camping
Tour Staff:
Driver(s), Explore Tour Leader, Porter(s)
Group Size:
Generally 10 – 16

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