Hi :)
You must have heard (if not then do hear now :P ) of the "Toppers of The World" -The Eight Thousanders that have been saving this country from the evil cold winds of the North ! They have largely impacted the woollen sector of our country's economy.Even though our Kashmiri Shawls are recognized globally for their quality we dont actually need them much in India !Because of these "Toppers" that I have just mentioned ! The Topper on the Topper's List is Mt.Everest ! Below him or her(if you're a feminist :P) stands Mt.Kanchedzonga.Alongside these two heroes we have several other protagonists as well - The Pandim , The Three Sisters, The Lhotse and a similar sounding but somehow shorter Mt Nuptse !These heroes together form one of the most beautiful chains of mountain peaks ! Ah yes , you can refer to them as the League of Extraordinary Peaks !And now let me come to that place that I was going to tell you about - Sandakphu .I know the name doesnt promise you much , but read on because....(Spoiler Alert !)Because of These Below !
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| Kanchendzongha |
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Mt.Everest and Co.
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| Up Close and Personal With THE TOPPER ! |
Ah , So now you're terribly excited and you're like "Show me more ! Tell me more about it !!" .
Dearest Reader(:P),The Journey Begins here ! Tread On !
Day 1 : Destination-Maneybhanjang
You get down at New Jalpaiguri Station or Bagdogra Airport and proceed to Maneybhanjang.There are plenty of cars available(mostly 2WD with 4WD decals on them).The SUVs look new but dont glance at their wheels.The tires are the most woeful things that you have ever seen.The treadmarks have been long forgotten leaving behind trademarks of patchwork.But the tires are round and do their work.That means they take you upto Maneybhanjang without fail(ah they might get punctured though :P).Travel time a little under 4 hours taking into account one puncture and few other problems.Maneybhanjang is a quaint little hill town that has somehow been able to cling onto historical Land Rovers of the Fifties. This town falls inbetween India and Nepal.A part of it is included in India and the remaining part has sided with our neighbour , Nepal.Staying options are plenty.We stayed at Hotel Pradhan.It wasnt much but for a one night's sleep it is okay !So this is what Maneybhanjang looks like -
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| Twilight at Maneybhanjang |
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| Nightfall at Maney. |
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| The other half of Maney. |
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| Maneybhanjang |
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| Morning , Woof Woof to u Sir! |
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| Ancient Rovers and the Generation Gap. |
Day 2 : Destination - Gairibas(Via Chitrey-Tumbling)
The actual trek begins on a fresh morning from Maney.The first stop is Chitre.its a 3 km uphill climb.There are shortcuts that are steeper than the normal motorable road.After a brief uphill climb , you pause and you take in the view of your first Snow capped peak.Members of the Pandim family stand in unison.They beckon you forward.And you go up and up,stopping to catch your breath along the way.For first time trekkers this proves to be a tough challenge but hey ! You have already made it ! Chitre welcomes you with a beautiful,old monastery.Further up you come to a shop that sells noodles and soup and beverages.Refuelled , you're ready to go higher up the mountain slope.The lush green surroundings soothe your eyes and help you reconnect with nature at her greenest best :) The zigzag road leads you towards your next stopping point : Meghma.
Some shots that sum up Chitre and the road towards Meghma.
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| The Sky - "Bluer than a Robin's egg" |
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| The Pandim Family ! |
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| Chitrey Monastery |
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| Blessings that Rotate Lives. |
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| Cloud Capped or Snow Capped ? |
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| Flags for the departed - Chitrey |
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| The road towards Meghma.Carry On,Soldier ! |
Meghma is a small stop in this route.You sit down.Grab some fresh oxygen for your lungs and hot steamy noodles and soup for your stomach ! Just before you reach Meghma you will cross a lush green meadow.That flat land in a terrain of ups and downs looks odd at first sight but it merges beautifully thanks to its vibrant green grass !Pictures attached happily below :)
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| Rest. |
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| Looking Down. |
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| Looking Back. |
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| Equi-Distant |
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| From Meghma. |
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| The Meadow. |
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| Brotherhood. |
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| People Blossoms. |
Tumbling , most often confused with its almost twin brother Tonglu is another hamlet enroute to Gairibas.Tumbling and Tonglu together form the two pincers of a crab.The route we took (and the one you are taking right now) passes through Tumbling.Tonglu is a tale that is 4-5 kms longer so its better that you skip it like we did :P.
There are plenty of staying options available at Tumbling as most trekkers prefer to stay at Tumbling than at Gairibans(still 7km away).People who have woken up to a Tumbling sunrise will assure you that it is breathtaking.And if you have missed it , then there is no option but to politely nod your head and listen and agree :P After a small break , you trek on further.Gairibans beckons and this time your path lies through a dense forest that has a fair share of mountain bears ! The Singalila National Park is as serene as ever and the gradual downhill slope is a blessing on your tired muscles and spirit !
Here's something to testify my claims :)
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| The right part falls in Nepal.And we are left with the left that falls in India :P |
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| Towards Tumbling. |
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| Mountain Goats ! |
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| The Collectorate ! |
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| Tumbling from a distance. |
The trek through Singalila National Park . Walk On !
So now that you have covered this stretch ,welcome to Gairibans !
Gairibans - A village nested in the forest.This humbly beautiful hut is the Trekker's Hut.If you're looking for a comfortable stay here then look no further !
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| The Trekker's Hut |
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| Sun Bids Adieu in Gairibans |
The Trek that you started 10 hours ago is over now.This was the longest route that you will ever cover on this trek.And thats why this portion is so long.Well,exactly how long do you think ?Its precisely 19 kms long that seemed like a minimum of 30 kms !There you go! The Mountains have started their game : What is near isnt far if you play along :)
Day 3 : Destination-Sandakphu
The final leg of the trek to Sandakphu begins ! 12 km separates you but mind the climb ! It will be the steepest and the toughest stretch of the trek ! Dont worry ! You will reach the top !The first stop that you will take goes by the name of Kalipokhri.It is the last major stop before Sandakphu.It has a few shops that sell essential stuffs like a plastic for a raincoat,shoes and many other stuffs that might come in handy later ! Kalipokhri is characterized by the lake that has black water(even though i felt it was actually greenish :P ) !
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| Out through the Window ! |
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| The Path from Gairibans. |
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| Kalipokhri. |
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| The Little Games We Play. |
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| The Spade Hut ! |
The next stop is Bhikeybhanjang.This is the last checkpost before Sandakphu.And if you're lucky you might spot a very handsome Mountain Goat with horns that look menancingly cool !
See It ?
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| Check Mate! |
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| Think of a compliment for him , quickly ! |
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| This Road is Closed ! |
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| The Children of Heaven. |
The Final Climb !
And the first shots from Sandakphu !
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| Thats Mt.Kanchandzongha !Magnificent right ? |
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| The Radiant Glow ! |
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| The Partial Sleeping Buddha . |
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| Sunset at Sandakphu - West Bengal's highest point ! |
So This is SANDAKPHU ! But oh wait! Just after you have reached , you get to know of a terrible fact ! No booking available at Sandakphu ! Oh Gawd ! What to do Now ! Relax , your Sherpa tells you.There's another place to stay if you can walk 1.5 km further towards Phalut.The place is not suitable for staying but you can survive one night , right ? And besides that place will give the best views because it lies atop a cliff and there is nothing to stand in your way (er , your lens actually !).Ok , then ! You carry on.Destination this time is : AAL(that almost completely falls in Nepal ) !That rhymed , right ? :P
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| Nightfall at Al. |
The Sunrise at Sandakphu(AL) : Shots from a Dream !
By now you should be a pro at guessing Who is who :P
So No captions ! Dream On :)
Well then once you have reached the top you start making preparations for descent.This had been a dream.Sadly all dreams end.But they leave behind something.This blog is such a "something".This blog is a testimonial to the beauty of Sandakphu.This blog is a tribute to all the trekkers and sherpas and people suffering from a disease called Wanderlust.May you spread it far and wide ! Thank You :)
As a parting gift here's a silhouette from Sandakphu :
The remaining part of the journey was equally uneventful.The Villages and rice fields and the clouds and the distant trees look much better when you're on a motorcycle because you get to experience them firsthand.I recommend taking a bike trip atleast once during your lifetime! You will love it ! 3 and a half hours later we found ourselves completely taken in by Tagore's own land.The red soil called and we answered back.The place has a different essence.It goes on in a tranquil , languid sort of a way but nonetheless it manages to touch one's heart.First time you step on the red soil,it instantly establishes a connection with you and maybe for this connection , people revisit Shantiniketan time and time again !
