Destination Sandakphu-Falut

thank you so much nil_3, rescheduling the plan is very difficult...my next question is when will YHAI trek take place ?

i am also trying to find out regarding chintaphu-sandakphu, till now i could find out you cannot go through car upto chintaphu. you have to go njp-ghoom-chatakpur-pashupatinagar by car.
pashupatinagar-maipokhri (104 km)around 8 hrs. by landrover,stay option is there
maipokhri - goryali 12 km again landrover
goryali - chintaphu 4 km trek (bit tough as i got to read)trekkers hut is there.

correct me if i am wring,rest i am also trying to find out

Yes Aditiban,
I know we can't go upto chintaphu by car. You added some more information than i know. You said stay option is there at Maipokhri, can you tell whether 25 of us can stay there and in chintaphu?
I got a No. of Mr. Debasish (from IM) of Siliguri who may conduct the tour and contacted him but till date he has not replied.
As our schedue is during a busy season (31st march to 7th April), we want to book DGHC huts in advance, but we are till in a dilemma to choose the route- whether through Chintaphu or Versay or through Rammam-gorkey-phalut-sandakphu.
Can you say anything about the route from Gorkey-Ribdhi-Versay?

Hi,

We went to Sandakphu-Phalut in this December & returned back through Phalut-Gorkey-Bhareng-Jorthang-NJP. We started from Gorkey in the morning and comfortably able to catch the train (Padatik Exp at 9pm) from NJP. From Gorkey, it is around 5km to Bhareng.. trek route through forest & takes roughly around 1.5-2 hrs. From Bhareng, we took a Sumo to return to NJP.
From Bhareng to Ribdhi (normal motor able road) is around 3km.

Earlier in 2011 (in April), we went to Versay. We stayed in Okhrey & went to Ribdhi-Hille-Versay next day. From Hille, Versay is around 4km.. and from Ribdhi to Hille, I believe it should be around 3-5km.
So, if anyone wants to go to Versay from Gorkey through Gorkey-Bhareng-Ribdhi-Hille-Versey route, it should be around 15-18km & very much achievable in a single day.
I’ve heard existence of a route from Gorkey-Versay through the forest (not the one I mentioned above), but don’t have any idea or never did any research on that since we separately went to these places.
From Phalut to Gorkey, it is 99% all the way down... But if you choose to go to Phalut from Gorkey it will be stiff climb for most of the part.

Contact details of some excellent people for any information on these routes are given below.
Mr. M.N. Sherpa (for any details on Okhrey-Versay Sikkim side) – 9735975880
Premdiki Tamang (Eden Lodge, Gorkey) – 9593769905
Sachin (our guide for the Sandakphu-Phalut) – 9002127630

Thanks Bubai,
We also done Sandakphu in Dec. 1st week. And our experience encouraged some more people to arrange for a 2nd trip during March -April.
We were eager and tried for the route through Chintaphu, but information discouraged us (25 heads are too big- 2.5 Ravans !!!). But we must try for the route soon.
This time we decided to start from Dhotray (please give info. about staying there)
Then Tumling, kalipokhri and sandakphu. Any suggestion for good staying in between Sandakphu? We stayed in Tumling and kalipokhri both during the first tour, so want a change.
Then to Phalut, next Gorkey, then Varsey. On last day we shall go to Hilley then by car to NJP.
Bubai, will staying in okhray be better than varsey? I heard that there is a nice hotel in Okhray and can have car from there.

Thanks Bubai for your informations. Soon I will contact all of them mentioned in your post to get proper idea of the Gorkey - Varsey direct route. If we cant do that then we will try the route you mentioned. Any infromation I get will be posted here soon.
Thanks again...

Hi Duronto Jajabar,

Okhrey is very clam & quite place and having very few people around.. I liked the quiteness & also the view and walking around in the evening\night (I went there on a fullmoon night).
From Versay, you will find view of Kanchanjangha & if the weather is clear this is really awsome.. also the small trek (from Hilley to Versay, around 4km) is a nice one & will be full of flowers in April-May.
So, if you ask my suggestion to choose between Versay & Okhrey.. definitely I would suggest Versay.. but I would prefer staying Okhrey than Hilley.. you can spend your last day of the trip (as mentioned above) at Okhrey & then return to NJP next day (by car).
For Okhrey accomodation or any other details, you can contact Mr. M.N. Sherpa

Hi Duronto Jajabar,
Have you any idea about the route from Chhintapu to Snadakphu (Direct)?
Is it tough? Can we do this in one day ?
After going through all of your post my interest about the place are growing up, now I am thinking to go Sandakphu via Chintaphu.
Are you contacted with Mr. Debasish( siliguri) ? Pls share any information you got.

Thanks.

Yes Sudipto, I contacted Mr. Debasish and he suggested an itinerary starting from Versay-Phalut to sandakphu, then Chintaphu-Maimazua-maipokhri-Pashupati-NJP. Sandakphu to Chintaphu is 7hrs. walk !!! From an other source i heard that it is tough to cover in one day. Remaining portion is coverable by land Rover.
As the No. of heads in our team is a problem for this route, we already decided to change. But we are very keen to visit the route, so waiting for a future chance. You can contact Mr. Debasish or his site Wind OZ.
We planned to start from Dhotray/ Chitray, then Tumling-Kalipokhri-Sandakphu-Phalut-Gorkey-Versay-NJP (last day via Hilley). We booked phalut Trekker's hut for 4.4.12.

Bubai, we'll not stay at Hilley, so according to your suggestion can stay at Versay. In that case we'll miss okhray. Is it possible - on last day, if we start from versay, then trek to okhray, then by car to NJP?
What about staying in Dhotray?

Thanks Duronto Jajabor for your reply. I will contact with Mr. Debasish soon. I will let you know the every details I get.

Hi Duronto Jajabar,

If you arrange a reserved car (to drop you to NJP), Versay to NJP would be very easily achiveable in a single day.. no need to trek to Okhray in that case..you will get car from Hille itself.. so around 2hrs from Versay to Hille & then around 5-6 hrs to NJP from there.
Now if you don't get a reserved car to NJP from Hille.. in that case, you need to go atleast till Jorthang.. and from there you'll get car to NJP.. in this way, it would take some extra time.. but still I believe you can reach NJP if you can start early from Versey.. you may go for Padatik Express (last one of the day from NJP, 9pm) to get the maximum time in your hand.
But making an arrangement of drop car from Hille to NJP would be advicable.. it would cost something around 3-3.5k.

I personally liked Okhray as well.. because of its calm & quitness.. & the place is so less crowded.. you will have the Darjeeling-Hill light up infront of you at night.. but still I suggested Versay because of its spectacular mountain view!!

Please advise if the stretch from Phalut to Gorkhey, i.e., a descent from 12200 ft to 8000 ft in only 5 Kms really very steep? Can a first-time trekker make it?In this thread I have read that although it shows 5 Kms for this stretch on the map, but the locals say the route is 13Km. So do the trekkers take any other longer route advised by the locals to avoid the steep route?

Hi Akarn_navokas,

As per as I know, the distance between Phalut to Gorkhey, is around 13-14 km.. at least that is the route we followed. There are few shortcuts; but that won't reduce the distance that much. We mostly avoided these shortcuts (as advised by our guide) since these were too stiff & most of us were first-time trekkers as well.
The route is having awesome landscapes & through forest. We were so amazed by the beautiful nature; didn't realized that we have covered the distance. So, don't worry about 'first-time trekking' & enjoy the scenary

Hi Duronto Jajabar,
I contacted with Mr. Debasish, he also suggest me about from Sandakphu to Chinttapu.But it is not possible for us as I know that Gorkey to Phalut route is too mouch stiff & not advisable for first day trekking. And also seems he has not too much knowladge about Sandakphu - Chintapu route.
Can you give contact no. of any guide who has a good knowlage about the route.
The rate he provide I think is very high (Although it is on the other side of the border), But?
Waiting for valuable suggestion & reply.

Sudipto, U are right, Debashis has an expensive package.
I raed of Chintaphu in a Bangla travel Mag (rong route) and there it is said Holidayer (9903832123) arranges package there. We talked with them, but I think our itinerary/requirements do not match with them. You can contact with them.

Our guide to Sandakphu, Arjun Sherpa (09733081184- don't know whether working or not presently) told that he knows the route vividly and we are depending on him to go there in future.
When you are going sudipto? We hope we can manage Nov-Dec. this year.