Trekking Route,Permissions Needed For a Foreign National and Others

trek_a_break

Dear Friends,

I came to know about this forum through searching on google. And truely its an informative one. Thanks for the infos.

I am from bangladesh. I am going to Shiliguri 28th October.
I have made plan to trek in this Route...

Manabhanjang -> Meghma - Tumling -> jaubari - Gairlbas -> Sandakphu and then Back to Manabhanjang/Darjeeling by Jeep.

I have taken Visa of India and Nepal already. My questions are,

1. do I need to take permission to enter 'Sikkim' to trek this route?

2. Is this the right time? As "Dipaboli" is coming on 22nd Octeober(Approx.). will there be any rush? I havent book any hotels or guide yet. Can I book trek huts going to Manabhanjang?

3. Is there any additional Costs in the trek for foreign nationals?

4.Should I go to any travel agent in Shiliguri or Manabhanjang?

Can anybody help me? Babuda?



trek a break.

somnath

Hi,
Welcome to Indiamike.
Since Babuchand is not very regular due to his busy student life (2 nd phase ) allow me to share my experience.
1. Permission from Sikkim – for Sandakphu trip no need to enter in Sikkim so not required.
2. Dipaboli is a decent time and you can expect rush so advance booking would be great. else send your guide / porter before you reach to any destination to book a place for you and keep a sleeping bag in your rucksack.
3. Additional cost – yes there is entry fee to enter in Shingalila National Park but I am sorry cant remember the amount (I am sure it was not a huge amount).
4. No need to go with tour operators. But I’ll suggest you to visit Gorgha Hill Council office while you’ll be in Kolkata (hope you are coming to Kolkata first?).

I am sure you know that there are phone nos and addresses those are mentioned in different threads. I am not sure about the night halts you are planning to reach Sandakphu. We did like this :
Maneybhanjang > Tumling > Kalipokhari > Sandakphu > Gurdung > Rimbik and early morning bus to Darjeeling.

Have a nice trip.

__________________
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* My Travel Pix...

trek_a_break

Thanks A Loooooooot Somnath!!!!!! (I meant Lot )

I have decided to change my plan a bit. I am avoiding "Tumbling" and "Jaubari" and opting the route through "Tonglu". I got a Visa for Nepal but Indian embassy only allowed a single entry visa. That is once I enter Nepal I cant get back to India with this Visa.

So, now do I need to enter Nepal with this NEW route??

I am not going to Kolkata this time. That will take 2 extra days from me. And my boss will kill me if I want 2 more days from him . I dont want to die now! I havent yet married!!

I think, there is no "Gorkha Hill Council" office in Siliguri.
So, any other ideas, somnath?

After arriving mana bhanjyang where should I go to arrange the trekking equipments? I mean what is the best choices according to you?

is there any jeep road from Sandakphu to Gangtok?

anyway, I am grateful that u replied.

Trek_a_Break

guidedeba

+91 354 2257554 this the Telephone no. of Glenary's; Who are now the owner of all the huts on the way to Sandakfu. You can call them and book your bed at every lodge used to be owned by the DGHC - toursim.
You don't need the permission of the Sikkim. but you have to register your pp & Visa no. just before you enter M'bhnjn , Meghma, Singalila national park entry ( just before you enter the Nepal territory), Gairibas, Kalipokhri and finally at Sandakphu. So keep you passport handy at those places. (I suggest to keep some extra copy of your pp with youtoo).
By the way you don't need to bother about your visa passport while you take the Jaubari route. No Nepalese / Indian border post there. and nobody cares. You can take the Juabari route withour any problem. I always take my guests through that for some shorter route and also give them the feeling of trekking through Nepal. You can save about 3 kms. walk. But I think you can one time walk that Indian side too it is fantastic through the forest and the chances of seeing different kind of birds and may be Red Panda. (on the way going up - because actually it is going down then to Gairibas).
You don't have to take the guides. Though the ppl at Manbhjn try to stick one with you. But if you couldn't manage to book the beds in advance and not a fast walker bette to have one as he cn help to get a bed for you.
The Diwali time is of course full. But nowadays there are a lot of private lodges so you don't have to bother that much. Ithink you can manage a bed somewhre. but for coming down through Gurdum & Srikhola ( I understood that you are not taking that route though) you must take a guide because the route is not well defined for the first-timers.
I appreciate your stayin Tonglu because the Sunrise is even better than the Sandakfu (You can trust me with my more than 40 times visit to that route). And of course the friendly lodge caretaker (chhiring-daju & his wife). Butyou can also stay in Tumling ( don't bother about the border of Nepal - India, there is no border in fact except the pillar). I suggest Mnbhjan - Tonglu - Kalapokhri - Sandakfu - Tumiling - Mnbhnjan - to ghoom and then to Gangtok ( No direct road from Sandakfu).

trek_a_break

40 times!!

Thanks for ur reply, I have got almost all of the answers of my questions... Just a last one!

its about hiring trekking equipments. Any suggestion in this issue?

Trek_a_Break

guidedeba

You don't need any treking equipment as such. if you really need them then the trekking agency in Manebhanjan will be enough to supply you. But the lodges have enough quilt & blankets. may be you carry a fresh bedsheet to use. and I hope you have a decent shoe to walk in the mountian path. ( though a warm up / joggger is enough). Otherwise what kind of trekking equipments are you asking for??

somnath

Hi TaB,
You are welcome. I am sorry I do not have any info regarding equipments and all at Shiliguri / Maneybhanjung because we use to carry our equipments from Kolkata. Guidedeba is right, there are only a few pillars as Indo-Nepal border. It takes a few kilometers extra walk (to and fro) but sunrise is really beautiful from Tunglu.

Deba, thank you so much for your help. You are the man can provide updated news . Now, I think you are the right person who can clear a doubt, what is the ‘story’ behind the compulsory guide / porter in the rout? Is it really a Govt. order or just……… you know.

- Somnath

guidedeba

<Somnath>>>>>>
There is No Govt. or DGHC restrictions of taking the compulsory Guide. It is kind of Local people /agency who tries to put a guy with you as a guide. sometime you can take them if you are new and in doubt of your ability they can come in handy for room booking etc. and of course if you want to come down through Gurdum - Srikhola / Falut - Sabarkum - Srikhola route better take them for showing you the correct path. Though I never had any problem when I denied to take any. But I heard stories that, sometime they tried to pressurise the guests on the route. I think it depends on your way of dealing them. But during this rush time generally they have enough job so they don't press that much.

trek_a_break

Oh!
I was thinking that I need to carry sleeping bags and tent and bla bla bla...
Even after that, as my country is a tropical one I am not sure that my winter clothings will be suffcient to help me in the biting cold of november . So, do u suggest me to hire some warm clothings? is it possible?

AvidTrekker

Deba dada, Just wanted to ask you if the route after Phalut is open or the army chaps are still preventing trekkers due to "maobaadi" problems.

I wanted to do this trek from 2001 but the border is considered "sensitive" hence I keep awaiting news from 40 timers like you.

My route...

Part I Manebhanjyang to Phalut

Part II... continue on the same ridge to Singali La... then instead of turning back, continue northwards on the same ridge forming the Indo Nepal border [foreigners CANNOT continue beyond Singali La coz its now the state of Sikkim and prior "permit" is legally required of foreign nationals to trek in Sikkim]

then these are the daywise camps...

Chiwabhanjyang--- Dhor--- Sikkim Megu--- Dhafeybhir meadow---

Leave the border now... turn right and descend to Gomathang. Cross over to the next valley via Panding and to Dzongri. Continue upto Goecha La by the normal route.

Some two years back the army chaps were not allowing us to go beyond Singali La. How is the situation today?

Please could you ask around when you go for the forty first time?

Our regular IMer babuchand has gone off somewhere... so glad to have another regular of that area on board...

__________________
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guidedeba

some of those Army ppl posted there are really crazy. I had a really hard fight on the day of Holi this year with one of those Drunk stupid. He wanted me to stay up late and celebrate whole night (I understood he wanted to celebrate with the girls I had in my group) even he knows that we had a 22 kms walk that day and another 19 kms next day.

so my suggestion is to try to start opposite way ( from Zongri side) and finish in Manebhnajan. (Though there is no official ruling of stoping the Indian trekkers from going by that route but, YOu never know those Hitlers).

Two years back one of my friends did that opposite route. the only thing you need to take care is to have an extra acclimatisation day at Bakhim / Zongri.

guidedeba

I don't think you need a lot of real high altittude things. I suggest you to go to Bangla bazar if you are Dhaka. or the Station Market in Khulna and get a decent Fleece jacket if possible dbl layerd. and another Wind-breaker / cheater (Parka). That will be enough for you. YOu might buy one of those flece Blaclava (Monkey cap). Don't need to hire anything fancy.

trek_a_break

Thanks once again Debada for all of ur posts. Now, can u please make me aware about the "Maoist" problem in the trekking route from Mana banjayng to Sandakphu? Is it safe to visit there
right now? We are 5 in number.

Trek_a_Break.

challengechappers

i would like to trek on to phalut from sandakphu but am still a bit confused about the accomodation there. is there only one hut ? and will it be open 15-17th november ? babu has implied that hut may be closed / unmanned but still possible to sleep there (but we would need to bring sleeping bag, mat and own food)

guidedeba

I think You haven't chekced all the posts here... However...
0354 2257554 is the Telephone no. of Glenary's; Who are now the owner of all the huts on the way to Sandakfu - Falut. You can call them and book your bed at every lodge used to be owned by the DGHC - toursim. You could know from them the situation of the lodges during your visit.
Good luck for your trek.