Perched on the edge of the Singalila National Park at an altitude of 3636m/11,930ft, in the border of Nepal and India(Darjeeling, WB), lies this mountainous hamlet that offers a breathtaking view of four of the world’s five highest peaks – Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Lhotse. Kanchenjunga in its pristine glory is entirely and magnificently visible from this little paradise.
We [my husband, my bro, FIL and SIL (husband’s younger sister, Dinisha)] visited Sandakhphu in the autumn of 2021.
It was an impromptu plan so getting accommodation was almost impossible. Thankfully we got a one-night’s stay through Dinisha’s contacts. We reached Manebhanjyang quite early which is the base from where the upward journey to Sandakhpu starts. After a hearty breakfast we booked our ride and with excitement in our eyes and hearts, like little children on an outing, we boarded our Land Rover.
Manebhanjyang has a fleet of Land Rovers. If you are visualizing the high-tech current day ones, you maybe disappointed. Most of this fleet is the vintage Series 1 & 2 that arrived in the Himalayas in the British owned tea plantations in the 1940s and the 50s.
Our Driver Sonam was a calm and
cool guy and this is precisely what you need to be to drive on those roads. It is probably one of the roughest, steepest and the most dangerous roads where tourist vehicles ply. Goes without saying, it has to be a four wheel drive. Many modern day cars have come and gone while these Land Rovers have been on these roads for around 40 years… for all I know they may go for another 40! We could have hired a more comfortable Bolero, but travelling to Sandakhphu on a Land Rover is a different experience altogether and that’s what we were looking forward to the most.
It is not a journey for the weak hearted or people with back problems as it is seriously a rollercoaster ride with sharp climbs and falls on narrow roads that have huge boulders jutting out from everywhere. On second thoughts, I wouldn’t call it a road… it is anything but that. The ride is as bumpy as bumpy can get and although I am a hill-bred, my heart was in my mouth on several ascents, descents and curves. Many a times I felt, ‘Ok this is it!’😛
Through all this turbulence however, we all noticed something significant and praiseworthy, the skill and patience that Sonam displayed at the wheel; the precision with which he drove and his judgement… out of this world! He didn’t show an ounce of stress or nervousness which obviously stems from years of experience, still, the terrain is rough and unpredictable. In many places, he had to get out and move boulders that had been displaced and make the road drive worthy.
This 30km drive that was undeniably the most treacherous and that rolled between India and Nepal in places, took around three hours and felt like the longest of my life, but what lay ahead was totally worth it.
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The beauty and serenity of Sandakhphu is incomparable. It was cold and windy but the sky was clear. After lunch at our homestay (which fell in Nepal and was a dormitory of sorts) we hiked to a view point. The view of the mountains from there was breathtaking and we forgot the tiredness in one second. All we could do was stand and watch the magnificence in disbelief and awe. It was so cold that our caps, hoodies, gloves, mufflers, jackets and thermal innerwears did nothing. We were all freezing to the core and since it was getting dark, we returned after photographs stopping at a hill to watch the sunset… we were just in time and what a glorious one it was! The captivating colours in the sky, the calmness and the stillness around, the silhouette of the mountains in the horizon, everything felt like magic and we were left stunned again.
We returned to our stay where a bukhari* welcomed us and we started the night with local alcoholic drinks and after dinner, headed to bed. I guess Dinisha and I had too much tongba,** as we couldn’t remember how we walked to bed the next day😛.
We woke up early in the morning to see the sunrise. It was dark and we lost our way to the view point, so we missed it. It was extremely cold and when we got back, we realized that the tap water was frozen so we had to wait for our hosts to give us hot water to freshen up. We went to the kitchen to warm ourselves around the fire. This was the last part of our stay in Sandakhpu. After breakfast we drove back home in the same Land Rover.
If we had one more day, we would have gone to Phalut, which is equally or perhaps more stunning. Well, for the sunrise that we missed and Phalut, maybe we will go back again.
If you are keen to visit Sandakhpu on your trip to Darjeeling/Sikkim, please keep the following things in mind:
– Nearest Airport is Bagdogra(Siliguri) Airport.
– Nearest Railway station is NJP.
– Best time is Oct, Nov, Dec. It is extremely cold but is clear and the view almost guaranteed.
– In March/April it is beautiful in a different way, the entire place is covered in rhododendron blooms but there maybe fog.
– Sandakhphu isn’t a place where you can expect world class accommodations. Lodings are typically homestays and dormitories.
– Food choices maybe less as it’s a tiny village and totally dependant on Manebhanjyang for needs and supplies.
– Advance booking is a must or else you may land up in a place like ours which was less than basic.
But despite all the inconveniences, when we sat at the hilltop, agape and mesmerised by the majestic view in front of us, we realized it was worth everything. After all and it is true, ‘The best view comes after the hardest climb.’ Well, in this case… ‘the hardest drive!’😊
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*bukhari – an enclosed fireplace
**tongba – millet beer
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This blog post is a part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Bohemian Bibliophile.
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