India · Offbeat · Singalila Ridge, West Bengal
Sandakphu
Singalila Ridge, West Bengal · 3,636 m
Stand on the highest point in West Bengal and watch Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Kangchenjunga rise together at sunrise — four of the world's five tallest peaks framed by rhododendron forest.
The Singalila ridge walk is the only place on earth where you can see Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Kangchenjunga shoulder-to-shoulder from a single forested path — dubbed the "Four-Peak Panorama." The trail doubles as a botanical walk through one of India's densest rhododendron belts, crossing the Nepal border at almost every switchback.
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Go in
In season, days sit around 15° and nights near 4°.
What you'll see & do
The sights worth the trip, and how to spend the days around them.
To see
- Sandakphu Summit (3,636 m) — four 8,000 m peaks visible simultaneously at sunrise
- Phalut Peak (3,600 m) — 'Sleeping Buddha' Kangchenjunga silhouette, often less crowded
- Singalila National Park — red panda, Himalayan black bear, over 300 bird species
- Tumling village — Nepal border ridge hamlet, first panoramic viewpoint on the trail
To do
- Multi-day ridge trek: Manebhanjan to Sandakphu summit via Singalila (2–5 days)
- Pre-dawn summit push and four-peak Himalayan sunrise photography
- Rhododendron forest walks through the largest contiguous bloom belt in India (Apr-May)
- Wildlife spotting: red panda near Gairibas, Himalayan black bear, blood pheasant, satyr tragopan
Before you go
- The trail crosses into Nepal at Tumling and Kalipokhri, and Aadhaar — accepted for SSB checks on the Indian side — is not a valid travel document in Nepal, so trekkers carrying only Aadhaar risk being turned back at Nepal-side village checkpoints; carry a passport or Election Commission voter ID card and budget an extra ₹50 for the informal community entry contribution at Kalipokhri.
- There are no ATMs anywhere on the ridge and Airtel/Jio have virtually no signal; BSNL (and occasionally Vodafone) offers only intermittent patches at Tumling, Kalipokhri, and the Sandakphu summit — carry all cash for the full trek and a BSNL SIM, or plan to be effectively offline for 4–5 days.
- Singalila National Park is officially closed by the Forest Department from approximately June 15–16 to September 15 — permits are not issued and entry is an administrative ban, not a weather advisory; outside that window, December–February snowfall can close the trail without warning, GTA huts lock up with no refund mechanism, so buy flexible rail and flight tickets and confirm conditions with the DFO Darjeeling office or a local operator within 7 days of departure.
Days, already shaped
3-day plan
- Day 1: Drive Manebhanjan (2,135 m) → trek Chitrey → Tumling (2,970 m); Nepal border ridge, rhododendron forest entry
- Day 2: Tumling → Gairibas → Kalapokhri → Sandakphu summit (3,636 m); pre-dawn push for four-peak sunrise
- Day 3: Sandakphu → Kalapokhri → Manebhanjan by shared Land Rover; farewell panorama, drive to Darjeeling
5-day plan
- Day 1: Manebhanjan → Chitrey → Tumling (2,970 m); acclimatise, first Nepal-border ridge views
- Day 2: Tumling → Gairibas → Kalapokhri (3,184 m); dense forest canopy, sacred lake camp
- Day 3: Kalapokhri → Sandakphu (3,636 m); pre-dawn summit, Everest–Lhotse–Makalu–Kangchenjunga in one frame
- Day 4: Sandakphu → Sabarkum → Phalut (3,600 m); narrow ridge traverse, Sleeping Buddha panorama
- Day 5: Phalut → Gorkhey → Srikhola (1,700 m); steep forest descent, riverside finish, drive out to NJP
7-day plan
- Day 1: Fly/train to Bagdogra/NJP → drive Manebhanjan; market stroll, gear and permit check
- Day 2: Manebhanjan → Chitrey → Tumling; ridge walk above rhododendron sea, Nepal border at arm's length
- Day 3: Tumling → Gairibas → Kalapokhri; forest canopy, wildlife corridor, first high camp
- Day 4: Kalapokhri → Sandakphu summit; pre-dawn climb, four-peak sunrise, explore summit area
- Day 5: Rest day on the summit ridge; optional short hike to Bikhe Bhanjyang viewpoint, golden hour photography
- Day 6: Sandakphu → Sabarkum → Phalut; narrow ridge with Sleeping Buddha views, camp at Phalut hut
- Day 7: Phalut → Gorkhey → Srikhola; mossy forest descent, riverside camp or drive to NJP/Darjeeling
Getting there, permits & day trips
By air — Bagdogra Airport (IXB) — nearest hub, served from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata; drive ~3 hrs to Darjeeling then 1.5 hrs to Manebhanjan (total ~4.5 hrs from airport).
By rail — New Jalpaiguri (NJP) — major railhead on the main Kolkata–Assam line; shared cab or private taxi to Manebhanjan ~3.5 hrs direct, or via Darjeeling in ~4 hrs.
By road — From Darjeeling: 25 km / 1.5 hrs by shared jeep (₹150–200) or private taxi (₹800–1,200) to Manebhanjan, the official trek start and checkpost. From Siliguri: ~80 km / 3 hrs. Road is paved but narrow and winding throughout.
On a Driftibo trip we handle the transfers.
Permits & entry — Indian nationals need no inner-line or restricted-area permit; registration and the Singalila National Park entry fee are paid at the Manebhanjan forest checkpost on arrival — approximately ₹120–150 per person per day for Indians based on 2024–25 sources (older rate was ~₹100/day) and ₹200–500/day for foreign nationals; reconfirm the current rate at the checkpost before quoting, as a temporary fee suspension was reported in early 2025. Carry government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, or Election Commission voter ID card) for SSB checks on the Indian side, but note that Aadhaar is not a valid travel document in Nepal. The trail physically crosses into Nepal at Tumling and Kalipokhri; Indian nationals enter Nepal visa-free under the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship and may legally walk and stay at Nepal-side tea houses, but must show a passport or Election Commission voter ID card at Nepal-side village checkpoints; a local community association at Kalipokhri also collects an informal entry contribution of approximately ₹50 per person. Foreign nationals have been prohibited since December 2021 from staying in any Nepal-side lodge or homestay; their entire itinerary must run through India-side GTA trekkers' huts (Tonglu, Sandakphu, Phalut), and they must obtain a Restricted Area Permit in advance from the Darjeeling District Magistrate's office or through a registered trekking operator. Singalila National Park is officially closed by the Forest Department from approximately June 15–16 to September 15 each year — permits are not issued and entry is prohibited during this window; the same closure and permit apply to the Phalut extension. December–February access outside the closure window is snowfall-dependent; confirm trail conditions with the DFO Darjeeling office or a local operator within 7 days of departure.
Day trips nearby
- Darjeeling (25 km / 1.5 hr from Manebhanjan) — Tiger Hill sunrise, Padmaja Naidu zoo, Toy Train heritage ride, tea estate walk
- Mirik (30 km / 1.5 hr from Manebhanjan) — Sumendu Lake boating, orange orchards, Bokar Monastery
- Kalimpong (70 km / 2.5 hr from Darjeeling) — Tharpa Choling monastery, flower nurseries, Durpin Dara hilltop view
- Gorkhey–Srikhola riverside loop — optional alternate 2-day descent route through old-growth forest and riverside campsites; pairs naturally with the 5- or 7-day itinerary
Seasons and access shift — we reconfirm every detail before we quote.