The Joys of the Sandakphu Trek

Kanchenjunga and Singalila Ridge as seen from Sandakphu. Photo by Anirban Biswas

Trekking into Sandakphu starts off from an altitude of 1, 524 metres (5,000 ft) and gradually climbs up through forests of rhododendron, giant magnolias, spruce and other trees of sub-alpine region and not to mention, more than 600 varieties of orchids – the largest to be found in one geographical area in the world. For flora worshippers, the months of April and May are the best time of the year for the trek while for those who have an insatiable thirst for a view of the mountains, the best months are in autumn. The view from Sandakphu is unsurpassed by any other view anywhere. Where else can be seen 180 degrees of snowcapped mountains which includes Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Kumbhakarna, Kanchenjunga, Chomolhari in one single stretch of snows – an ethereal beauty. It is easy to understand why people leave hearth and home, traveling, some times, thousands of miles to walk through ripples of terraced fields of maize, rice, millet and barley, leaving the last traces of civilization far behind.