SANDAKPHU AND GOECHALA TREK

Today I will introduce you to two of the most stunning treks that India has to offer to those who have somewhat gotten a good hold of trekking. These two treks, i.e. Sandakphu Trek and Goechala Trek, are two of my favourite treks, with some of the best views. These two treks are definitely not for the faint hearted. 

The first one, that is, Sandakphu Trek is comparatively the easier one out of the two. This trek lasted for 5 days. We reached a summit height of 11,930 ft during the trek. 

The Sandakphu trek is special for it is the highest point in West Bengal. When it comes to trekking, my mind went straight to Uttrakhand. I came to realize that people tend to overlook the state of West Bengal, but trust me it is one gem that should not be overlooked by any trekking enthusiast. The trail is filled with beautiful views of soaring mountain peaks that don?t leave you alone at any point in time. When on this trek we also had the opportunity to see a huge variety of orchids. This moment made me fall in love with nature in a totally different manner.

We started the journey from New Jalpaiguri. Throughout the car ride, the stunning views of mountains and tea plantations graced us with their presence. The next day we started our trek towards Tumbling. It took us around 6 hours to reach our destination. Thankfully we were on time to witness one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever witnessed. On our way were told that there were times when we unknowingly had crossed the border and stepped inside the beautiful wilderness of Nepal. The following day we started our journey towards Kalipokhri. This was a long day of traveling, but was made all worth it by the miracle of nature ?The Sleeping Buddha?. Never had I ever imagined even in my wildest dreams that a sight as stunning as the ?The Sleeping Buddha? would be gracing my eyes. The next day is the day when we embarked on the adventure to Sandakphu Top. Although the distance that we covered on this day was shorter than the previous day, this segment of the trek was more physically challenging. Once we overcame the hardships of the trail we were graced by the beauty of Makalu, Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and many more. The next day marked the end of this one-of-a-kind trek. With a descent to Sepi and then a drive back to New Jalpaiguri we bid our farewell to this beauty. 

The other trek that I enjoyed thoroughly was the Goechala Trek. This trek was on the more difficult side of the spectrum. The trek took us around 11 days to complete. The views from this place were out of the world. 

This trek also started at New Jalpaiguri from where we drove to Yuksom. The next day we left Yuksom for Sachen. The journey took us around 6 hours to complete. The next day we moved forward towards Tshoka. On our way, we also came across Bakhim. Here we were graced with the gorgeous views of the famous Yuksom valley and the Bakhim range. After leaving Bakhim and continuing towards Tshoka the forest started to get denser forming a canopy. This made the trail seem as if I was walking on a fairytale path. At Tshoka the Kanchenjunga peaks and Mt. Pandim were standing tall covering the skyline magisticaly. We also visited the monastery at Tshoka, which honestly was one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to. The next day we commenced our journey towards Dzongri. The trail was filled with rhododendrons, making it seem even more magical. Dzongri had the most breathtaking views of the Kanchenjunga peaks and a few others as well. The next day was a day when we took a rest, which truly was much needed. We also went up to Dzongri Top which is only a few kilometers away. The view from there was jaw-dropping. After a much-required rest, we started the journey again. The trail to Thansing through Dzongri Top is filled with beautiful colours all thanks to the rhododendrons covering the trail. The next day we went to Lamuney. The trail here was a bit more gentle compared to the rest of the trek up till now, which was honestly a blessing in disguise. We also visited Lake Samiti which was only about an hour away. Finally, the next day we traveled up to Goechala Viewpoint 1. This day was a bit more tiring and longer than the rest, but it was all worth it. Peaks like Kabru South, Kabru North, Kabru Dome, Gocha Jupano, Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Tenzing Khang, and Sinvo, covered the sky. After taking in the view as much as we can, we went back down towards Thansing. Following the pattern when traveling up, the descent was the same. From Thansing we traveled back to Tshoka and from Tshoka to Yuksom. At Yuksom we said our goodbyes to this trek with a ride back to New Jalpaiguri.