Trekking in West Bengal

Trekking in West Bengal takes you to the eastern beauty of the country of India. Home to a wide variety of landscapes, West Bengal is one of the best places to spend your vacations trekking in. Home to the coasts of the Bay of Bengal, the forests of Sundarbans, the hills of the Himalayas, and many more such different pieces of lands, West Bengal provides ample opportunities to the trekkers, and that too with an unmatched beauty.

One of the best and most famous trekking tours in West Bengal takes you to the northern reaches of the state, where the highest point of the region lies. The Sandakphu Trek takes you to the Sandakphu peak at a height of 12,000ft above sea level. And for such an amazing reward that waits for you at the end, the trail is quite easy and fun, and that is probably the reason why it is the top favorite of the locals as well as visitors coming from outside. From the summit at Sandakphu, you can get unbeatable views of the Kanchenjunga, Everest, Makalu, and Lhotse, all of which are amongst the top 10 of the tallest mountains in the world. Taking about 7 days to reach, the trek to the top of Sandakphu passes through a variety of forests of Rhododendrons and coniferous trees. You will also be passing valleys filled with the most beautiful flowers. Another great part about trekking here is that the trail also passes through the famous Singalila National Park, providing sightings of the rarest of animals and experiences with the most amazing flora of the region. Birding is also something you can indulge in while trekking here. The best time to take on the Sandakphu trek is before the monsoons (April to May) and after the rains have passed (October to December).

Also, another one of the treks in West Bengal that is famous amongst the lovers of adventures and of scenic marvels of the Himalayas is the Phalut trek. The trek actually starts from Sandakphu, so it can also be called an extension of the same. A 21km long trail from Sandakphu takes one to the ridge of Phalut passing through scented forests of oaks, pines and many such high altitude trees. Scented, because of the many sweet-smelling shrubs of Magnolias in the forest. The summit at Phalut is almost at the same height as Sandakphu, making the trek equally thrilling for the trekkers. And again, the view from the top of the peak is something worth witnessing at least once in a lifetime, as you lay your eyes on the amazing views of the Everest, Kanchenjunga and many other such giants of the Himalayas. The entire trek from to cover both Sandakphu and Phalut takes only 7 days and is completely worth all the time, money and effort you will put into it.

And if even that is not enough for the lovers of adventures, the trek can even be further extended to reach the Singalila ridge in Sikkim. At about 3,695m above sea level, the ridge is easily the highest point in the entire trail and is constantly in the presence of the highest mountain in India, the Kanchenjunga. Not only is this 10 day trek amazing trekking experiences, but is also the best place to capture memories that will otherwise keep eluding you. The trek ends with your arrival in the beautiful town of Kalimpong, which is a sight to behold as well.

One more name in the list of trekking routes of West Bengal to see the majestic Himalayas is of the Goecha La Pass Trek. The 11 day trek starts in Bengal and ends in Sikkim, greeting you to the sights of not just 1 or 2 mountains, but as much as 14 giants on clear days, which will be falling in the months of October and November, marking the best time to take on the trek. Apart from the majestic Kanchenjunga, you can get views of the Kabru, Rohtang and Mount Padim as well.

But if snow trekking to see the highest mountains of the world is not your thing to do, much lower altitude and easier treks are also on the list of some of the most amazing trekking trips of West Bengal. The Bamunpukhuri Jungle Trek in Darjeeling is one such trek, which only takes about a day to complete but leaves you with a sense of eternal calm and mesmerizing effect of the beauty of the area. Bamunpukhuri is basically a jungle area located on the Rungsung River famous for being home to some of the rarest birds in the region. Starting from the town of Garidhura, the trek leads through the Jungles, and after spending time here and seeing many birds that call this place their home, the trek ends with a dip in the Rungsung River. Another famous day trek route in West Bengal is the trek to Kamala Falls. Falling from a whopping height of 550 meters, people trek up to the Kamala Falls for many reasons. The Shiva temple made of Stalagmites, the forests that cover the trail and the birds that call this place their home. If you choose to take this trek in the month of October, then you will be greeted by some of the most wonderful scenes of the forests and a dip in the cold water will refresh your entire being at the end of the trek.

Trekking in West Bengal is surely a true sport of adventure but is also the best way to connect with your soul as you fall in love with the various landscapes of this state. Be it the hills, mountains, or the forests, this guide will bring it all to you.