Sandakphu Trek

Day two starts with early morning breakfast at the hut and the weather became rainy from last night because of a cyclone hitting the Bay of Bengal. We got ready with our rain covers and jackets to start the day two trek to Gairibas which was to some extent easier trail than the first day. Walking in the rains at an higher altitude was something new for us, but we managed it quite well. Our Guide was a very friendly and helpful person in nature so it was more comfortable to know about the local traditions and history of the places while we were trekking down to Gairibas. Yes! the trail was mostly downwards from Tonglu to Gairibas so we felt little bit comfortable after a first day steep trekking. We reached Gairibas within almost 3 hours of our mostly comfortable trek on Day two to enjoy some local food and drinks the entire day for rejuvenation.

Day three started with little bit of disappointment because the rain got heavier in the third day. Though we had a very comfortable stay at the trekkers hut in Gairibas but now it was time to leave all the comfort and walk into the rain with our heavy luggages and rain covers put into it. Today's destination will be Kalipokhri or Kalpokhari which was again a steep trek. Rain and wet mud all over the route accompanied with cold winds made it little bit difficult for us. It took us almost 4 hours to reach Kalpokhari and we were all wet and shivering with cold when we checked into our homestay. We changed and immediately had hot tea and food for some recovery from the effects of the adverse weather conditions we faced throughout the Third day trek.

It was the final day when we will cover the last stretch of the trek which was almost 9 kms to reach the highest point of West Bengal that is Sandakphu. But weather had different plans for us. It was raining so heavily that while we were having our breakfast in the dining area of the homestay, the localites suggested us to take vehicle for the last stretch to Sandakphu. But we were determined that whatever happens we will step into Sandakphu by Trekking and no other means. We were supported by our Guide who saw potential in us and we began one of the most difficult trek of my life not only because of the hard terrain but which was accompanied by the harsh winds and heavy rainfall. We reached Sandakphu finally after all the struggling patches of trek, after all the difficulties and confusions. It was a moment of sheer satisfaction because it was my first trek which I have completed with all my heart and soul. This day we were all wet again despite having rain jackets and ponchos. But our satisfaction and cheerfulness erased all our fatigue which we had after such a difficult trek. It was time to take rest and have good food and get ready for next morning Sandakphu summit! The birth of another mountaineer was due the next morning!

Finally the day has come when we will summit the highest point of West Bengal, India and mark our beginning of mountaineering journey. We were all excited and thus we woke up early and visited local temples and our prayers were answered immediately! The rain stopped for about an hour or two and the sky started to clear a little. We were lucky enough to see some mountain ranges but we couldn't see the entire sleeping Budhha mountain range. But we summitted and we did it with all our dedication and love for the mountain to let us trek in such bad and adverse weather conditions. We were the only group to summit on that day because the climb to summit was wet and slippery and too steep. So the other tourists in the place couldn't make it to the summit. We offered our prayers and puja in the summit and had a peaceful time of about one hour in the summit before coming down and trekking down to Sepi the same day and covering a 16 kms down trek with full energy. The trip will always be the trip close to my heart because it was not just an end, it was the marking of a new Mountaineering chapter in my life.