From Breath-knocking to Breath-taking: Sanjukta’s Sandakphu Adventure
I am a Bengali. Growing up in Kolkata, I have always heard a lot of good things about Sandakphu. But unfortunately, I have never had the chance to go there. Yes, I had easy access, I had time, but the opportunity never came. And my parents were never very keen on trekking, so every time the option came up in our conversations while planning a family trip, it got dismissed.
I would be lying if I said that I was not aware of the routes or the region. I visited Tumling on one of my college trips. But reaching Sandaphu was still not possible.
I settled down in Delhi with my job and grew much further away from the place. It was then that my urge to go for the Sandakphu trek elevated.
Last year, me and my friend decided to undertake this adventure on one of our trips to home during Durga Puja. His hometown was Kolkata as well, so planning the trip was more convenient. We contacted Thrillophilia to book a slot for this trek, and since it was available, we did not delay in confirming the booking.
It was the peak of November when we went for this trek. The cold mountain air was biting our skin, and the winter fog added a sense of mystery to the scenery. Our journey was long, and we had been preparing for a good two months.
The Exhaustion
Hoping that all the jogging and breathing exercises would pay off, we set out on the trek from Manebhanjan to Tumling. The trail was 11 km long, and some ascents were quite steep. But the magical beauty of Singalila National Park cushioned us. Our fatigue became our secondary focus, the first being admiring the mountains and the dense forests around us.
Unlike the last time when I visited Tumling and saw the trees were green and growing, dotted with red and white Rhododendron flowers, this time the forests offered stunning autumn vistas. The yellow-red dried leaves crunched beneath our feet as we made our way up to Tumling. The breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains filled our hearts with immense joy and satisfaction.
We both love visiting the mountains, but this was our first trek. It took us around two hours to get accustomed to the relentless walking and physical exertion. At one point, near Tonglu, we were exhausted. Our trek leaders noticed it, and one of them came up to us to encourage us to complete the trek. We knew we had to walk, but somehow our legs were just not moving!
After resting for almost 15 minutes, we set out again. This time, the legs seemed to move automatically, determined to stop again at Tumling.
The funny thing about our bodies is that you can push your body to perform any task. All you need is a bit of preparation and a lot of mental strength. The energy transmitted by things and believing in ‘Not giving up’ is so powerful, that you would be surprised as to how one’s body can go that far.
We took our final stop at Tumling for the day. I could not move. My friend enquired about the food and the arrangements and called me when it was ready. I was tired beyond imagination. Somehow I went to the dining area and the sweet smell of rice and egg curry brought back my senses. I ate a lot and then retired to sleep again.
Now, the problem of eating a lot in the mountains is that your body gives up. When I woke up in the evening, I had no willingness to go out and sit with our batch for a nice bonding session. My friend dragged me out of bed, and I sat down in the lounge in a grumpy mood.
I was pleased when dinner was served, it meant that I could go and sleep again. This time I had a decent proportion of rice, mindful not to overeat. The next morning we were to walk to Kalapokhri- ‘The Dark Lake’.
The Rewards
The road to Kalapokhri was awe-strikingly beautiful.
The trail grew steeper and we had grown a bit used to trekking. The first day was painful, and the second day became bearable, but the inclination made it difficult not to let out a few angry words. They were directed towards ourselves, and our inability to climb the mountains like our local guides.
When we reached the lake, we did not expect to see such imagery- the lake was dark in colour, very dark. There were colourful prayer flags hung over it with no specific alignment. The scenery looked so chaotic, at the same time, so enchanting, that I felt my first wave of accomplishment on this adventure.
The next morning we were to trek to Sandakphu. It was also a great vantage point to witness magnificent views of Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt. Everest as well.
Our trekking trail had already turned from dense forests to rocky and barren climbs, occasionally encountering shrubs and trees. I kept walking and walking, I had started to enjoy it. Yes, it made me feel like there was a stone on my chest, but the stone was wearing away. Practice makes a person perfect!
The Sight…Oh, the Sight!
We reached Sandakphu Peak right at the best time. The sunset was just starting to display its carnival of colours. We remained at the peak for an hour, watched the whole sunset in silence and some gasps, and then returned to the homestay. It was a marvellous experience.
And the sunrise was so much better!
(in my opinion, watching the black turn into blue is a better sight than watching the blue turn into black…)
The sky was clear, there were stars, and then gradually the sky started to change colour first. The colourplay started with Violet, then Dark Blue, and then Pink-Orange. Then I saw that the same colour play had started on the white canvas of the snow-peaked mountains in front of us, the entire Everest range. The clouds below had also joined in this dance a while later. The sky finally turned sky-blue drawing the curtains of the play.
It was a spectacular sight, one of the best sunrises I had ever seen.
We were both glad of this experience. Not just Thrillophilia, but also the local people, guides, and homestay staff, were so cooperative, supportive and jolly, that no amount of tiredness could surpass that. It was a much-needed experience for me, to test my limits and push myself beyond my imagination, witness things unknown, and know things differently.
It is what makes a trek, a trek.