The Real Sandakphu Trek Begins: From Chitre’s Sunrise to Tumling’s Sleeping Buddha!

A New Dawn at Chitre — And the Trek Finally Begins

The previous chapter of my journey ended with the promise of what lay ahead — the real beginning of the Sandakphu trek. After the chaos of Bagdogra, the confusion in Siliguri and the unexpected warmth of Chitre, I had finally reached the point where the mountains take over and the road ceases to matter.

Chitre had already surprised me — with its mystical monastery, its ever-changing mist, and its uncanny ability to feel like home within hours. But as we woke up to catch the sunrise after barely a few hours of sleep, something felt different. This wasn’t just another day in the mountains.
This was the day the Sandakphu trek would properly unfold.

Ahead lay mist-covered trails, border-hopping paths, tea houses tucked inside clouds, a surprise jamming session, the majestic Sleeping Buddha, and even a distant glimpse of the mighty Everest.

In short, the next two days were about to remind me why people fall in love with Sandakphu in the first place.

And so, with the chill of Chitre still lingering and excitement bubbling in the air, we finally took our first true steps towards Sandakphu.

Day 3: The Sandakphu Trek Adventure Finally Begins

Bidding Goodbye to Chitre

Despite sleeping late the previous night, we woke up surprisingly early — just in time for sunrise. That’s the beauty of the mountains: even a few hours of sleep feel magical. There was no mist this time, but the weather wasn’t completely clear either. The snow-clad mountains were still playing hide and seek, refusing to reveal themselves fully.

As soon as the sun rose, Ram, Ajinkya and I walked back to the Chitre Monastery. This time, without the mist, the entire place felt brand new. The stupas glowed brilliantly under the first rays of the sun, and the monastery carried a warm, golden vibe — so different from the eerie, mystical atmosphere of the previous evening.

When we returned to our tea house, our trek leader and guide, Gazen, had already arrived. Breakfast was a quick affair because the excitement of finally starting our Sandakphu trek was too strong to ignore.

We Finally Begin Our Sandakphu Trek

The moment we stepped out to begin the trek, the mist returned — almost as if it didn’t want to miss our grand start. The sun disappeared with it. Instead of taking the usual border road, Gazen guided us through a narrow trail on the Nepal side. This turned out to be a far more scenic route, made even more dramatic by the swirling mist that lent the trail a sense of mystery.

The mist also brought in freezing cold winds, forcing us to take a couple of tea breaks to warm our hands. The trail itself was gentle, with no steep climbs or descents. By the time we reached Meghma for lunch, the entire settlement was completely engulfed in clouds — living up to its name perfectly.

The Unique Lunch Stop at Meghma

Like Chitre, Meghma is also split between India and Nepal. On the right side of the road is India, and on the left is Nepal — the road itself being no man’s land. The restaurant where we had our lunch was technically in India, while the washbasin and washroom were in Nepal. Easily one of the most amusing lunch arrangements I’ve ever experienced.

After lunch, we continued towards Tumling, again taking the Nepal-side trail. The mist finally eased a little, giving us glimpses of the beautiful surroundings. Almost two hours after we left Meghma, we reached our tea house in Tumling around 3 PM.

A Quick Stroll to Tonglu

The moment we arrived, Gazen warned us not to sleep or lie down — a standard precaution against AMS. With time to spare, we decided to walk to Tonglu, just 1 km from Tumling. Since we had taken a different route earlier, we had completely skipped this village.

Rumour had it that there were still patches of snow in Tonglu, which gave us extra motivation. The road to Tonglu was fully cemented but noticeably exhausting. Tonglu (10,072 ft) sits higher than Tumling (9,744 ft), and the constant uphill climb made the short walk feel longer.

Hide and Seek With the Mist

At Tonglu, the mist returned in full force, swallowing everything around us. With the weather turning unpredictable again, we decided to head back quickly. Yet, I secretly enjoyed this hide-and-seek game with the mist — the way it curled around trees, the road, and our silhouettes made the walk visually enchanting.

The return was easier: all downhill and beautifully eerie thanks to the mist’s unpredictable formations.

The Cozy Stay in Tumling

By 5 PM, we were back at our tea house. Hot pakoras and steaming black tea welcomed us — the perfect reward after a cold afternoon walk. As evening deepened, the temperature dipped drastically, pushing us indoors for warmth.

Dinner was to be served in the common dining room, where a batch from Indiahikes was also staying. That’s when the magic began.

A Night of Music in Tumling

One of the tea house staff had left a guitar in the dining area. That was all it took. Gazen and the Indiahikes trek leader picked it up, strumming Nepali tunes. Soon, trekkers joined in with Hindi, Bengali and even English songs. The room turned into an impromptu concert that erased every trace of fatigue.

Even though my body begged for rest, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the room. When the jam session finally ended and I crawled into bed, only one thought lingered:

Will we finally see Kanchenjunga tomorrow? Or will the mist win again?

Day 4: The Mighty Ones Finally Reveal Themselves

Getting Ready for the Sleeping Buddha

Sayan, our pro photographer, was always the first to wake up — tripod and lenses ready before any of us even opened our eyes. His discipline pushed the rest of us to crawl out of bed before sunrise, no matter how cold it was.

Tumling is famous for its iconic sunrise view of the Sleeping Buddha — a formation created by the peaks of Kumbhakarna, Korbu North, Korbu South, Kanchenjunga and Pandim. Together, they resemble Lord Buddha lying in a serene sleeping posture.

Sleeping Buddha in Morning Hues

The moment we stepped outside, the icy wind hit us like a wall. It was so strong that even Sayan’s tripod struggled to stay upright.

But as dawn broke, everything changed.

The first rays of sunlight struck the colossal form of the Sleeping Buddha, revealing its full grandeur. Kanchenjunga glowed like a golden giant, flanked by Kumbhakarna, Korbu North, Korbu South and Pandim. The cold vanished. The wind disappeared from my mind. It was one of those moments where nature demands complete silence — and you willingly surrender.

A Surprise Sighting: Everest, Lhotse & Makalu

As we prepared to leave for Kalipokhri — one of the longest hikes of the trek at 12 km — Gazen stopped us just a few minutes in. Far, far away on the horizon were three slender white peaks.

Lhotse. Everest. Makalu.

The 4th tallest, the tallest, and the 5th tallest mountains in the world — all visible at once. Even though Everest was a distant spike, the fact that I could see it with my naked eye sent a rush through my body. A quiet voice inside whispered:
Maybe Nepal next? Maybe EBC?

The Famous Veg Momos of Gairibas

The trail to Gairibas was a gentle descent lasting nearly 3 hours. The sun was sharp, the heat a little draining, but the walk was easy. Gairibas is the midpoint between Tumling and Kalipokhri and is famous for its veg momos.

As a hardcore non-veg lover, I wasn’t excited. Veg momos had always disappointed me in Delhi. But these? These were unbelievably good — juicy, flavourful and surprisingly satisfying. Even Sayan’s endless praise finally made sense.

The Climb to Kalipokhri

After our momo feast, we rested for a while. The toughest part of the day began right after: a steep 2 km climb that tested our endurance. Once that section was over, the rest was a gradual, beautiful ascent.

Clouds drifted in as we entered a forest of towering rhododendron trees. Mist moved gracefully between the trunks, creating an almost cinematic atmosphere. At one point, Sayan and Ram even spotted a Red Panda — a rare sight — but it slipped away before the rest of us could see it.

As we approached Kalipokhri, the mist thickened dramatically, turning the village into a ghostly silhouette.

The Mist-Filled Kalipokhri

Kalipokhri was cold, misty and mysterious when we arrived. Visibility was almost zero. Everyone was exhausted from the long day, so we stayed inside the tea house, chatting lazily until dinner.

Even afterward, no one felt sleepy. Ajinkya, Swarnima and I ended up sharing songs late into the night. When the mist finally cleared, we stepped outside for a moment — and froze at the sight above us.

A sky full of stars.
The clearest we had seen since entering the Eastern Himalayas.

No Milky Way yet, but it was enough to fill us with awe before heading to bed.

Tomorrow, we would tackle the final climb to Sandakphu — the highest point in West Bengal.

The Story Continues…

The last part of the journey will continue in Part 3 — where the final ascent to Sandakphu, the 360° Himalayan views and the trek’s most unforgettable moments await.