Singalila Ridge & Sleeping Buddha Trek
The classic Himalayan walking pilgrimage along the Indo-Nepal ridgeline.
- Duration
- 7 Days / 6 Nights
- Difficulty
- Moderate Trekking (5–7 hrs/day)
- Best season
- Oct–Dec (clear views) & Mar–May (rhododendron blooms)
- Highest point
- 3,636 m / 11,930 ft
- Pickup and drop
- NJP / Bagdogra
- Vehicle
- Private SUV for road legs + on-foot trekking
Overview
Walk alongside prayer flags, dense magnolia forests, and crisp alpine pastures. The Singalila Ridge Trek offers unobstructed vistas of Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu on foot — one of the most rewarding walks in the Himalayas.
- Trek through Red Panda habitat in Singalila National Park
- Sunrise over Everest and Kangchenjunga from Sandakphu & Phalut
- Walk along border stones: one foot in India, one in Nepal
- Traditional Sherpa and Gurung mountain hamlet homestays
- Certified trek leader + porter support included
The route, day by day
Highest point 3,636 m on day 4
Day by day
Day 1
NJP → Manebhanjan → Chitrey (2,530 m)
Drive to Manebhanjan. Warm-up hike through pine trails to Chitrey Buddhist Monastery.
Day 2
Chitrey → Tumling (2,970 m) via Meghma
Gentle ascent across cloud forests of Meghma. Night on the grassy ridge of Tumling.
Day 3
Tumling → Kalipokhri (3,180 m)
Trek past bamboo thickets of Gairibas and Kaiyakatta to the sacred black lake of Kalipokhri.
Day 4
Kalipokhri → Sandakphu Summit (3,636 m)
Final push up Bikheybhanjan zig-zags to summit Sandakphu. Unrivaled sunset over the Sleeping Buddha.
Day 5
Sandakphu → Gurdum (2,300 m)
Steep downhill through virgin pine and oak forests into the idyllic village of Gurdum.
Day 6
Gurdum → Srikhola → Rimbick → Darjeeling
Trek across the Srikhola suspension bridge over crystal mountain streams. Vehicle pickup to Darjeeling.
Day 7
Departure to Bagdogra / NJP
Morning Darjeeling tea tasting before private drop to Bagdogra.
On the route
Included
- Certified mountain trek leader and Sherpa guide
- All meals during trek
- Homestay and mountain hut accommodation
- Singalila National Park permits & guide charges
- All road transfers: NJP/Bagdogra, base camps, Darjeeling
Not included
- Personal porter (available on request)
- Trekking gear rental
- Personal insurance
Permits
Singalila permits arranged seamlessly by Shingolia Hills.
Good to know
- What fitness level is required?
- Moderate fitness. Anyone who can walk 5–6 km on incline with a daypack can complete this trek comfortably.