The idea of trekking has always fascinated me. I was ready to travel long distances away from the qualms of the city in search of serenity and a closer life to nature. Moreover the mountains seem to have a special longing in my heart and I always feel like I have to return soon. I am sure you know that feeling.So trekking was obviously going to be in my checklist. The option presented itself last October. We decided to go for the Sabargram Phalut trek.

Why this specifically? Well to be honest I wanted a view of Kanchenjunga. Additionally Phalut is the second highest point in West Bengal. The route is less travelled by when compared to commercial treks of Sandakphu . Thus it provided us with the much needed serenity we were seeking.

The Journey Begins

Our train was delayed a couple hours and as a result we reached Srikhola at around 7pm. It was completely dark by then. We would have to trek for 3 km in order to reach our homestay in Tar village. Thus without any delay we started our journey. With a torch in our hand we followed our trek lead through the forest in the dark. A narrow trail; the forest in one side and the valley in the other with pitch black darkness greeting us. I was sold right there!

Day 2 : Just 15 minutes more to Sabargram!

The title speaks for itself. We started our journey at a good pace but lunch slowed us down. Again a glimpse of Kanchenjunga provided us with the much needed adrenaline but with time our tired body got the better of ourselves. The local guides kept saying “We are just 15-30 minutes out from Molley and another 15 minutes to Sabargram”. However it actually took us more than an hour to reach Molley. We took a small stop there and when we restarted our journey towards Sabargram , it was already dark and had started raining. Another 40 odd minutes and finally we reached Sabargram. What was supposed to be a 10-12 km trek for beginners turned out to be a 15km trek! However we had no regrets whatsoever. The hot tea and the delicious Yak meat was presented at just the perfect moment!

Day 3: The most pleasant day

It rained heavily throughout the night before and we had no chance to summit Sabargram. Instead we slept longer (can you blame us?) and left around 9am for Phalut. It was drizzling when we started our journey and stayed cloudy throughout the day. That was undoubtedly the best weather for a 10 km ridge walk. The scenery was alluring. We went past valleys and mountains while dancing between the borders of India and Nepal. Samanden, The Lost Valley was visible at a certain point and it appeared unnatural to me at first glance. A tabletop in the center with mountains all around! What a place to be!

We reached the Yangtharu homestay in Phalut by noon and it presented us with more unparalleled scenic beauty. Sitting just outside our homestay we could see a valley towards Nepal far away in the distance. The clouds seemed to be below us blocking our vision to the far-off dreamland. I could pick out a road and a village in the distance. It just seemed fascinating. I wondered how many villages of such breathtaking beauty are there undiscovered by us. Maybe for the good.

We spent the rest of the day sharing our stories. It had started raining heavily once again and we were hoping for a miracle next morning. Naturally pessimistic, I had given up hope of a clear sight of Kanchenjunga.

Day 4: An experience beyond words

It had rained heavily all night. At 3am my brother woke up and went outside. I remember waking up because of the slightest noise. As he returned I asked him about the conditions outside. “Still raining” he said.

The alarm was set at 4am. But I couldn’t sleep anymore. My eyes wide open and my ears fixed outside, I was hoping for a miracle. At 3:45 I went outside and looked up at the sky. I can’t possibly explain the sight I saw. I had never seen the sky so full of stars before. The entire horizon was filled with it and the natural light seemed to brighten the valley below. Even the moon was out greeting us with a smile with no sign of clouds whatsoever.

I rushed in and woke up our trek leader, Subhrojyoti. He came outside immediately, took a look at the sky, smiled once and stated “We’ll get a view!” Within 5 minutes everyone was awake. By 20, everyone was ready and eager to go out.

The Summit:

We started our journey to the Phalut summit at about 4:30 am. I struggled a little during the start of the ascent. However excitement got the better of me. With deep breaths and an unquenchable desire to get a glimpse of Kanchenjunga, I carried on. As we closed in on the summit, the local guide, Pashang Daju, pointed back at a hill far back. He said “See the lights out there? That’s Darjeeling”. I was shocked. Darjeeling that far off? I remembered the best view I had of Kanchenjunga till date. It was the sunrise from Tiger Hill. I wondered in excitement what Phalut summit will have to offer.

I still vividly remember the first glance of Kanchenjunga enroute to the summit. There stood the majestic mountain in front of my eyes. It seemed like a km away. So close yet just out of my reach! Obviously that wasn’t truly the case but I hope you understand the difference between Tiger Hill and Phalut summit. There is absolutely no comparison whatsoever.

Soon we were greeted with the first rays of sunlight on the Sleeping Buddha range. It was absolutely breathtaking! We even had a brief glimpse of Everest for a moment. However strong winds (around 40-50km/hr.) and clouds swept in soon and our window was gone. Still it was undoubtedly the best 20 minutes of my life till date!

The journey to Samanden: The Lost Valley

We soon bid adieu to the majestic Kanchenjunga with a promise to return soon. After breakfast we started our journey from Phalut to Samanden, the tabletop I mentioned on day 3. It was a 15km downhill trek. One of our trek leaders Pratyay challenged our leader Subhrojyoti to reach Samanden in 2 hours. It was labelled impossible and laughed off. Undeterred by all that Pratyay took the challenge and eventually the group separated in two. We rushed down the mountain at full throttle while Subhrojyoti and the other group followed us slowly enjoying the scenic beauty.

After taking almost every other short cut, we arrived at a crossroad. One steep road went straight downwards what appeared to be the jungle. The other was the normal route. Unsure yet filled with adrenaline, Pratyay and I decided to take the steeper route while the others followed the actual trail. After descending a while Pratyay exclaimed “It’s going straight to the jungle…I am not sure let’s head back”. We ascended back in the steepest of trails and found a local. Upon asking he assured us that this trail is indeed a short cut to Samanden. Thus we returned, now filled with confidence and a desire to explore the unknown.

After a while we arrived at a point, probably the second best in the whole trek. With the jungle surrounding us on three sides, we got the first glimpse of Gorkhey river. It seemed straight below us! The village had an aura of serenity and natural beauty which is unexplainable. We waited for the other team on a rock at the top of the Gorkhey river. However it started raining again and we decided to leave for Samanden, around 30 minutes out.

It took us 3.5 hours in total to reach the Nayanatik Homestay. But yes we had waited on Gorkhey for about 40 minutes(the route was that steep) and 20 more in ascending and descending the crossroad. Overall 2.5 hrs let’s say. Yes we lost the challenge but it wasn’t bad as a first timer.

Day 5: Trek to Bhareng

It rained throughout the day in Samanden and we barely got a chance to go outside. However everyone had stories and time just flew past. Soon it was time for dinner and the local cuisine. Pork was the decided menu that day and it was fabulous. The taste was great and the added spices made it all the more incredible.

Next day we started our journey towards Bhareng our end goal. I was visibly disappointed that day. It seemed to be ending all to soon. As a result I stayed at the very end, hoping to hang around as long as possible. I took every short cut available yet waited for everyone to join and stayed back.

Still some excitement did follow us. The storm the day before resulted in trees falling over at various points. Sometimes we had to jump, at other times we would go underneath it. Soon we reached Bhareng, our end point. We changed quickly and bid adieu to team BANZARAS and soon left for NJP.

My experience with Banzaras was so good I remember telling Pratyay that whenever I am visiting the mountains next, I am going for a trek with Banzaras. No more sightseeing in cars. My first trekking experience seems to have awoken a passion I didn’t even know existed. I only have Team Banzaras to thank for that.