A trek that is easy to start with , meandering through picturesque Drukpa hamlets, slowly graduating into a tougher one as you walk through absolutely dense forests where you can hear barking deers, birds and other wildlife. A trek that allows you to look back into the history of the kings and the British empire, lets you soak in the drukpa culture, know about the flora and fauna of the region and look into the lives of over 400 species of butterflies. And we haven’t even mentioned the delicious drukpa cuisines. What are you waiting for?
16/11/24
- We pick you up from New Alipurduar at 1 pm
- Overnight stay at Santalabari
- Exploring the village and warm-up walk.
- Breakfast in Santalabari..
- Trek from Zero point to Tashigaon via Buxa fort.
- Night stay at Tashigaon.
- Distance to cover by foot: 5kms approx.
- Breakfast at Tashigaon
- Tashigaon to Robertson Peak to Lepchakha
- Stay at Lepchakha.
- Distance to cover by foot : 10 kms approx
- Breakfast at Lepchakha
- Lepchakha to Jayanti via Bara Mahakaal. If we deem the level of water is not safe we will descend via Hatinala to Jayanti. Distance to be covered by foot will be 14 kms approx. The entire trail today is mostly descent, last two kms will be on the dry portion of the river bed of Jayanti. The descent will be through dense forest. In many places you will have to walk through the river .
- Stay at Jayanti/Santalabari.
- Breakfast at the homestay.
- Village visit
- Lunch at the homestay.
- Visit to Rajabhatkhawa Museum.
- Visit to Butterfly project.
- Drop at New Alipurduar railway station at 4 .30 pm.
Trekking Gear:
- A rucksack lined with plastic liner /covered with rain cover.
- 2 one litre capacity water bottles.
- A Hand/Head Torch with spare batteries.
- UV protection Sunglasses.
- Quick Dry Warm lower or Track Pants- 3.
- Full sleeves T-shirts/ Sweatshirts- 3.
- Fleece jacket- 1.
- Windcheater -1.
- Padded Jacket-1 ( opti0nal)
- Rainwear (Jacket and Pants) -1 OR poncho-1.
- Woolen socks - 2 pairs.
- Hiking/sports socks- 2 pairs.
- Undergarments - 1 for each day of trekking.
- Woolen cap - 1.
- Sun cap or Biker Scarf for protection from sun- 1.
- Non-skid deep trod hiking shoes (Preferably ankle high) - 1 pair.
- Lightweight kitos - 1 pair.
- Whistle.
- Sunscreen lotion, lip balm, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, toilet roll, cold cream, soap paper strips, small quick dry towel.
- Anti-fungal cream: Carry an antifungal cream if you are sensitive to sweating and prone to skin irritations around genitals or groin area due to lack of bathing.
- For women:
- Tampons or sanitary napkins,
- 2-3 zip pouches to carry non-biodegradable waste.
- Vaginal wash to avoid any irritation due to lack of bathing.
- A lightweight, leak-proof lunch box that can bear handling and hold your packed lunch while on the trail.
- Camera (optional).
- Personal medicine kit. Though our trek leaders carry a fully equipped first-aid kit, it is a good idea to carry a small personal one. Make sure you consult your doctor before the trek in case you have any special ailment.
- Dry fruits, energy bars.
- Walking poles
- Region : North Bengal and parts of Bhutan hills.
- Best season : November to March.
- Trek grade : Easy to moderate
- Average temp: 13ºc to 18ºc during daytime. At night. 7ºc to 10ºc
- Stays : Stays in Tashigaon and Lepchakha and Santalabari will be in homestay on shared basis. Generally triple and quadruple.
- Duration of the program: 4 nights 5 days ( New Alipurduar to New Alipurduar)
- Total walking distance : 29 kms approx .
- Min age: 12 years,if accompanied by parent/s. 15 years, if not accompanied by parents.
- Min batch strength :6+1
- Max batch strength : 12+1
- Mobile connectivity : BSNL available in some part of the trail. In some pockets there will be no connectivity. In Jayanti and Santalabari Airtel, Jio are available.
- For queries call : 9874358754
What is the best time to visit ?
Drier months. November to March should be good.
How to reach New Alipurduar?
The nearest airport is Bagdogra. Taxis have to be booked to reach New Alipurduar or Alipurduar from Bagdogra. The nearest railway station is New Alipurduar and Alipurduar Junction .
What time will we drop you at Alipurduar / New Alipurduar on the last day of the trek?
Expect to reach either of the two places by 4.30 pm.
What is the experience required for the trek ?
If you have trekked before, it will definitely help. It is doable by first timers who have done some amount of serious exercising prior to the trek. Those coming for the first time should prepare and read extensively about the trek.
Can I offload my backpack ?
Yes you may, but the information has to reach us by an email when you book the trek with us. We will mail you the offloading charges which is to be deposited into our account at least 7 working days before the date of journey. In case you decide to offload on the spot , you may have to pay a higher price than usual.
Are trekking poles necessary ?
Using two trekking poles give you a good balance and grip, but is not mandatory.
What will the temperatures be like during the trek?
Daytime temperature will vary between 13-18º c during daytime and night time temperature varies between 7 to10º c.
What are the cellular network connectivity for this trek ?
No mobile connections are available on the trail.
What is the minimum and maximum age limit?
The minimum age limit of children, accompanied by parents is 12 years, without parents is 15 years. If you are above the age of 60, kindly mail a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking.
Will it rain during the trek?
Maybe.
- Cancellation policy:
- Cancellations will be subject to cancellation charges.
- Cancellations will have to be intimated to Soma's Camps by email.
- 25% of the total trek fee is not refundable on cancellation at any point of time.If you fail to pay your trek fees( in case of part payments) within the scheduled date and ignore repeated intimations, your registration maybe cancelled and the booking amount forfeited.
- Treks have to be booked at least 50 days prior to the date of actual trek.
- Cancellation between 50 to 31 days prior to departure : 75% of the trek fee will be refunded.
- Cancellations made between 30 to 22 days prior to the trek date, 50% of the trek fee will be refunded
- Cancellation between 21 and 11 days prior to departure : 30% of the trek fee will be refunded.
- Cancellations made from 10 days to the day of departure : no refund.
- Cancellation by Soma's Camps in the unforeseen eventualities of riots, political or industrial unrest like Railway operators strike, Airlines strike, it may be necessary to cancel the tour in the best interests of our clients. In such an eventuality our clients will be informed as soon as possible. The trek fee paid by the clients will be refunded in full OR we will provide you with an alternate set of program dates.
- Cancellation by Soma's Camps in the unforeseen eventualities of pandemic, epidemic,any other long term natural or biological disaster or man made disasters like war and others, it may be necessary to cancel the tour in the best interests of our clients. In such an eventuality our clients will be informed as soon as possible. 70 % of the trek fee paid by the clients will be refunded.
- Drinking and smoking during the trek is strictly prohibited. If found flouting the rules, your participation on the trek will be cancelled with immediate effect. Please understand we will not accept any negotiation or debate on alcohol consumption.
- Payment: Payment for the trek can be done online through credit/debit card or net banking or NEFT or by account payee cheques or by G-pay or via UPI.
- Non-liability: Soma's Camps is not responsible for any loss/damage of your gears/equipment or other belongings on the trek.
- Please be aware that if your trek leader deems it unsafe for you to continue trekking at any time, he may arrange for you to descend to a lower altitude.
- Regarding proper disposal of non bio-degradable waste:At Soma's Camps, we to prefer to leave nothing other than footprints behind. Kindly help us to maintain that by taking care of your non bio-degradable wastes.
- Emergency during trek: If for any reason you are sent down from the trek then Soma's Camps will make arrangements for your return to the base camp or nearest road head. A staff will accompany you. He may not be a trained personnel.Evacuation or dealing with emergencies is extremely difficult and time consuming in the mountains.Moreover, a sick or injured person is not easy to evacuate.We do not have doctors accompanying with the team . Doctors are not available at the base camp or nearest road head either. Soma's Camps trek leaders are trained to administer first aid and know how to deal with issues related to the mountains. However, they are not doctors.Registering for this trek is an understanding that you have read up on the difficulties of high altitude trekking and understand the risks. You have also understood what AMS, HAPE and HACE are. You have taken efforts to educate yourself and you are in a position to manage your own altitude related emergency.
- Please understand when we say 'trek fee', we mean the full amount not partial payment.
- Program may get modified/cancelled in case of inclement weather.
- Cost escalation during the trek, due to change in itinerary owing to natural reasons or unforeseen conditions like Landslides , Road Blockage, Bad Weather, Social or Political Unrest, Strikes, sudden shut down of any govt office etc, will have to be borne by the participant.
- Soma's Camps do not owns the base camps at Manali . Maintenance of the base camp stays are solely with the owners.
- Please note that the minimum batch strength is 7. If we fall short of the requisite number, the trek will be called off and your trek fees will be refunded in full without any cancellation charge deducted. However, if you still want to go ahead with the trek, it will be our pleasure to conduct it for you. In such a case your trek fees will be a little higher and the amount will be disclosed to you well before the journey.