 The best months to trek in this region are April, May, October and November. There may be occasional showers during April and May but, in away, this is the
best time to go as many shrubs are in flower, particularly the rhododendrons.
There may be occasional rains during the first half of October if the monsoon is
prolonged. November is generally dry, and visibility is excellent during the
first half of December, though it's usually cold by then. After the middle of
December there are occasional snowfalls.
You don't need to bring much with you on this trek as there's accommodation
along the way. Most places have quilts but in the high season it might be worth
bringing your own sleeping bag (you can rent them in Darjeeling) in case there's
not enough bedding to go round. Also, since you sill be passing through valley
bottoms as low as 300m and over mountain ridges as high as 4000m, you'll need
clothing for a wide range of temperatures. Take rain gear whatever time of year
you go, as weather can be unpredictable. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) can occur
at high altitudes.
Although you can get basic meals along the way, everyone recommends bringing
along some snacks like nuts, biscuits, raisins and chocolate. You'll need a
water bottle even a plastic mineral water bottle will do as there are some
stretches where there's no water or places to eat.
Guides and porters are not necessary but can be arranged through the youth
hostel or the trekking agencies.
Before leaving Darjeeling you're advised to browse through the Darjeeling
Youth Hostel's book in which trekkers write their comments about the routes.
This trek to the Himalayan viewpoint at Phalut (3600m) is the
most popular trek in the area. It involves a short bus trip from Darjeeling to
Manaybhanjang, from where you walk steadily towards the mountains via Sandakphu.
Here you can turn back or continue to Phalut and walk down to Rimbik for a bus
to Darjeeling. The trek can be done in the opposite direction but you will spend
more time walking with your back to the mountains.
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If you don't have time for a six day trek, you can go just as far as
Sandakphu where there are also good views. Sandakphu is actually slightly higher
than Phalut, although further back from the mountains. From here you can
backtrack to Bikhay Bhanjang and cut straight across to Rimbik in five to six
hours for a bus to Darjeeling. Bear in mind that there's no water or food on
this stretch.
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