Sandakphu Trekking
Sandakphu is a wonderland for the trekkers. It's located at an altitude of 11,929ft (i.e. 3,636 meters) in Darjeeling district and north west of Darjeeling hill town. This is the summit or the highest point in Singalila range as well as in the state of West Bengal, India. The trek route to Sandakphu goes all along the Singalila range and therefore this is also known as Singalila trek.
his trek can be done in two seasons, each providing a unique experience. The months of October and November offer crystal clear mountain views and you can enjoy glorious sights of sunrise from Sandakphu and Phalut. If you trek later in winter, you can even experience fresh snow at Sandakphu! Trekking on this route in the spring gives you colorful forest vistas, interspersed with rhododendrons and magnolias. Sandakphu trekking will bring a well-balanced ratio of easy and tough sections as the path will keep climbing and descending. All said and done, it is one of the easiest mountain expeditions that you can undertake in the region, and is perfect for you to get better at hiking. At your lodgings near the summit, you will enjoy a little felicitation to celebrate the ascent, and the next few days will be spent solely in hiking downhill. In Rimbik, where your trip will end, you will have another round of celebration; this time with a scrumptious dinner, warming bonfire and good music.
White Water Rafting in Teesta River
River Teesta originates from Tso Lhamo lake in North Sikkim at an altitude of over 5,330 meters, while Rangeet originates from a glacier of Mount Kabru in the lower Kanchenjunga region. Teesta Rivers are graded in the international level at I to IV and present one of the finest rafting starches in the world.
If you want to rip the white waters, then you will have to reach Melli. Ideally rafting can be done enroute, between Gangtok to Darjeeling, Gangtok to Kalimpong or Gangtok to Siliguri. Before you head for this adventure, make sure you carry extra cloths, and towels as you are bound to get wet by the splash of luxuriant river. The raft operators generally give instructions before boarding you in, which needs to be followed during the trip. The routes for non swimmers are gentle and easy without much rapids involved. However for the swimmers and experienced clients, the routes are more adventurous with high grade rapids providing quite a thrill. As you raft down Teesta, the mesmerizing view of the dense forests along the slope of the mountains, the vegetation, the many different birds, fishes on the water, combined with the excitement of rafting through the torrents and foaming waters create an unforgettable experience. There are small villages on both sides of the river. You can therefore see many cultivated lands. Overall an awesoeme feeling. White Water Rafting in Teesta has been introduced by DGHC (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, now GTA) in 1991 and has been consistently gaining popularity since then. It's fun and exciting. In rafting, there are 6 grades or levels of difficulty depending on the rapids or the current in the river. Grade-1 (with flat calm water) is the easiest.
Tiger Spotting in the Sundarbans
Sundarbans has a healthy tiger population, but seeing the big cat is fairly difficult as they hide themselves quite well in the dense forests. The delta, however, is visually stunning, and even if you don't see a tiger - the chances of seeing the highly endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, sharks and even saltwater crocodiles somewhat make up for it. A word of caution: The Sundarbans is not the ideal place for first time Safari goers, it's a bit rough and rustic, and you'd be lucky to spot a tiger. The area is unfortunately in the news for tiger attacks and killings, as it is home to a large tiger population with increasing human encroachment and loss of tiger habitat.
Sundarbans is the indigenous home to the Royal Bengal Tigers. UNESCO has professed that the Sunderban National Park is a World Heritage Site.
Tiger spotting in this national park is a unique and unmatched experience in the whole world and is a must for all the wildlife lovers. According to the sources it is presently an abode to about 400 tigers.
This National park encompasses approximately 54 islands across India and Bangladesh. One can also spot other wildlife species the Sundarbans like rock pythons, water monitors, monkey and chital.