Sandakphu - Paradise of Trekkers

Sandakphu is the highest peak located in the Darjeeling district in the eastern state of India, West Bengal. It is about fifty eight kilometers from Darjeeling. It is situated at the border of the Singalila National Park on the West Bengal-Sikkim boundary. It is the loftiest peak of the Singalila Ridge. The place is known for its sunrises and sunsets. The word `Sandakphu` means `the height of the poison plants`. It refers to the poisonous aconite plants that gro near the peak. A tourist site located on the Indo Nepal border, Maneybhanjan, is the gateway to the peak. Sandakphu is situated at an altitude of 3,636 metres above mean sea level.

Referred as the Paradise of Trekkers, Sandakphu offers excellent oppurtunities for trekking. Sandakphu is the last destination of many trekking routes in the Darjeeling-Sikkim region. The trek to the peak starts from Maneybhanjan. Sandakphu is a point from where one can view the four out of the world`s five highest peaks in the world- Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Lhotse.

Sandakphu houses a diverse variety of flora namely, magnolias, rhododendrons, primulas and other sub-alpine flowers making it an ideal retreat for nature lovers. The region also houses nearly six hundred varieties of orchids, which is the largest collection in the world.