Sandakphu–Phalut (Singalila Ridge)
The ridge where you see four of the five highest peaks on earth
The Singalila Ridge trek to Sandakphu (3,636 m) and Phalut is the great classic of the eastern Himalaya, walking the border ridge between India and Nepal with one of the most extraordinary mountain panoramas anywhere: on a clear day you can see four of the world's five highest peaks — Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu — from a single viewpoint, the famous 'Sleeping Buddha' formed by the Kanchenjunga range.
Reached from Manebhanjan near Darjeeling on the Sikkim–West Bengal fringe of the region, it winds through the Singalila National Park, rhododendron forest and ridge-top villages with tea-house stays. Moderately graded and achievable for fit beginners, it is the most rewarding introduction to high-Himalaya trekking in the east.
The trek at a glance
Why trek Sandakphu–Phalut
- Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu from one ridge
- The 'Sleeping Buddha' silhouette of the Kanchenjunga range
- Rhododendron blooms in spring in Singalila National Park
- Cosy tea-house stays along the ridge