Marvel Adventure–feel the excitation

PHOKTEY DARA TREK

Trek Cost :

₹ 12,000 + 5% GST (NJP to NJP)

ABOUT THIS TREK

Grade : Moderate

Region : Sikkim

Altitude : 3733 m

Trek Distance : 26 Km

Trek Days : 6 Days

Best Season : October to May

Nearest Railway : New Jalpaiguri

Nearest Airport : Bagdogra

Phoktey Dara trail is a pristine beauty of West Sikkim. The trek consists of very exquisite views of Kanchenjunga Massif and peaceful dense forest walk. It’s parts fall under Varsey Rhododendron sanctuary which is mostly untouched by civilization. The trek is through adventurous thick forest, and will lead you to the Top Phalut point which is 360 clear view. You can see nepal himalayas and also Mt. Everest, Mt. Lohtse, Mt. Makalu & obviously the mighty sleeping Buddha (Kanchenjunga massif). On a clear day 4 out of 5 highest peaks of the world can be seen from here. This trek is also known for Mt. Everest & Mt. Kanchenjunga view trek. The sunrise & sunset view on this trek is out of the world experience. Phoktey dara located at an altitude of 3700m, a spectacular view point on Singali La range. You can witness the aerial view of Barsey Rhododendron sanctuary also. Phoktey Dara is famous for the Rhododendrons. A 104 sq kms range of thick rhododendron forest. This trail is still untouched & offbeat. Less crowded makes it more beautiful & you can enjoy pure calm nature. If you are lucky enough you can spot wildlife and many birds on this trek.

Gallery

WHY YOU SHOULD DO THIS TREK

Rhododendrons

The first priority on our list is the Rhododendrons. In the spring season you will find the whole forest have change its color to red & saffron. Thick rhododendron forest make this trek so picture perfect that will definately amazed you.

The Multiple View Point

There is no such trek that consists of multiple view points in such low altitude, easy accessible trek. The Phoktey Dara, Singali La Top & Phalut are the three view point to experience the grand view of Nepal himalayas.

Endless mountain ranges

The long nepal himalayas can be seen on this trek on a clear day. Even you can find peaks lies between Indo-China border. The great unobstructed view of Mt. Kanchenjunga i. e. sleeping Buddha is the biggest treat you get on this trek. In addition on your left hand you will find Nepal himalayas and worlds highest peak. On the other hand on right you will find Bhutan mountain ranges.

ITINERARY

DAY 1 | ARRIVAL DAY - UTTAREY

Arrive In Uttarey, drive 160kms from NJP. Check in our Homestay. Our guide/Trek leader will brief you about trek trek.
Overnight In: Uttarey (2020m )
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Evening Snacks, Dinner

DAY 2 | TREKKING TO ACCHALEY

From Uttarey (2020m ) To Acchaley (2850m ) – 4-5 Hrs. 9 Kms After breakfast start your trek. You will reached campsite by lunch time. Mostly easy ascending trails.
Overnight In: Acchaley (2850m )
Accommodation: Tents
Meals Included: tea & breakfast, hot lunch, evening tea & snacks, dinner.

DAY 3 | TREKKING TO KALIJHAR

From Acchaley (2850m ) To Kalijhar (3450m ) – 4 Hrs. 6 Kms After breakfast head towards Kalijhar camp. Mostly easy trail. Hot lunch will be there.
Overnight In: Kalijhar (3450m )
Accommodation: Tents
Meals Included: Tea & breakfast, lunch, evening tea & snacks, dinner.

DAY 4 | PASS CROSSING AND TREK TO PHALUT

Cross Singalila Pass And Reach Phalut – 6 Hrs. 12 Kms Today we will start a bit early, long walk. A bit moderate trail. Carry enough water.
Overnight In: Phalut (3600m )
Accommodation: Tents / Homestay
Meals Included: Tea & breakfast, lunch, evening tea & snacks, dinner.

DAY 5 | TREKKING TO GORKHEY

From Phalut (3600m ) To Gorkhey (2286m ), Via – Phalut Sunrise View Point (3700m ) – 6-7 Hrs. 15 Kms Have tea Early morning and go for sunrise view point on Phalut. Come back have breakfast then descend down to a beautiful hamlet Gorkhey.
Overnight In: Gorkhey (2286m )
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Tea & breakfast, lunch, evening tea & snack, dinner.

DAY 6 | DEPARTURE TO BAGDOGRA

From Gorkhey (2286m ) To Bagdogra (250m ), Via – Srikhola (1800) 6 Hrs. 140 Kms
Accommodation: None
Meals Included: Breakfast
Cost Of Transport Included: Yes

HOW TO REACH THE BASE VILLAGE UTTAREY

The nearest railhead is Siliguri / New Jalpaiguri railway station. And the nearest airport is Bagdogra. From NJP/Siliguri/Bagdogra you can Book a cab. Otherwise you can take shared car till Jorethang. Then another to reach uttarey. But all the transportation will be taken care by us. We will arrange pickup & drop.

FINEST TIME TO EXPERIENCE

This trek lies in the eastern himalayas. So you can understand except rainy season the trek is open throughout the year. But there is three best season to do this trek, spring, autumn & winter. In the spring season i.e march april is best to experience the rhododendron blossom. The whole trails become colorful. Temperature ranges between 18-22° day time & 5-10° at night. Weather remains very clear, so the views. In Autumn season i.e September October, after the monsoons end dense green thick forest trail you will find. After rains the sky gets more clear than summer. The clear views opens up. Temperature ranges between 18-24° at day time & 5-10° at night. In the winter season the challenge throws by the temperature, day time 10-15° & at night -5 to 5°. Otherwise weather remains mostly clear if not there is snowfall. If there is bad weather forecast you may experience snowfall. Snow safety gears will be provided if required.

HOW DIFFICULT IS THIS TREK

The Phoktey Dara trek with Phalut is a low altitude & short distance trek compared to other himalayan treks. So we categorized this trek as a easy trek, and very suitable for beginners. It has only 5 days hike & by average 8 kms per day walk on a easy ascending trail. Half of the trek comes under the tree line, so there is very lesser chance to lower oxygen density in the air. Except winter season the weather & temperature remains comfortable & tolerant, which makes it beginner level trek. The highest altitude on this trek 3600m which is not very dangerous. But keep in mind even if it is easy & beginners level trek, don’t consider it underrated. You need basic fitness and acclimatization.

TREK INCLUSIONS

TREK EXCLUSIONS

WHAT TO CARRY ON PHOKTEY DARA TREK

The beginner friendly Phoktey Dara trek doesn’t demand a lot from you. But the first thing you need to carry on every trek is a bit fitness and endurance. So before attempting a trek always do some Cardio and other endurance exercises. And obviously few hiking gears like Rucksack, Waterproof Trekking shoes, warm layers of Jackets, Thermal Inners, Woolen and sun caps, Sunscreen(SPF 40) and toiletries, multiple pair of socks, warm gloves, Headlamps with extra cells, sunglasses etc. At last if you have any queries or its confusing what to carry for you, please feel free to contact us. Don’t overweight your backpack, otherwise trek will seem to be very difficult.

IS THIS TREK SAFE FOR CHILDERN?

As we stated above that this trek is easy & beginner friendly, that make sence it would be child Friendly also. The trail is not that much of challenging, the acclimatization is easier, not required to follow hard rules, there is no risky walk on this trek. In addition weather is not much harse, trails are not through the boulder zone or glaciers. This all conditions make it suitable for child trekkers. A fit and regular exercise children above 7 years old can do this trek. But you need to keep in mind that he shouldn’t be overweight, BMI should be under 25.

Frequently Asked Questions

Acclimatisation is the most important part of high altitude trek. Acclimatisation is the process where your body start getting cope up with mountain weather & atmosphere that is different from your hometown. This change of environment may affect your normal performance in that environmental conditions. So you need to be well acclimatise to safely do the trek. Not every time depend on the high altitude medicines to avoid AMS, go for natural acclimatisation. Otherwise your body will depend permanently on the medicines whenever you go to the high altitude. The natural acclimatisation is more powerful than medicines. We need to accept the himalayas as it is challenging. It is not that himalayas are unbeatable, but requires to follow rules and systematic approch. How do human body actually acclimatise to the high altitude? In the high altitude the air pressure gets lower so the density. That is why the molecules spreads out in more space and get apart from each other. This affects lower oxygen consume per breath. Our body reacts with that change and starts to take more breath that is hypoxia. We often called it breathlessness in laymen term. Then body try to take more breath to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in our blood. This results increase pH of blood, making our blood more alkaline and body starts urinate more for exerting of bicarbonates. On the other side the body starts to produce more hemoglobin count which are the oxygen carriers in our blood. This thickens our bloods and now our heart need to pump more to throw the blood in the distant organs hence the blood pressure gets higher. This indicates slight high pressure and pulse rate is normal in high altitude areas. There are three golden rules to acclimatisation in the field of mountaineering is –
1. Climb high sleep low
2. Ascend slowly, take your time. And do not over exert.
3. Hydrate & hydrate yourself more & more.

Our expert justified few ways to acclimatise naturally are discussed below-
At first check your itinerary. Trekking is not a game in hurry. You need time to complete. It is not anything you achieve but enjoyed. This is a sport that is away from any competition. Any trek should not be judge by time & distance. Do not over exert yourself, don’t go beyond your limits. Fix your itinerary comfortably. Do not try to cover more distance and altitude gain in one day to minimize the trekking days and cost. On the very initial days approach slowly even you are fit enough to trek faster. Take more time to gain altitude. This allows your body enough time to adjust with the atmosphere. Always bring a well hydrated body in the Himalayas and keep hydrated yourself on the trek days. Drink 3-4 liters of water every day on trek, and consume enough tea, soup, dal and other liquid includes in your meals. Do not consume any type of alcohol drinks 2/3 days before you start the trek, and also don’t on the trek. We do not allow any trekker to consume alcohol on the trek, if found he/she will be sent back then and there. We do not also advise to consume any hard drinks, too much coffee is also not good. ORS and other energy/glucose tablets are best on the trek. After arriving on trek base, trekkers may feel cold weather. But do not cover yourself fully with all of the woolen cap, muffler, neck warmer and all. Let your body to sense the atmosphere change with the sense organs. It will help in natural acclimatisation. Allow your skin to feel the cold. your ears to sense the pressure change. Keep that open while gaining altitude, unless there is a blizzard or bad weather condition. Don’t be a show off man, don’t show unnecessary bravery. Keep your body protect from cold weather. Protect your body from cold wind, cover your head at night & bad weather, cover your neck, tonsils and body tip like fingers, toes etc. Get proper sleep at night. It doesn’t mean that you should sleep at day time or in the afternoon as soon as you reach the campsite. Sleeping is important on every trek to get refresh and rest for next day trek. If you find difficulty in sleep bring immediate notice to the trek leader or guide. As you reach the trek base try to keep yourself dry, do not loose the body heat. Do not skip your soup in the evening. The garlic soup & other helps in blood circulation, keeps your body warm. You remain active on the high altitude. After reaching campsite everybody gets tired, this is normal. But do not get into your sleeping bag & take a nap. This will not help you to get acclimatise. Have some rest for a while, then explore the nearby places, go for the acclimatisation walk. You need to follow the golden rule ‘climb high sleep low’. Climb a bit higher in acclimatisation walk and get back to the campsite. You can indulge yourself in games, or can go for photography. Eat proper meals throughout the day, but lite. Not so much spicy foods, consume easy to digest foods more.
Trekking is a adventure sports, you need to bring a sportsman sprit and fitness on any trek. There is a big worry in many trekkers that how much they need to be fit for a trek. The himalayas are full of steep uphill, rough terrain, walking in the snow all these can be very challenging for trekkers specially for beginners. We will discuss here how to get fit for any trek with a complete training guide. Trek to uphill mountain is not in our daily routine so it is simple that we will find it tough to climb uphill. And with a backpack it seems very challenging. But only a month of regular exercise can make you fit for the trek. Cardio exercise is the best for pre trek exercise. Do some cardio exercise like jogging, swimming, cycling, jumping jacks etc will help you to build your endurance. Don’t forget to do some leg exercise like squats, lunges, stair climbing etc to build stamina of your legs. Now we made a routine exercise for you –
1. Cardiovascular endurance : On your trek you will constantly gaining altitude with your backpack in low oxygen atmosphere. Your heart will do more effort in this condition. So you need to go through cardio exercise at least for one month regularly to counter this constant uphill climb comfortably, infact you will find it bit easier. Jogging for 4 kms in 30 minutes is your first target for this. Start with slower jog and continue to fill the target.
2. Leg exercise : After one week of jogging add some leg exercise like squats and lunges to your routine. This exercises will build stamina of your leg that will help you on steep uphill climb. Start with 10 squats and 10 lunges of 2 set in first week. Then increase to 3 sets. Try to fulfil your target to do 3 sets of 15 each before the trek.
3. Strengthening the core : For strengthening your core body plank and hip raise are best. Do plank for 20 seconds for first three days and then start increasing by 10 seconds till 60.
Along with that do 10 hip raises 2 sets, and increase for 3 sets of 15 each. That should be the goal. So, get ready for your next adventure, make yourself fit enough to do the adventure activities.

There are three level of fitness we categorise :
Level 1 : It is the minimal fitness with that you just able to finish the trek. You struggle a bit, but not too much to do the challenging section. We find most of the trekkers with this much of fitness.
Level 2 : This is one level up fitness you bring on the trek, that you find the trek not very difficult or moderate but easy. And you can carry your own backpack easily throughout the trek. You don’t feel exhausted at the end of every day trek. You are find yourself still not tired and active after reaching the destination. You enjoy the other activity and enjoy exploring the nearby or involving yourself in some game.
Level 3 : This is the fitness we admire most & the ultimate mountaineer like fitness. The trekkers with this fitness finds trek easy for them and they are still very active after the whole day trek even with their rucksack. Not only that these people are fit enough to tolerate bad weather conditions, contribute in some work like tent pitching & kitchen activity, bringing water from nearby water source. Give a hand if other trekkers are in trouble or in some rescue operation.
Rucksack is a most important equipment on every trek & packing your rucksack is a important task for your trek. On a typical trek you need to carry your own rucksack, and if your rucksack is not comfortable to carry you will eventually start hating your backpack and also the trek. A rucksack need to be perfectly pack that it should be comfortable to carry on your back. It should not hurt you anyhow. The mordern day designed rucksacks are very light weight and have many chambers to pack seprately. A good quality rucksack have well paded for comfortable carrying in waist and shoulder. If you are planning to buy a rucksack, please keep the things in your mind and don’t forget to check the strength of rucksack and other straps.
Before you pack your rucksack go through our basic rule. This will help you to pack easily as a beginner. You just can not do every day packing and unpacking on multiple day of trek. Imagine how irritable and time consuming that will be. The A B C D E rule to pack your rucksack—

A – Accessibility = While packing your rucksack pack in such way that every thing are easily accissible for you. Use the different parts to achieve different things easily. For an example use different chambers for toileteries, different for your dry fruits and snacks, different for clothes, different for small items like gloves, socks, woolen caps etc. Keep the items at top or side pockets that you may need on the way like rain wears, sunglass, sunscreen etc.
B – Balance = Your bag need to be packed in such way that it can stand straight when you leave your backpack alone on a flat surface. The more your backpack is balanced the less it will hurt your shoulder. The weight distribution on both shoulder should be equal in order to comfortable carry.
C – Compression & Compartments = While packing your backpack compress all the cloths and the things that can be compresed. It will give you more space inside your rucksack. But remember don’t do more compress or less, do as much as it needed. Compress till it gives you more space to adjust other things. Now use more compartments or make more compartments by using different colored plastic bags, like for socks and underwear use red color plastic bags, for inner and thermal clother use yellow bag, for woolen cap & gloves use green one. It will not only give you another layer of waterproofing but also help you recognise all the different things. This will also help you to find your stuffs quickly.
D – Dry = Always keep your backpack dry from outside and inside also. Use rain cover from outside. And from inside all of your stuffs should be kept dry, otherwaise it will be more heavier than usual. Wet rucksack is not only heavier but also prone to damage, not good for rucksack maintenance. Use rain cover to protect from get wet.
E – Environment = Make a list of your stuffs that need to be packed inside the rucksack according to the environment of the trek you are going. Keep in mind the weather in that perticular month you choose to trek. Pack your backpack with stuffs you need in that weather conditions.

EXPERT’S ADVISE:
-> Always keep the heavy things in the middle of the rucksack and closer to your back.
-> The medium weight things should be kept in the lower compartments & liteweight items should be kept in top section of your rucksack.
-> Use plastic layer from inside to keep the stuffs dry.
-> Don’t forget to put rain cover from outside in rain and snow.
-> Adjust the shoulder straps to balance weight on both shoulder. Put the waist starps also to get better support and balance.
-> You can use you rucksack as a pillow inside the tent, or can rest your leg on rucksack.
Lots of trekkers are very worried about their accomodation on trek days. Wheather it gonna be comfortable or not, safe or not. Here is the answer. We have the good quality tents and sleeping bags for high altitude treks. Our mattress are very soft and thick to provide a comfortable sleep at night. But you should keep in mind that trekking in wilderness in himalayas are not any four or five star category. This is an adventure trip, if we provide a homely/hotel feeling on your trek, then there will be no adventure left for you. But obviously we will definitely provide a safe and cozy tent for your stay. Our tents are tested in bad weather conditions also. Sleeping bags are very warm to spend nights with a good sleep. And at the trek bases we arrange the best homestay available at the village. Homestays are sanitised and clean from inside. Toilets are well maintained and hygiene.
We go to the each and every trek base we organise and choose our guides on the basis of their experience, behaviour, past record, knowledge, abilities and good personality. They knows all about the routes and reacue & evacuation plans. They know how to handle in bad weather conditions. Our guides are well trained for work in the mountains, knows about the camping gears. They have years of experience in safety methods and protocols on the trek. Our guides are very happy to help and eager to serve you better. They always maintain health and hygiene. They are very friendly and make the more enjoyable for you.