CI's Web Log: Into Thin Air: A mini Himalayan Adventure

5:30am wakeups to witness the sunrise, an everlasting hope the clouds would clear and give a glimpse of the mighty Kangchenjunga massif, staring in awe when they did, chai breaks in remote settlements, strings of colourful prayer flags, being out of breath, gulping fresh thin air, sounds of silence, scent of evergreens, thin clouds flowing right past my face…

I recently got the chance to take some time off work to head to northern India for a week of trekking in the Himalayan Mountains. An overnight train followed by a 3 hour jeep ride up countless switchbacks brought us to Darjeeling, ‘Queen of the Hills’. The fresh, cold air of the mountains was a glorious relief from the heavy heat of Kolkata summer (40C these days with monsoon season fast approaching).

rooftop restaurant

Darjeeling is a fairly developed and bustling town near the Nepali border, sitting at 2100m with spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Largely developed by the Brits in the 1800’s as a hill station and tea distribution centre, it’s now widely famous for the quality of the tea which grows on its steep hills (and the Sherpa community). This region is comprised of a very diverse culture with a unique way of living (primarily agriculture). The majority of the current occupants are Nepali, along with many other communities such as Bengalis, Bhutias, and Tibetans, with Buddhists and Hindus forming the religious majority.

The 5 day, 55km trek to Sandakphu at 3600m took us along the Singalilla ridge which followed the Indian/Nepali border. A few of the days were spent in Nepal, which was monumental personally as it was country #30 visited for me, one of my major goals. Also, it was a step up from 2600m which previously was the highest altitude I had reached in Austria on my European cycle tour last summer. Getting up in the clouds was unreal – I want more! Looking forward to heading back up to this region in a few months time on my way home to Canada.