- Breath-taking School Adventure along the stunning India / Nepal Border
- Superb combination of trekking, culture and sightseeing
- Spectacular views of Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Everest and Lhotse
- Visit tea plantations in Darjeeling
- Community project at a local school
A varied and challenging School Adventure to the Indian region of Sikkim and its famous Singalila Ridge. In common with the neighbouring countries of Nepal and Bhutan, the landscape of this northerly projection of India is extremely varied: ranging from intensively farmed valleys in the south, through a higher alpine environment, to the high Himalayan peaks in the north of the territory. This part of India is one of the least-visited of all the Himalayan lands and remains pristine and unspoiled. It receives a great deal of rainfall during the summer monsoon and boasts particularly lush and varied vegetation, especially at lower altitudes. Sikkim is also culturally diverse, with Tibetan, Mongolian (Lepcha) and Indian peoples intermixed with immigrant Nepalese. Buddhism is one of the most important religions and there is the opportunity to visit several important Buddhist monasteries during the course of the trip. The jewel in Sikkim's crown is surely Kangchenjunga (8586m.), the world's third highest peak, which lies on the western edge of the state. The trekking element of this trip is the splendid 7-day walk along the famous Singalila Ridge, a prominent spur of high ground that forms the border between India and Nepal. The trek along this ridge is renowned as being one of the most scenically rewarding in the entire Himalaya, with views of Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Everest, Lhotse and a host of other peaks in the eastern Himalaya. No visit to this part of the world would be complete without seeing the fascinating Indian towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Educational Perspective
Tea planting in the Indian district of Darjeeling was begun during 1841 by a Dr. Campbell, a civil surgeon of the Indian Medical Service. He used seeds from China to grow the first plants. Commercial exploitation began during the 1850 and the rest is history.
Amend or Extend
Add a couple of days to include a visit to the Sikkimese capital of Gangtok, less than 3 hours drive north of Kalimpong.
Trip Guide
We recommended a minimum age of 14 yrs
This is an excellent and popular short trek, combined with a tour of some of the area's important towns, including Darjeeling, Pelling and Kalimpong. The trekking conditions are very easy, following good trails at all times. A jeep road runs beside our route for the first two days of the walk on the Singalila Ridge, and we will be following this, with numerous stepped sections which cut off the largest of the zig-zags taken by the jeep track. The altitudes attained on this trip are not extreme and, having spent a couple of days in Darjeeling, the group will already be reasonably well acclimatised prior to setting off on trek. Each of our School Group Adventures is given a grade, taking into account the amount of walking involved, the difficulty of the terrain, the remoteness, the altitude and the overall length of the trip. The trips are graded on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most challenging. This trip is graded 5.
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