Home Destinations India West BengalSandakphu to Phalut Ridge Trek

Moderate

Hiking

🇮🇳 India

Satellite

This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.

ID: IN-WB-08

Singalila National Park entry permit from the Manebhanjan forest office or the park gate after Tumling (fees differ for Indian and foreign nationals, plus camera fees). A guide is compulsory for trekkers.

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Sandakphu%E2%80%93Phalut_Trek

Sandakphu to Phalut Ridge Trek

Added on 14 Oct 2026

Logged by @trailx

The northern section of the Sandakphu-Phalut trek in Singalila National Park, following the open India-Nepal border ridge from Sandakphu (3,636 m), the highest point of West Bengal, to Phalut (3,600 m) near the trijunction of Nepal, Sikkim and West Bengal. The 21 km stretch is uninhabited and has views of Kangchenjunga.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

21 km one way; about 10 hours with no settlements, so carry water and food. The Phalut section is rated moderate. October-November and March-May are best; snow can close the ridge in winter.

Mission Logs93 waypoints

Distance	Direction & Instruction	Gradient
0.0 km	W Start Point	-1%
0.2 km	W Continue on track	-3%
0.4 km	W Continue on track	-8%
0.6 km	W Steep Descent	-12%
0.8 km	N Steep Descent	-15%

Note: Gear suggestions are based on terrain gradient and are for reference only.

Weather check

At Start

3587m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

27.1046, 88.0004

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 27.1046, 88.0004 @ 3587m

Quick Stats

Distance

16.9 km

Type

Hiking Trail

Elevation Range

3257m - 3587m

Max Elevation

3587 m

Max Gradient

22.9%

32.8%

Highlights

See Kangchenjunga and Everest from Sandakphu at dawn
Walk the open ridge on the Nepal border
Stay at the GTA trekkers' hut at Phalut
Visit the trijunction just north of Phalut
Detour to Moley trekkers' hut

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Signal Verified

Emergency Simplex

146.520MHz

Team Coordination

446.006MHz

Scout Primary

146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+558 m

Total Descent

-664 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)

72.3

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)

1.46

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)17%

Moderate (3-8%)24%

Steep (>8%)58%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved2%

Unpaved98%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt

Dirt Track

59%

Rugged/Rock

39%

Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 49

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryModerate

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 27.103870

MAX LAT: 27.208321

MIN LON: 87.987993

MAX LON: 88.018060

Point Spacing: 14 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Sandakphu to Phalut Ridge Trek

Best time to go

Jun–Oct

October to March suits most of the country. The southwest monsoon (June to September) floods the Western Ghats and Kerala, but it is also the main season for Ladakh and Spiti, where high passes are usually open only from June to October.