Singalila National Park is a national park in India. It is located on the Singalila Ridge at an elevation of over 2,300 meters above sea level in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The park is known for the trekking route to Sandakphu, which passes through it.
History
The area was used for many years as a path for travelers moving from Manebhanjang to Sandakphu (the highest peak in West Bengal) and Phalut. In 1882, the British Government bought the Singalila region in Darjeeling from the Sikkim Durbar and designated it as a Reserve Forest under the Indian Forest Act of 1878.
In 1849, Joseph Dalton Hooker, a well-known British botanist and explorer, visited Singalila Ridge. His expedition was based in Darjeeling, where he stayed with naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson. Through Hodgson, Hooker met Archibald Campbell, a representative of the British East India Company, who helped arrange Hooker's entry into Sikkim. This was approved in 1849. Hooker explored the area with local resident Charles Barnes, then traveled along the Rangeet River to its meeting point with the Teesta River and Tonglu mountain on the Singalila Ridge, which lies on the border with Nepal.
The park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1986 and became an Indian national park in 1992.
Geography
Singalila National Park is located on the Singalila Ridge, which is between 2,300 meters and 4,000 meters above sea level. The park covers an area of 78.6 square kilometers.
Political geography: The park is found in the Darjeeling area, Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India. To the north of the park is the state of Sikkim, and to the west is the country of Nepal.
Physical geography: The park is part of the Eastern Himalayas. The Singalila Ridge runs from north to south and separates Himalayan West Bengal from other mountain ranges to the west. The two tallest mountains in West Bengal, Sandakphu (3,630 meters) and Phalut (3,600 meters), are located on the ridge within the park. The Rammam River and Srikhola River flow through the park.
Note: The map shows some important places in the area. All marked locations on the map are connected to a larger, full-screen map.
Human history
The park does not have an important history of people living there. However, small communities have developed along the hiking path to Sandakphu and Phalut. There is a fairly large village at Kala Pokhri, located near the lake of the same name. The Singalila Ridge was used as a path to get closer to the mountain by the first recorded mountain climbing group, which did not succeed in climbing Kanchenjunga in 1905. The group was led by Jules Jacot-Guillarmod and the well-known spiritualist Aleister Crowley.
Natural history
The park has different elevations, which create three different biomes, from subalpine to subtropical, and three matching ecoregions:
- The Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests ecoregion, which is part of the temperate coniferous forests biome
- The Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests ecoregion, which is part of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome
- The Himalayan subtropical pine forests ecoregion, which is part of the subtropical coniferous forest biome
The subtropical biome is found between 1800 and 3000 meters above sea level, and the temperate biome is found between 3000 and 4500 meters above sea level.
Biodiversity
The Singalila Ridge is covered by dense forests of bamboo, oak, magnolia, and rhododendron between 2000 and 3600 meters in elevation. There are two times of the year when wildflowers bloom. In spring (March and April), rhododendrons bloom. In the season after the monsoon (around October), wildflowers such as Primula, Geranium, Saxifraga, Bistort, Senecio, Cotoneaster, and many types of orchids bloom in the lower forests.
Sandakphu is called the "mountain of poisonous plants" because many Himalayan cobra lilies (Arisaema) grow there. Scientists studied the plant life in 2001.
The orchidarium at Lloyd Botanical Garden in Darjeeling has about 2,500 orchids, including 50 rare types. Most of these orchids were collected from Singalila National Park.
Mammals: The park is home to many small mammals, such as red pandas, leopard cats, barking deer, yellow-throated martens, wild boars, pangolins, and pikas. Larger mammals include Himalayan black bears, leopards, clouded leopards, serows, and takins. Tigers sometimes visit the area, but they do not live there because there is not enough food for them.
Birds: The park has over 120 bird species, including rare and unusual ones like the Himalayan Vulture, scarlet minivet, kalij pheasant, blood pheasant, satyr tragopan, brown and fulvous parrotbills, rufous-vented tit, and Old World babblers such as the fire-tailed myzornis and golden-breasted fulvetta. The park is also along the migration path of many birds.
Reptiles and amphibians: The endangered Himalayan newt lives in the area and gathers near lakes such as Jore Pokhri and Sukhiapokhri to reproduce. These lakes are within 20 kilometers of the park and are protected wildlife sanctuaries.
Conservation issues
The main problems in the park include collecting trash along hiking paths and protecting plants from being harmed by hikers, as plants at high elevations grow very slowly. Yaks and cattle from nearby villages sometimes graze in the park, which can be a problem. Forest fires are a danger, especially in spring when old leaves and plants from winter can catch fire easily. A forest fire happened in the park on March 6, 2006.
In 2019, there were about 42 red pandas living in the park. Project Red Panda, funded by the Central Zoo Authority, chose Singalila National Park for releasing pandas from a breeding program in Darjeeling because it is close. Two female pandas, Sweety and Milli, were released in November 2004. Milli was killed by a leopard, but Sweety adapted to the wild and had an offspring—the first successful reintroduction of red pandas.
The reintroduction was filmed by Indian filmmakers Rajesh Bedi and Naresh Bedi. The documentary, named Cherub of the Mist, won the Best Conservation and Environmental Film award at the 29th International Wildlife Film Festival in Montana.
Park-specific information
The park is one of the most popular family camping destinations in the Eastern Himalayas. The best times to visit are during spring (March–May) and after the rainy season (mid-September to early December). The park is closed to visitors from June 16 to September 15 every year because of heavy rains.
Trekking and camping: The trek along the Singalila Ridge to Sandakphu and Phalut is one of the most popular in the Eastern Himalayas. This route offers beautiful views of the Kangchenjunga and Everest mountain ranges, seasonal wildflowers, and opportunities for bird watching. The trek begins at Manebhanjan, which is 51 km (1.5 hours by road) from Darjeeling. The trekking routes inside the park are divided into four parts:
- Manebhanjan to Meghma (2,600 m): This is a 4-hour walk through the lower forest.
- Meghma to Gairibans (2,621 m): There are two alternative routes. Both go through Tonglu (3,070 m) and Tumling (2,900 m). The park’s boundary passes through Tumling, where a checkpost is located. A shorter trail from Tumling goes through Nepal and Jaubari (2,750 m).
- Gairibans to Sandakphu (3,636 m): This is a steep 4-hour climb. Halfway up is the village of Kala Pokhri (3,186 m).
- Sandakphu to Phalut (3,600 m): This is the most untouched part of the trek, offering great views of Kanchenjunga and Mount Everest. The route is 21 km long and takes one day, passing through Sabarkum (3,536 m). However, there is no water source along the way, so hikers must carry enough water to reach Phalut.
Descent from Sandakphu can be done in several ways:
• Walking back to Manebhanjan.
• Taking a steep path to the village of Sirikhola on the banks of the River Sirikhola, through Gurdum (2,300 m), and then to Rimbik.
• Using a 4WD motorable road to Sandakphu, allowing visitors to hire a car to return to Manebhanjan and Darjeeling via Tumling and Tonglu. Concrete roads have been built recently, replacing older gravel roads.
Descent from Phalut can also be done in several ways:
• Walking back to Manebhanjan.
• Descending to Sirikhola through high-elevation meadows with seasonal wildflowers. The route goes through Sabarkum and the abandoned village of Molley, leading to the scenic village of Rimbik, which is accessible by car.
• The most popular route goes through the villages of Gorkey (on the banks of the River Rammam) and Samanden, down to the village of Rammam. From there, the trail leads to Rimbik, which is a shorter path than the route via Sirikhola.
Birding: The Singalila National Park is one of the most popular birdwatching spots in the Eastern Himalayas. The seasonal blooming of flowers attracts many birds, making these times ideal for bird watching.
Accommodations: Guest houses with two rooms and trekkers’ huts are available at Tonglu, Gairibans, Sandakphu, Phalut, and Kala Pokhri, as well as other locations in the park, managed by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Many guest houses and lodging options are available at Manebhanjan. The best way to visit the park is to stay in Darjeeling and camp inside the national park.
Transportation:
• Nearest airport: Bagdogra Airport, West Bengal; Gangtok Helipad, East Sikkim district, Sikkim.
• Nearest rail station: Narrow gauge: Ghum, West Bengal; Standard Gauge: New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
• Nearest highway: NH 31A (Sivok-Gangtok) passes through Darjeeling, which is 1.5 hours by car from Manebhanjan.
• Nearest town: Manebhanjan, the access point for Rimbik and Tumling, which are gateways to the park.
• Nearest city: Darjeeling.
How to reach
By road: Singalila National Park is easily reached by road. The roads are curved and may make the journey feel like moving up and down. The route from Siliguri goes through Sukna, Rangtong, Kurseong, Tung, Sonada, Ghoom, Manebhanjan, and Tonglu, covering a total distance of 90 kilometers.
By rail: The closest railway station is Ghoom Railway Station, located 31 kilometers from Tonglu, which is the entry point to the park.
By air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport, 13 kilometers from Singalila National Park. By road, the distance from the airport to the park is less than 100 kilometers and takes 3 to 4 hours to travel.
Films
- "Singalila in the Himalaya" by George Thengummoottil http://theindia.info/SingaliLaInTheHimalaya The film tells the story of the history of Singalila ridge as someone hikes for 14 days.