Sandakphu Trek (Singalila Ridge)

This is a fairly easy walking trek, steep in places, but with long stretches of gentle climbing on a good trail. Alternatively you can arrange transport all the way to Sandakphu in four-wheel drive jeeps and allow yourselves more time to bird in particular hotspots en-route. The habitat at the start out of Manebhanjang is poor and there are other open areas that are not to productive, we concentrated on the area around Gairibas where there is good birding in bamboo, Rhododendron and oak forest with good tracks and at Sandakphu, which at 3,600m altitude has silver fir and birch in addition to the bamboo, oak and rhododendron. We explored a steep track down below Sandakphu from the Singalila Ridge NP sign into thick forest and also walked along the ridge in the direction of Phalut looking for Rosefinch, Accentors and other altitudinal species.

Gairibas – selected sightings: Black-faced and Scaly Laughingthrush, Satyr Tragopan, Nutcracker, Yellow-browed Tit, White-browed and Lesser Shortwing, Spotted Forktail, Spotted and Rufous-throated Wren Babbler, Black-throated Parrotbill, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, White-spectacled Warbler, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker and Black-headed Shrike Babbler.