Chunbhatti to Giddey Pahar.

Route

How the trail goes.

An expedition tier trail for the founders or the leaders in a cohort who want a real climb. Three routes are possible. The shortest leaves Hill Cart Road at Chunbhatti, takes the shortcut to Tindharia, drops down to Rohini Road, then climbs Selim Hill before the near-vertical ascent to Giddey. The other two routes take Hill Cart Road further before turning up. Every route ends in the same steep climb because the Giddey ridge drops straight to Tindharia. The view from the top shows Mahanadi, Gayabari, Tindharia, the Shivkhola valley, and on a clear day the Mahananda and Teesta rivers with Siliguri between them. Giddey is often in cloud. This trail is for a guided full-day, not the daily rhythm.

Highlights

What stays with you.

• Panoramic view from Mahanadi to Gayabari with the Shivkhola valley far below.
• Five named tea estates on the route. Tindharia, Selim Hill, Gidda Pahar, Goomtee, Jogmaya.
• The razor-sharp ridge from Giddey to Tindharia. A geography lesson written into the land.
• Tindharia and Gayabari for momos, aloo dum, and hot Darjeeling tea on the way.
• Fog at Giddey. The sun plays through the cloud.

Waypoints

The route, hour by hour.

1. 00:00Chunbhatti, Hill Cart Road
2. 01:30Tindharia (any of three route options)
3. 03:00Rohini Road descent or Hill Cart Road continuation
4. 04:30Selim Hill
5. 06:00Giddey Pahar (the steep climb)
6. 07:00Giddey ridge top

What to carry

Five things, no more.

• Water, 1.5 litres
• Light fleece, removable
• Trail runners, not hiking boots
• Phone on aeroplane mode
• A notebook, if you write

Back at base

The morning ends here.

Reserve for cohort optional day. Binoculars matter. Carry lunch. Two guides minimum.