Itinerary

Day 1: 6/4/2022

Arrive at New Jalpaiguri Junction (Pick-up point) by 0700hrs. Travel by vehicle to Zuluk. 

How to reach  New Jalpaiguri Junction?

Nearest Airport

• Bagdogra International Airport (not operational between 12/4/2022 to 26/4/2022) : 19 km (30min)

• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata 

 
Nearest Railway Station: New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Railway Station 

• In case travelling from Kolkata, you can take a train from Sealdah Station to New Jalpaiguri(NJP) Station. You can also take a bus from Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri/Siliguri.

• You can book a shared cab/jeep from Bagdogra International Airport to NJP Railway Station. They are readily available at all times of the day.  

• An instructor from TSAF will meet you at New Jalpaiguri Junction following which you will be taken to Zuluk by vehicle. 

• Meet the Fit@50+ Trans-Himalayan Expedition Team. Being lead by Ms Bachendri Pal at Zuluk. Spend the night with the team and get ready for the trek!
   

Day 2: (7/4/2022)
Trek from Zuluk to Nathang Valley -13,200ft (trek distance : 16km). Night Stay at Nathang Valley.
 

Day 3: (8/4/2022)
Trek from Nathang Valley to Kupuk Lake – 13066ft (trek distance : 16km)

Day 4: (9/4/2022)
Trek  from Kupuk Lake to Changu Lake – 12400ft, via Old Baba Mandir. 
Team might take a detour and visit Nathu La Pass (14,140ft)2. You will be allowed to join the team for Nathu La based on existing fitness levels. Specific charges for Nathu La permit will be announced prior to the trek.

Day 5:(10/4/2022)
Changu Lake to Gangtok. Night stay at Gangtok.

Day 6:(11/4/2022)
Rest/Reserve-day at Gangtok. You can go for sight-seeing, shopping or rest along with the team.
 

Day 7: (12/4/2022)
Breakfast with the core team followed by dispersal.

Nearest Airport : 

• Pakyong Airport, Gangtok (27km – 1hr 30 min approx.)

• Bagdogra International Airport (124km – 4hrs 30 min approx.)

Nearest Railway Station:

New Jalpaiguri Junction (118 km – 4hrs 30 min approx.)

You can book a shared cab/jeep to Bagdogra International Airport or NJP Railway Station. They are readily available at all times of the day.

In case travelling to Kolkata, you can take a train from New Jalpaiguri(NJP) to Sealdah Station. You can also take a bus from New Jalpaiguri/Siliguri to Kolkata.

Major Attractions 
 

1. Fit @50+ Trans Himalayan Expedition team: Lead by Ms Bachendri Pal (1st Indian Woman to summit Mount Everest) , the team of 12 women and 2 support staffs started their journey from Pangsau Pass at Indian – Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh  on 12th March. Trekking from the eastern extreme of the Himalayas to its western end, the team will complete this 4977km long journey in 5 months. 

2. Pakyong district giving a wonderful panoramic shot of the villages nearby.  

3. Zuluk: Located at a height of 9400ft on the rugged terrain of the lower Himalayas, Zuluk overlooks the 

4. Nathang Valley: A piece of the old Silk route that connected India with China, Nathang Valley is located at an elevation of 13500ft. The valley is covered with deep snow in the winters and a colorful bloom in the Springs. A Hindu temple and a Buddhist monastery located in the valley add to the piety of this place in line with the mani flags hung over the fences. 

5. Baba Mandir: In memory of Baba Harbajan Singh, at an altitude of 13123ft this temple pays homage to the brave fighter who was martyred in October 1968. A sentry of the Punjab Regiment, he was posted with the  border patrolling party. He said to have reappeared in the dreams of his brethren following which the temple was constructed.

6. Changu Lake: Located at an altitude of 12400 ft in Eastern Sikkim, Changu Lake is a fresh-water lake amidst the high mountains. It is frozen in winters and has the distinction of a varied appearance every season. A wonderful bedsheet of flowers runs along its circumference in Spring. You can even take a ride of Yaks and enjoy maggi and momos in the road-side stalls

7. Nathu La: A Mountain pass in the Dongya range of the Himalayas at 14140ft, it connects China’s Yadong County in Tibet with Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal.

Meals:
Only vegetarian meals will be served.

Lunch, Evening tea and dinner will be provided on Day 1.

All meals – breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner will be provided from Day 2 to Day 6.

Breakfast will be provided on Day 7. 
 

Accommodation: 
•    Accommodation will be provided in camping tents on triple sharing basis.
 

Charges
 

• Rs 25,500.00 for the expedition. Charges include meals specified, accommodation, mules, porters, travel cost, necessary permits and the listed TSAF equipment.

• Travel cost to and from the pick-up drop-off point respectively will be borne by self.

• Charges for renting climbing gear will not be included in the expedition cost. You can rent it at your own expense. 
   

What equipment will TSAF provide?
Trek equipment - Sleeping bag, mattress, tents, kitchen & dining tent, toilet tents, utensils, biodegradable sanitary napkins. Porters will be provided. Porters will carry a maximum weight of 10kg.
 

What do participants need to bring with them?
Please carry all your items in a rucksack only. No trolleys allowed. The maximum weight of the filled rucksack should be 12kg. Please ensure to take full responsibility of any cash in hand or valuables. TSAF will not be responsible for lost personal items. 
 

We recommend bringing at least:

• Rucksack and its waterproof cover.

• Hiking boots/shoes (1 pair)   

• Flipflops (1 pair) 

• Sports Shoes (1 pair)

• Hiking Trousers/ Track pants (2) 

• Dry fit T-shirts (3) (1 full sleeves) 

• Cotton T shirt (1)   

• Thermal Inner – Upper and Lower (1 pair) 

• Fleece Jacket (1) 

• Windproof Jacket (1)   

• Sweatshirt/ Pullover/ Down Jacket (2)

• Socks (4 pairs) 

• Sun Cap/ Hat (1) 

• Warm Hat (1) 

• Balaclava (Optional) 

• Waterproof Gloves (1 pair)

• Water bottle (2 liters) 

• Sunglasses 

• Torch (with batteries)/ Headlamp 

• Trekking Pole  

• Poncho/ Raincoat 

• Shorts (1 pair) 

• Sunscreen lotion  

• Lip balm 

• Toiletries 

• Foot powder (Optional)   

• Mosquito repellant (Optional)   

• Personal medicine (if any) 

• Camera (optional) 

• Power bank (Optional) 

• Small Towel (1) 

• Hand sanitizer 

• Candies or dry fruits (remember sharing is caring) 

These are minimum essentials & quantity. You may choose to bring more clothing as per your comfort and hygiene level.
 

Pre-Trek Fitness Requirements:

• The trekker must be in excellent fitness condition. 

• She should be able to cover a distance of 6km with a load of 5kgs in 1hr.

• A valid fitness certificate from a medical practitioner.

• Valid photo ID with date of birth and address. 

• Advised fitness routine at least 15 days prior to the trek

  • Register yourself on Strava.

  • Join the Fit@50+ Walkathon community.

  • Walk for 6km in 60 min daily.

  • Upload your record in the dashboard.

  • It is also advised you practice a minimum of 12 Surya Namaskars or any other Yoga flow or body weight exercises daily in addition to brisk walking. 

  • You can even join our free online session on @wthe.2022 on Instagram and Facebook.
    https://www.facebook.com/wthe.2022
    https://www.instagram.com/wthe.2022

Registration
 

Please use the following link to register. TSAF will send a payment link via SMS and email within two working days. Your participation will only be confirmed via e-mail after payment has been made.

Post confirmation, TSAF will schedule a briefing call with all confirmed participants and help address all doubts

Registration Link

• https://forms.office.com/r/hrz8zdSFNH

 

Eligibility

• Registrations will be accepted on first come first served basis

• These treks are only open for females above age 18. Children from 12 – 18 can only participate if they are with their mother or female guardian.

•  All participants will need to submit a medical certificate from their doctor stating they are fit to do this trek

Terms & Conditions

Due to unavoidable circumstances, the core team might take a de-tour or deviate from the above-mentioned itinerary. In that case, the public trekking party will continue in the pre-mentioned itinerary with a TSAF instructor.
 

Objective for public participation

• This expedition is being done for a social cause and raise awareness. This is an opportunity for you to ring the changes in your own lifestyle but also those around you

• Your safety and expedition team’s schedule are our foremost priority

Contact
Please feel free to reach out to TSAF via email at info@tsafindia.org for any queries or questions that you might have

Batch Size
A maximum of 20 participants will be allowed in each stretch.
 

Schedule & Dates

• The dates are tentative. The expedition team might get delayed and arrive late at the entry point or reach earlier than the scheduled date. 

• The expedition route that we have prepared is subject to clearance and permissions from the local and defence authorities. It is also subject to a lot of other factors outside of our control. The route or days are subject to change. Please be mentally ready for last minute changes. We will try to have you spend maximum of your time and trek with the expedition team, but the itinerary published cannot be taken for granted. 
   

Travel & Tickets

 

• The Bagdogra airport is scheduled to close for repair from 12th April to 26th April 2022. Please sort out your travel arrangements accordingly.

• Days are subject to change. Please book flexi tickets as the dates may vary by one or two days. 

• Please try to book your arrival & departure tickets with at-least a day’s margin from the published dates. The itinerary is continuously evolving and is subject to change. Also, early arrival will help you acclimatize, and late departure will help you avoid last minute expensive flight tickets in case if there is a delay.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation post registration is not allowed except in case of COVID + or medical issues or humanitarian basis. Participants will need to produce a medical certificate for covid or other issues.

Risk Undertaking
Participants must understand that there is inherent risk associated with outdoors activities and mountaineering expeditions. Participant should voluntarily and knowingly is taking part in this expedition and will be responsible despite TSAF taking safety measures.