Sandakphu & the Singalila Ridge · trek stop

Chitrey

A gompa and white chorten at the top of the first climb

Altitude2,500m Nights0–1 BestMar – May · Oct – Dec

In brief

Chitrey is the first stop on the Singalila trail, about 3 km and 1.5–2 hours of steep climbing above Maneybhanjan. A small Buddhist gompa and a white chorten stand on the ridge with views back over Darjeeling's hills. Most trekkers stop for tea and walk on to Tumling; a few lodges let you sleep here.

The local story

The first prayer flags on the ridge

For travellers heading up the Singalila Ridge, Chitrey has long been the place to catch breath after the hardest hour of the first day. The small Buddhist monastery and the whitewashed chorten beside the trail were built by the Buddhist families of the ridge, Sherpa, Tamang and others, who settled these slopes as herders and farmers. Guides still stop here to turn the prayer wheels and add a khada scarf for a safe trek, a habit many trekkers copy.

The trail from Maneybhanjan to Chitrey was once the only way up; the Land Rover track came later and loops in long bends around it. Walking it, you climb through the edge of the Singalila reserve forest, the tract the British bought from the Sikkim Durbar in 1882. Look back from the chorten on a clear morning and the ridges of Ghoom, Sukhiapokhri and Darjeeling roll away eastward.

The walking trail from Maneybhanjan to Chitrey climbs roughly 400 m in about 3 km, the steepest sustained climb of the first day of the Sandakphu trek.

Just beyond Chitrey, the hamlet of Meghma (about 2,600 m) has a monastery that local accounts date to the early 1950s.

The forest around Chitrey is the first band of red tree rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum) on the trek, usually flowering in March and April.

About Chitrey

Chitrey is less a village than a saddle with a gompa, a chorten, a few houses and a couple of tea shops. You reach it sweating from the climb out of Maneybhanjan, put your pack down on a bench, and look back over the valley you just came up. On clear days the view east reaches the Darjeeling ridge, and in April the slopes around the trail are red with rhododendron.

Most trekkers stop for 20–30 minutes, drink tea and walk on toward Meghma and Tumling, another 7–8 km. But if you started late from Darjeeling, Chitrey is a sensible first night: you have done the steepest part, the lodges are quiet and cheap, and you will reach Tumling the next morning with plenty of time to watch Kanchenjunga.

What to see and do

The gompa and chorten

A small Buddhist monastery and a white chorten sit beside the trail at the top of the climb, strung with prayer flags. Walk clockwise around the chorten, turn the wheels and, if the gompa is open, step in quietly to see the altar. A small donation is welcome.

View back to Darjeeling

From the saddle the ridges of Ghoom, Sukhiapokhri and Darjeeling spread out to the east, with tea gardens and pine forest below. Morning light is best. It is a good place to see how far you have come in under two hours.

Rhododendron forest

The trail from Maneybhanjan to Chitrey passes through the first of the trek's rhododendron and oak forest. In late March and April the red tree rhododendrons flower here before the higher ridge, so even a short walk up from Maneybhanjan gives you blossom.

A gentle path on to Meghma

After Chitrey the trail eases, running past the hamlet of Lamaydhura to Meghma at about 2,600 m, where a monastery and a few houses sit in the cloud. It is a pleasant 1.5–2 hours of mostly level walking before the final climb to Tumling.

A quiet first night

Few trekkers sleep at Chitrey, so its lodges are quiet. If you started late, a night here breaks the first day well and gives you an unhurried sunrise walk to Tumling for the Kanchenjunga view the next morning.

How to get there

On foot: From Maneybhanjan, the trail leaves the end of the bazaar and climbs steeply on stone steps and earth paths for about 3 km. Allow 1.5–2 hours with stops. Your licensed guide must be with you from here, as you are entering the park area.
Land Rover: The Land Rover track from Maneybhanjan passes near Chitrey in about 20–30 minutes, but drivers rarely sell short drops on their own. Ask at the association if you only want a lift here; it is usually priced as part of a trip to Tumling or Sandakphu.

Where to stay

Chitrey has a couple of small family lodges with basic rooms or dorm beds, thick quilts and simple dinners of dal-bhat or noodles, at roughly ₹400–700 per person for the bed. Toilets are shared and hot water costs extra. Most trekkers prefer to push on to Tumling, 7–8 km further, where there are more lodges and the mountain view. Sleep at Chitrey only if you started after midday or want a short first day.

Local tips

Start the climb from Maneybhanjan before 10 am; the stone steps are hot and slow in the midday sun.
Take the steepest stretch slowly and keep your heart rate down; it sets your pace for the trek.
Use the Chitrey toilets and refill water; the next tea stop is at Meghma, about 1.5 hours on.
Walk clockwise around the chorten and do not sit on its base.
In April, carry a light raincoat; afternoon showers are common even in flowering season.

02,7005,400

Altitude2,500 m

High enough to feel it on steep stairs. Warm layers from October to March.

What it costs here

Tea at a trail shop₹30–50

Noodle soup or chowmein₹100–150

Basic lodge bed₹400–700 pp

Dinner and breakfast at a lodge₹400–600 pp

Guide share for a pair≈ ₹750–1,000 pp a day

Land Rover drop from ManeybhanjanUsually priced as part of a longer trip

Indicative, 2025–26. Check current status before you travel.

Best months: Oct – Dec · Mar – May
Nights we suggest: 0–1
From Maneybhanjan: ≈ 3 km · 1.5–2 h on foot
Altitude: ≈ 2,500 m
Known for: Small gompa, white chorten, first big climb
Network: Indian networks usually work

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BestGoodAvoid or closed

Things to do

Four things to do in Chitrey

Monasteries · 30 minutesTurn the prayer wheels at Chitrey gompaChitrey · Free · donation welcome Treks and walks · 1.5–2 hoursThe steep first climb from ManeybhanjanChitrey · Included in your guide fee Monasteries · 1.5–2 hoursWalk on to Meghma and its cloud monasteryChitrey · Free · donation welcome Viewpoints · 1 hourDawn over the Darjeeling hills from ChitreyChitrey · Free

On the map

Chitrey and its neighbours

Drawn by Darjeeling Himalayas from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Trips that stop here

Go to Chitrey on a ticket

Value Singalila6 nights · On foot Rhododendron spring on the Singalila Ridge Chitrey · Tonglu · Kalipokhri · Sandakphu ₹20,500per person
about ₹2,950 a day

Close by

Nearby places

market town2,150 m Maneybhanjanमानेभञ्ज्याङ Border bazaar where the Sandakphu Land Rovers wait

trek stop2,970 m Tumling A Nepali hamlet with the first big Kanchenjunga dawn

viewpoint3,070 m Tonglu Hooker's rhododendron hill and an open Indian summit

Ways to travel

Treks and walks Monasteries Photography

Questions people ask

Questions about Chitrey

Where is Chitrey on the Sandakphu trek?

Chitrey is the first stop above Maneybhanjan, about 3 km and 1.5–2 hours up the walking trail. It sits on a saddle with a gompa and chorten. From here the trail continues to Meghma and then to Tumling or Tonglu, the usual first-night stops.

Should I stay overnight at Chitrey?

Only if you started late or want a gentle first day. Most trekkers walk on to Tumling, about 7–8 km further, for its lodges and the Kanchenjunga view. Chitrey's few lodges are basic but quiet and cheaper than Tumling.

Is Chitrey in India or Nepal?

Chitrey is on the Indian side of the border, in Darjeeling district. The trail goes into Nepal later, at Tumling and Jaubari. Carry ID regardless, as there are SSB posts along the way, starting from Meghma.

Can I reach Chitrey by car?

Only by the Land Rover track from Maneybhanjan, which passes near it. Ordinary cars and SUVs from Darjeeling do not go up the Singalila track. Land Rover drops to Chitrey alone are uncommon; it is normally a 1.5–2 hour walk.

Is there food at Chitrey?

Yes, tea shops and lodges sell tea, noodle soup, chowmein, eggs and sometimes momos. A tea costs ₹30–50 and a plate of noodles ₹100–150. Lunch on the first day is usually at Chitrey or Meghma.

Does Chitrey have mobile network?

Indian networks usually work at Chitrey because it faces Darjeeling. Signal becomes patchier toward Tumling, where Nepali networks take over in places. Make any important calls here or in Maneybhanjan.

When do rhododendrons bloom at Chitrey?

The lower forest around Chitrey usually flowers in late March and April, a couple of weeks ahead of the higher ridge. Red tree rhododendron comes first. Bloom timing varies with the winter, so ask your guide or check recent trekker reports.

Do I need a guide to walk to Chitrey?

Yes. The guide requirement applies from the start of the trail at Maneybhanjan, and you register before you start. Even a day walk to Chitrey and back is normally done with a guide.

Can I do Chitrey as a day trip from Darjeeling?

Yes. Take an early shared jeep to Maneybhanjan, walk up to Chitrey and Meghma with a guide, and return the same afternoon. It is a good half-day hike with forest and a monastery, though the high mountain views need you to go further.