Sandakphu & the Singalila Ridge · market town

Rimbik

रिम्बिक

Jeep head, Tuesday market and the end of the trail

Altitude2,286m Nights1 BestMar – May · Oct – Dec

In brief

Rimbik is a hill village and small market centre at about 2,286 m, 56 km from Darjeeling, where most Singalila treks end. Shared jeeps leave in the morning for Darjeeling, a Tuesday market draws farmers from the valleys, and simple lodges make it a comfortable last night after the walk down from Srikhola.

The local story

A school, a market and the morning jeeps

Rimbik grew as the market and service centre for the villages on the eastern slopes of the Singalila Ridge, places like Srikhola, Rammam and Gorkhey that had no road of their own. Its school, Rimbik Higher Secondary, was founded in 1948 and still draws children from farms hours away. Its weekly Tuesday market brings farmers down with vegetables, cheese and livestock and sends them home with rice, oil and cloth.

For trekkers, Rimbik has always meant the end of the trail and the jeep back to Darjeeling. The census counts nearly 7,000 people in the Rimbick area, many from Sherpa, Tamang, Rai and other Nepali-speaking communities. Walk through in the evening and you will see a working hill town, not a resort: lodges for trekkers, yes, but also tailors, grocers, a health centre and a jeep stand that comes alive before dawn.

Rimbik is about 56 km by road from Darjeeling, and its morning shared jeeps are the usual exit for Sandakphu and Phalut trekkers.

Rimbik Higher Secondary School was established in 1948 and teaches from class V to class XII.

The 2011 Census recorded a population of 6,980 for Rimbick, with a literacy rate of about 75.6 percent among those over six.

About Rimbik

After the quiet villages of the descent, Rimbik feels busy: jeeps, shops, a school bell, music from a tea stall. It sits on a broad slope at about 2,286 m, with terraced fields below and the Singalila Ridge above. Trekkers arrive tired and happy, find a lodge, take their first hot shower in a week and eat a large dinner.

Plan to sleep here. Shared jeeps to Darjeeling leave early, mostly between 6 and 8 am, and there are few later departures. If you arrive on a Monday, stay for the Tuesday market before you go. And if you have a spare day, Rimbik is a good base for short walks to Srikhola and the nearby villages without the climb back to the ridge.

What to see and do

The Tuesday haat

Every Tuesday, Rimbik's weekly market fills with farmers from the surrounding villages selling vegetables, cheese and livestock, and buying rice, oil, cloth and tools. It is the best way to see the region's rural life in one morning.

The morning jeep stand

Before dawn the jeep stand fills with passengers for Darjeeling: farmers, students, traders and trekkers. Shared jeeps leave as they fill, usually between 6 and 8 am. It is a lively, slightly chaotic start to the day.

First hot shower

After a week on the ridge, Rimbik's lodges, with buckets or geysers of hot water and proper beds, feel luxurious. Clean clothes, a long wash and a big dinner are the classic end-of-trek ritual.

Walk to Srikhola

If you have a spare day, walk the road down to Srikhola and its river, about 2 hours, through forest and fields. It is the gentlest way to see the valley without climbing back onto the ridge.

A working hill town

Rimbik has schools, shops, a health centre and a busy main street. Walk around in the evening to see a real Darjeeling hill town, far from tourist Darjeeling.

How to get there

Shared jeep: From Darjeeling, shared jeeps to Rimbik leave from the main motor stand, mostly in the morning: ≈ 56 km, 4–5 hours, about ₹200–300 a seat. Returning, jeeps leave Rimbik early, roughly 6–8 am. Check current status before you travel.
Reserved jeep: A reserved jeep between Darjeeling and Rimbik costs about ₹3,000–4,500 and takes around 4 hours. From NJP or Bagdogra, expect ₹5,500–7,000 and 6–7 hours.
On foot from Srikhola: Walk the road from Srikhola, about 6–7 km and 2 hours, mostly climbing gently. Jeeps also run this stretch.

Where to stay

Rimbik has several simple lodges and family hotels along the main road and near the jeep stand, with twin rooms at roughly ₹1,000–2,000, attached or shared bathrooms and hot water by bucket or geyser. Dinner is usually available in the lodge. Book ahead only in October and April; otherwise you can find a room on arrival.

Local tips

Book your morning jeep seat the evening before at the stand or through your lodge.
If you can, arrive on Monday to see the Tuesday market before you leave.
Pay your guide and porter here, including any agreed tip, before the jeep.
ATMs are unreliable; keep enough cash for the jeep and last night.
Pack your bag the night before; jeeps leave early and wait for no one.

02,7005,400

Altitude2,286 m

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

What it costs here

Shared jeep to Darjeeling₹200–300 a seat

Reserved jeep to Darjeeling₹3,000–4,500

Lodge room₹1,000–2,000 a room

Dinner and breakfast₹350–600 pp

Momos and tea₹100–180

Hot shower or bucketOften included; else ₹50–100

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

Best months: Oct – Dec · Mar – May
Nights we suggest: 1
From Darjeeling: ≈ 56 km · 4–5 h by jeep
Altitude: ≈ 2,286 m
Known for: Jeep head, Tuesday haat, trek end
Network: Jio, Airtel and BSNL usually work

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BestGoodAvoid or closed

Things to do

Four things to do in Rimbik

Culture and history · 1–2 hoursBrowse Rimbik's Tuesday haatRimbik · Free · ₹100–300 for snacks and small bu… Food · 1.5 hoursEnd-of-trek momos and thukpa in RimbikRimbik · ₹250–500 Treks and walks · 4–5 hours returnWalk down to Srikhola and backRimbik · Free · guide fee if you enter the park … Adventure · 4–5 hoursRide the dawn jeep from Rimbik to DarjeelingRimbik · ₹200–300 a seat

On the map

Rimbik 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 Rimbik on a ticket

Shoestring Singalila8 nights · On foot The full Singalila Ridge on a shoestring Maneybhanjan · Tumling · Kalipokhri · Sandakphu ₹19,000per person
about ₹2,100 a day

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

river town1,900 m Srikhola A riverside lodge stop where the trail meets the road

village2,560 m Rammam The village above the river that waters Darjeeling's border

forest village2,500 m Dhotrey A forest village and the short way up to Tonglu

Routes

Rimbik to Darjeeling

Festivals

Losar in Rimbik and the ridge villages

Ways to travel

Treks and walks Solo and backpacking Food trails Off-season and monsoon

Questions people ask

Questions about Rimbik

How far is Rimbik from Darjeeling?

About 56 km by road, roughly 4–5 hours by shared jeep. Shared seats cost about ₹200–300 and jeeps leave mainly in the morning. A reserved jeep costs about ₹3,000–4,500.

Is Rimbik on the Sandakphu trek?

Yes, as the end point for most treks that descend from Sandakphu via Srikhola or from Phalut via Gorkhey and Rammam. Some trekkers also start here, walking up via Srikhola.

Where can I stay in Rimbik?

Several simple lodges and family hotels near the jeep stand and main road, with rooms at about ₹1,000–2,000. Hot water and dinner are usually available. Book ahead only in peak months.

What day is the Rimbik market?

Tuesday. The weekly haat brings farmers from the surrounding villages and runs from morning to early afternoon. It is worth timing your exit to see it.

Is there an ATM in Rimbik?

There may be one, but it is unreliable. Carry enough cash from Darjeeling for the whole trek and your jeep back. UPI works in some shops when the network is good.

What is the altitude of Rimbik?

About 2,286 m. It is lower and warmer than the ridge, with mild days in autumn and spring and cold nights in winter.

Does Rimbik have mobile network?

Yes, Indian networks usually work in Rimbik, though data can be slow. It is where most trekkers reconnect fully after the ridge.

Can I start the Sandakphu trek from Rimbik?

Yes, walking up via Srikhola and Gurdum, but it means a very steep 1,700 m climb in one day from Srikhola. Arrange your guide and park entry in advance, as Maneybhanjan is the usual starting office.

Is Rimbik worth staying an extra day?

If you like quiet hill towns and village walks, yes. The Tuesday market, the walk to Srikhola and the area's villages make a pleasant rest day after the trek.