Pedong, Mankhim, Shivakhola Trip

Where to spend our Holiday, a tug of war between the potential destinations

When we start to think about our vacations, the first thing comes to our mind is the budget and the timing. Nowadays it is almost impossible to go for an extensive holiday because we are always engaged with different types of routine that chained our lifestyle. Since we two are running a small business, so we need not to submit any leave application to the HR, and we count ourselves lucky enough, still, it is not easy for us to leave the business like an orphan for a long period. So when we think about holiday destinations, the first place comes to our mind is Sikkim.
Now let me explain to you why I wanted to travel somewhere else but ended up visiting Sikkim in most of my holidays.

Why Sikkim, why North Bengal

1) We based in South Bengal, so Sikkim and NB are nearer to us.
2) A very picturesque state with lots of virgin natural beauty.
3) We are avid birdwatchers, so when we select a place, we put priority to those destinations that are a paradise for birdwatchers.
4) Sikkim is a budget-friendly place. We need not to invest a lot of money on stay and transport.
5) Sikkim is a 3-5 hours journey by car from Bagdogra airport or New Jalpaiguri Station depending upon the road conditions and the destinations.
6) A versatile and rich collection of flora and fauna is another reason to choose Sikkim or adjoining places of North Bengal

Decision taking time

We have remembered a moth photograph shared by NorthEastTravels owner Dipankar Roy sometimes back from Mankhim. Dipankar da visited there and photographed a cluster of moths casually. We watched it and immediately fall for it. We share an ample relationship with Dipankar Da and his entire team who helped us before in many tour. So we called him and got the details of Mankhim. He asked what are the other places which we want to visit. We didn’t decide and asked for his suggestion. He was always very helpful. We have mutually discussed and decided to go to Pedong first, then Mankhim via Aritar and the third place would be Shivakhola. We never asked for hotel or homestay photographs because we trust this agency very much. They usually share the tentative planning and our booked room photographs to check beforehand.
So, those are looking awesome.

Day 1: Train from Sealdah

 

The most comfortable train from Sealdah to New Jalpaiguri is Shatabdi, but we found the timing of this a bit weird. If we avail of this train we have to stay in some hotel near the railway station for the night. Our first preference is always either Darjeeling mail or Padatik express. It is just a matter of overnight sleeping in train, but like us, most of the traveler wanted to get those trains. So if your plan is sudden enough, you may not get the privilege of those trains. Shatabdi tickets would be available till the journey date, because of the odd timing and the dynamic fare.

Day 2: Reached at Pedong

We got Darjeeling mail and we reached NJP around 9 am. After some breakfast just outside the station, we got an auto towards Tenjing Norgey Bus stop. Then we got a bus to Kalimpong. From Kalimpong we got a share jeep to Pedong market.

When we get down from the Jeep near Pedong bajar, we were pretty disappointed. It was a busy crowded market and we hardly found any scope for birding. No natural beauty around the market. Then we called the homestay owner. He was a veteran retired military person. He was kind enough to come down to receive us. When we were getting up towards his homestay in Milan top, we observed that the ambiance around us was changing rapidly.

 

We were now amidst of lush green Pedong forest. We could hear birds chirping. The homestay was awesome. It has a 360-degree Himalayan view.

 

 

Pedong homestay is perfect for hardcore nature lovers and birdwatchers. This place is so green and peaceful that anyone could hear the bird chirping very easily.

 

We stayed there for two nights. There was a cherry tree near the balcony. We spotted verditer flycatcher, leafbirds were feeding themselves several times in that cherry tree.

 

The night was chilling enough. We had a keen interest in mothing too. As soon as they turned on the lights of the balcony, moths started coming.

Day 3: Birding at Pedong

 

Next morning was cloudy but we went to explore the Pedong forest. We were accompanied by a very friendly local village boy named Pasanng who worked in the resort. He helped us to find our way in the forest. The forest was very beautiful with lots of birds. We have spotted golden fronted leafbird, Grey hooded warbler there.

 

The dining space was attached to the room. The kitchen was also attached but just outside the main building. The food was awesome and had a fragrance of local freshness. The hospitality was very good. The owner himself was coming to us and asking how we were enjoying the place. The rooftop was a pleasant place for the hangover with family and friends.

Day 4: Reached at Mankhim

Our next destination was Mankhim near Pangolakha wildlife sanctuary. The place is near Aritar. Aritar was quite popular among the tourists who wanted to visit Silk route. We didn’t visit Silk route. My husband was quite optimistic about the probability of getting moths in Mankhim. He was very excited throughout the way. We got a share jeep from Pedong market to Renok bazaar. After the Jeep, we hired a maruti alto car from the market that took us to the hotel in Mankhim. It is a lesser-known birding destination in India. If you visit there, you will be amazed to get into the closest world of mother nature.

 

A serene birding destination with an awesome green view amidst of Himalayas. If you want to spend a night away from the hustle-bustle of the busy city, then Mankhim is your ideal destination.

 

It was such a beautiful place with a lush green cover. The spiral roads were very good in condition and the touch of green around the hills was just fabulous. It was a cloudy day, but damn beautiful. We were so mesmerized by the dreamy beauty of Mankhim. It was like a charming mysterious lady who was not uncovering her face to look at. The different types of fern and moss immediately took away all my attention. I started taking landscape photographs completely ignoring the birds. We have spotted (birds) there in our afternoon birding session. Here is a link to the Bengali travel video, which can help you to understand about the place more in-depth.

I have also written a Bengali travelogue about Mankhim. It was the first spontaneous reaction about the place and the way I did birding there. You can go through this if you can understand the language.

 

Nights were more chilling in Mankhim. I hardly wanted to come out of the quilt. The room was big and comfortable. Dipankar da helped us to arrange the homestay. The name is Heaven valley.

 

 

There are many homestays in Mankhim, All are very well decorated and somehow will give you a feeling of the green fragrance of natural beauty.
We like the way they made the little eco-friendly cottages, bamboo dining room, flowery decorations all around the place using natural resources. It will give you a soothing relaxation of mind.

 

 

We enjoyed local Bengali food there since most of the tourists visit from West Bengal, they tend to focus on Bengali preparations.

Homestays are well connected with a single staircase which was made in the wavy structure of the hill. There was an awesome view from the top of the stair. You can have a look at Aritar lake from the viewpoint.

 

Our little birdwatcher was trying to climb up the stairs.

The habitat of this place is temperate forest. We experienced lush green even in early November.

Day 5: Mankhim Birding

The next morning we started our morning birding session but the ambiance was so misty and foggy, that we even can’t see ourselves. We forgot about birds and decided to take a stroll around the place.
The hairpin bends of the hilly road were nice to have a morning walk. We could hear some chirping but rarely find any birds due to fog.

 

After some time the sun somehow managed to come out behind the thick layer of cloud and bird activity was increased within a moment.

A beautiful though common bird from the shrike family was seen. It is popular by the name long-tailed shrike.

 

A very popular and common bird that you can never miss in the Himalayas that is blue whistling thrush. Its song is very enchanting and melodious. it has decorative spots in the entire deep blue body.

The next bird was common in Himalaya, which was rufous sibia. you can easily identify by its beautiful brown color and blackhead.

 

If you go for birding in any Himalayan region you can’t miss spotting a tit or a warbler and of course bulbul. Himalayan bulbul is a resident in this place and you can get enough satisfactory shots of this species.

Apart from these birds, Mankhim is a den of other common and rare Himalayan birds also, all you want is some perseverance.

 

At night just behind the cottages, you can find different moth species clogged near the electric bulbs and other light sources, especially in monsoon. If you are interested in moths butterflies and insects then Mankhim will be your next holiday destination.

Day 6: Leaving Mankhim

Morning in Mankhim was very cold. We had hired a four-seater private car from the owner of the homestay. There was no direct public transport to reach our next destination Shivakhola. We had to reach Renok Bajar through the private car, then from the taxi stand, there might be any chance to get something to reach any nearest point to Shivakhola. Now if we hire a car personally for the whole trip, it would be easier for us. We don’t need to think about the connecting vehicles, nearest points, etc. In fact, our organizer suggested us to hire a full car. So that we could invest most of our time into birding and the traveling would be comfortable. We had a child also who was accompanied by us. But we denied taking a car for the full trip. We were traveling in a small group, containing two birdwatchers from the same family and a 3 years old kid. Hiring a full vehicle for the whole trip could extend our budget unnecessarily. We decided to do birding in the local area. We didn’t have any plan to go somewhere else by car, so there was no point to take it.
Ok, now back to the point. We were in Mankhim. We had to get up at 3.30 am. And our pre-booked car was supposed to come within 4 am. It was never easy to leave the warm hug of the quilt so early when the morning was acting like a deep fridge. When we were about to leave Mankhim we found ourselves literally shivered. Mist covered the entire place so deeply that we hardly could spots bird.
We reached Renok Bajar and waited for the taxi service to start. At 6 am. We got a shared jeep which would be headed to NJP station. We decided to get down at Kalijhora. From kalijhora we would get any vehicle to our next destination Shivakhola.

Kissa Car ka!

Now the problem began. After getting down in Kalijhora, it was almost 2 hrs. we waited for a single share jeep to come across. Our little companion was only 3 years then. He was pretty agitated and decided to walk to Shivakhola. Being his helpless parents what we could do best to call our virtual travel problem solver Dipankar da asking for any help. He called a few car drivers but none was available at that time.

We tried to get a car from the Shivakhola nature camp owner Mr. DP Pradhan. He was not picking up the call. Suddenly he called us back and assured that one jeep is available. We could hire it for Rs. 2000. We confirmed. Then Dipankar Da again called us and he also assured that he arranged one car for us. We told him that we just got one from Dp Pradhan. But both the car was already on their way to pick us up.

‘Holy crap! Do we go by spreading both of our legs in those two cars? Like Ajay Devgan movie?’ I screamed at my husband. He was calling both the drivers, Dipankar da and Dp Pradhan and ended up in a strange solution. Dipankar da’s known driver would take us half the way and Dp’s driver would take the rest. One tent in Shivakhola nature camp was pre-booked. The road was not very good. It was very sloppy and hilly boulders scattered everywhere. The scenic beauty was awesome though.

 

The lush green carpet of the tea gardens beside the road would take your attention immediately. My husband and child slept right away. They were very tired. I usually avoid sleeping in the car because I have a keen interest in documentation. So I always try to open my eyes and taking notes of little details and photographing necessarily in spite of being tired.

Reached shivakhola

 

When we reached Shivakhola, we were amazed to see the location of the camp. It was just beside the Mahananda river. Every time you could hear a relaxing gentle sound of flowing water. The tents and cottages were nice and comfortable.

 

We got down from the car and went inside the tent. My husband kept the luggage and went just the backside of the tent and suddenly came back. In a panting voice, he screamed: “white crested, so many white crested.” I ran immediately following his direction but got nothing. “So many of white crested laughingthrush”, he yelled.
“It could be my lifer,” I said. I might not get them on that day but Shivakhola gifted me their sighting on the very next day.

 

Amazing Shivakhola

The river was looking dramatically mesmerizing at the day end. A white capped redstart male and female were seen frequently on the top of the big boulders beside the river. They were pretty camera-friendly, not like the crested kingfisher who behaved like a coy boy. As soon as we tried to focus from a long distance, it assumed to be photographed and took a long flight.
Nights were pretty good at Shivakhola. In November it was neither very cold nor very hot. The weather was pleasant enough. A gentle cold breeze was coming from the riverside and oh the sound of water, it was amazing in a word.

 

 

A most unromantic person could turn into a romantic dreamer, with the soft moonlight, dark jungle, majestic hills, continuous but mild water flowing sound of the river and gentle breeze passing through the hair. It was like mother nature was nurturing her child with all her bountiful affection.

 

Day 7: Birding at Shivakhola

We have spotted Banded cuckoo, Green magpie, Green billed malkoha, Crested kingfisher, Redstarts etc. in one full day and one half day birding in and around Shivakhola.

 

 

 

 

The most beautiful and remarkable story is about my sighting of a Green-billed malkoha. I was looking at it and sitting in a big flat boulder beside the river and didn’t try to focus on it with my camera. I just waited for it. it was looking at me from behind the leaves. Then after fifteen-twenty minutes, it counted me harmless inconsequent person and came very closer to me. It was not coming in my 200 mm. range of the telelens. It was now with me in a selfie range. I loved this experience. I loved how I waited for it to believe in me.

Butterflies and Moths of Shivakhola

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Food in Shivakhola nature camp was delicious. I liked the way they served food in the authenticated Bengali style in bell metal utensils. I thought that the food charges a bit high and the quantity was not that satisfactory. They charged differently for the child who was only 3 years old. Usually, child below 5 years are complimentary everywhere.

Day 8: Leaving Shivakhoola

 

We started for New Jalpaiguri station from Shivakholoa at nearly 2.30 pm. We hired the car from the camp owner. He charged Rs. 2000. The car driver was the brother of the owner. He was a jovial person. The road was very picturesque. We stopped in every bend of the road and started taking photos of the green carpet of the hills. Suddenly in one bend, four kalij pheasants crossed our car hurriedly. “Wow! this is an amazing sighting right?” Our car pilot was very excited. “certainly!” we answered. Though we couldn’t take any photographs.
Every time we return from our North Bengal tour, Dipankar Da arranged a special dinner by calling one of his acquaintances from a local hotel. They delivered the food in the railway station. It was really value for money. This food was awesome as always.
A successful trip never can touch its’ highest satisfaction level if there is any mismanagement in any aspect. Counting from the birding, life list, accommodation, transport and food, everything was perfectly done in the entire tour.
I am sharing the cost of accommodation and food. Transport cost is already shared in the main blog.

Pedong Homestay – Rs. 1500/ Per day Per head including food
Mankhim Homestay – Rs. 1000 – Rs.1200/ Per day Per head depending upon the room condition, including food
Shivakhola camp – Two types of rooms are available. Rs. 1800/ Per day and
Rs. 2400/ Per day . Food – Rs. 650/Per head

Contact : NorthEastTravels
Dipankar Roy
Phone: +91.8972247306
Email: northeasttravels2008@gmail.com