Snowfall greets tourists in Sandakphu

Deep Gazmer, TNN, 4 January 2020, Darjeeling: DARJEELING: Sandakphu on Friday received this year’s first snowfall raising expectation among tourists already in the Hills.

At least three to four land rovers reached Sandakphu with tourists in the afternoon while seven more returned with passengers.

“Around 15 vehicles left for Sandakphu on Friday morning. Some, however, had to come back due to snowfall.

It was difficult but some enthusiastic tourists reached up to Sandakphu,” said Anil Tamang, assistant secretary of the Singalila Land Rover Association (SLRA).

According to Tamang, snowfall started from 6am and continued in intervals throughout the day. “There was at least two to three inches of snowfall in Sandakphu. However, there was also brief spells of shower, which made it difficult for vehicles to negotiate the steep road,” the SLRA assistant secretary said. On December 13, 2019, Sandakphu received the first snowfall of the winter winter season, which raised expectation of snowfall in the Hills town. Tamang said even places 8km above Maneybhanjang,, which is the gateway to Sandakphu, had received snowfall. 

“Most of the areas surrounding Sandakphu are receiving bouts bouts of snowfall. Vehicles are going up to BK Bhangyang and from there tourists are trekking to Sandakphu,” he said.

Sandakphu recorded -4°C to -5°C while in Darjeeling the mercury hovered around 2°C to 3°C degrees throughout the day. Darjeeling witnessed continuous drizzle and shower throughout the day.