Khedi Trek
About
Khedi sits at around 2,800m in East Sikkim, a smooth wave of grassland on a ridge that most trekkers in India have never even heard of. That's exactly the point. This was once a rest stop on the old trade route between Sikkim and Tibet, and walking it today feels like you've stumbled onto a secret the mountains forgot to advertise.
The trail starts from the village of Pashtenga and climbs through thick oak and magnolia forest before rhododendrons and bamboo take over higher up. By the time you reach the top, you've got the Kanchenjunga range filling the western sky and the Indo-China border tracing the horizon to the east, both from the same ridge.
What makes it special:
- A genuinely offbeat trail, Khedi sees a fraction of the footfall that Sikkim's bigger names get
- Sweeping views of Kanchenjunga on one side and the Indo-China border on the other
- Forests full of birdlife and the occasional alpine fox patrolling the ridgeline (guard your snacks)
- History baked into every step, this was a working trade trail long before it was a trekking one
Two days in and you're standing on a ridge that traders crossed for centuries, with Kanchenjunga watching over the whole thing. Khedi is proof that India's best treks aren't always the famous ones.
Getting There
Khedi's trailhead is Assam Lingzey, a village about 30km from Gangtok via Ranipool. The nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri (NJP) in Siliguri, with the nearest airport at Bagdogra, both roughly a 4 to 5 hour drive from Gangtok. From NJP or Bagdogra, you'll need a shared or private vehicle (Sumo, Spacio, or similar) to reach Gangtok first, then continue to Assam Lingzey, where the trek actually begins.
The best windows to go are March to May and September to November, right after the monsoon clears out. The trek itself is rated easy, but a trekking permit is required since the route runs close to the Indo-China border, so factor in permit processing time before you lock in your dates. Mobile signal holds up till Assam Lingzey and disappears after that, so make your calls before you start walking.