Phalut Viewpoint

Phalut Viewpoint is located at Phalut (3,600 metres) on the Singalila Ridge in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, on the border of West Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal within Singalila National Park. It is the second highest peak in West Bengal and a key point on the Sandakphu-Phalut trek. The viewpoint is renowned for its 360-degree panorama of the Eastern Himalayas, including Mount Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu, attracting trekkers and nature visitors.

Visitors can expect an open hilltop viewpoint at 3,600 metres on the Singalila Ridge with 360-degree panoramic views of the Eastern Himalayas. On clear days, the snow-capped ranges of Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu are visible. The setting is alpine with grassy ridges, rhododendron forests in season, and a trekkers' hut. Access is only by trekking or 4x4 via the Sandakphu-Phalut trail inside Singalila National Park. Sunrise and sunset viewing and photography are the main experiences.

Phalut lies on the historic Singalila Ridge trekking route that has long served as a border ridge trail between Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling. The Sandakphu-Phalut trail was developed during the British colonial period as a Himalayan trekking and survey route and remains one of the oldest and most popular trekking routes in eastern India.

The viewpoint offers views of Himalayan peaks including Kanchenjunga, which is revered in local Sikkimese and Darjeeling cultures. The surrounding Singalila region is culturally associated with Himalayan Buddhist and Nepali communities and is valued for its natural heritage and mountain landscape.