You can go for a day long hike to the Maenam hill. Situated at the altitude of 3140 m (10302 ft), Maenam hilltop offers grand view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, Kabru North, Kabru South, Siniolchu and other Himalayan peaks. The view of surrounding Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary looks superb from the top. The hike starts from Ravangla, a place known for iconic Budhdha Park. The initial one hour the trail stays gradient but then it becomes steep. As you climb up it becomes challenging but the beauty of dense Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary will keep the zeal for the hike. It will be colder as sunlight hardly crosses the above tree line. If you are an avid birdwatcher then Kalij pheasant, White-throated Redstart, Rufous-vented tit, Fulvous parrotbills, etc are some of the birds you can see here. It takes around 4 hrs to reach at the top. Maenam hilltop is marked with a small Buddhist monastery with the beautiful view of Kacnchenjunga and other group of mountains. The entire Maenam sanctuary looks so beautiful from here. The portion of the Maenam top where you see small bamboo forest is famous for Red Panda sightings.
If we have time then we can go for further exploration to Bhaley-dhunga. It will be around 45 min walk from Maenam Top to reach Bhaley-dhunga where you could see a huge rock coming out from the ridge top. This area is also famous for birdwatching. Once you reach at the hilltop the panoramic view of the surrounding area will simply make you just speechless. During the winter both this hilltop and surrounding area gets snowfall and looks lovely. We take the same trail on our way return. It will takes around 2.5 hrs to reach at Ravangla where this day-hike will come to an end.
Travel Guide
Things to carry
- Comfortable and warm clothes.
- A daysack(20 L).
- Good quality trekking shoes.
- Rain Jacket/Poncho.
- Sunscreen lotion or any other skin moisturizers.
- Water bottles and energy bars/snacks.
- A pair of sunglasses.
- Balaclava/Cap.
Permit & Entry fee
All the permit procedure and entry fees will be taken care by us including the still and video camera charges. National tourists must bring valid id card with them. Foreign tourists must bring their passport with valid visa for this hike.
Custom & Advisory
- Pay attention to your guide to enjoy a safe and sound hiking experience.
- Do not consume alcohol or any other intoxicants during the hike.
- Carry basic medications and a first-aid kit during the hike.
- It’s our responsibility to keep the nature clean. Please do not encourage littering the local places.
- Observe silence inside a monastery or temple.
- While visiting in any religious place please remove your footwear before entering into the main temple.
- People will happily pose for a picture but please ask them before do so.
- Tipping is not mandatory. It’s up to your satisfaction.
Health & Safety
- If you are allergic to plants and pollen then take precaution.
- Carry sufficient water (atleast 2 ltr pp) with you for this hike.
- This place is safe for family and friends and tourist friendly.