The tourism department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has devised a plan to implement a series of initiatives to strengthen sustainable tourism practices in the Singalila National Park area of the Darjeeling hills.

The initiative will begin with the off-season training of 130 guides from Maneybhanjyang. Tourists start their journey from Maneybhanjyang to reach Sandakphu, the highest point in Bengal, located at around 12,000 feet.

The move is expected to raise the standard of the tourism experience along the Sandakphu-Phalut trail. The plan will also provide steady livelihood opportunities to second-generation tourism workers in the region.

Dawa Sherpa, the field director of the GTA’s tourism department, said officials had held a meeting with representatives of the Highlander Guide Association of Maneybhanjyang, and the training for the guides would begin in June.

“These individuals, many of whom are sons of former guides and porters, represent the continuity of Maneybhanjyang’s tourism heritage. Considering the evolving demand of the industry for modern skills and knowledge, we will conduct the training,” he said.

“The training will focus on environmentally responsible tourism, with emphasis on sustainability and ecological preservation,” added Sherpa.

According to him, the four-day training curriculum will cover basic first-aid, tourist acclimatisation protocols for high-altitude trekking, and emergency response procedures.

“The trainees will also be responsible for informing authorities such as the Sashastra Seema Bal (which guards the India-Nepal border) and the local police in case of any emergency. This will ensure better coordination and safety management during trekking,” he said.

Sherpa said that from the upcoming season, it would be mandatory for all tourists and trekkers to have guides with them to trek to Sandakphu.

“This rule has been created to ensure the safety of visitors and uphold the principles of responsible tourism. The initiative also aligns with the broader goal of promoting eco-tourism and reducing the negative impact of unregulated travel in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem,” he said.

While trekking from Maneybhanjyang to Sandakphu, one has to pass through the Singalila National Park.

To further tighten the safety net, the tourism department is setting up new tourist check-posts in Maneybhanjyang and Rimbick. The checkpoints are necessary to ensure that tourists and trekkers travelling to Sandaphu are physically fit. In the past one year, at least two tourists died because of high-altitude sickness and breathing problems while travelling to Sandakphu without proper acclimatisation.

“The check-posts will serve as key monitoring points, where the complete details of tourists embarking on the expedition to Sandakphu and nearby trails will be recorded. Officials will track the return of all trekkers to ensure no one is lost or left behind in the rugged terrain,” said a source.