Trekking

The Rachela Pass Route
Starting point: Paren (or Alubari, a village slightly higher)
Route: Paren → Alubari → Neora Valley Forest → Rachela Pass
Distance: ~20 km one way to the pass area
Difficulty: Challenging (steep, forested, high-altitude final section)
Duration: 2-3 days (with overnight stays in forest or at Todey/Tangta)
Permit: Required from the Neora Valley National Park authority
Guide: Mandatory; the trail is unmarked and passes through active wildlife habitat
Best season: November - April
The most ambitious trekking option in the area is the route toward Rachela Pass (also spelled Reche-la), which climbs from Paren through the forests of Neora Valley National Park and up toward the tri-junction of West Bengal, Sikkim, and Bhutan. This is a serious multi-day alpine trek that requires a forest permit, a local guide, and proper equipment. The rewards are considerable: the Rachela Pass area hosts high-altitude lakes, rhododendron forests, and views over three countries.
A shorter and more accessible extension of this route runs from Paren to Todey and Tangta, two small villages at higher altitude (roughly 1,200–1,800 m) that were once major cardamom-growing centres and are now peaceful, unhurried places with dramatic landscapes and relatively few visitors. The walk from Paren to Todey takes 3–4 hours and can be done as a long day walk with a guide.