[BurningHeart]

Awesome travelogue. Lovely narration and it is my first time knowing about a place like that. All pics were great and the 3-borders picture is a great capture. Rated 5 stars.

[amrisharm]

Wow what a great travelogue. Indeed it is a great achievement that a Scorpio 4WD was able to make it to Sandkphu. But I must say, more credit has to go to the pilot of the massive SUV as well. The drive required great off road driving skill especially since you mentioned you did not reverse once on your drive up through those sharp sharp hair pin turns. Hats off to you.

Also could you give info on the rates for the accommodation in and around Sandakphu. Also did you book in advance or just show up at the guest house?

I gather you booked the W.B bungalows while staying at the W.L. Sanctuaries. Are there other private options near by?

[1100D]

Originally Posted by amrisharm

Wow what a great travelogue. Indeed it is a great achievement that a Scorpio 4WD was able to make it to Sandkphu. But I must say, more credit has to go to the pilot of the massive SUV as well. The drive required great off road driving skill especially since you mentioned you did not reverse once on your drive up through those sharp sharp hair pin turns. Hats off to you.

Also could you give info on the rates for the accommodation in and around Sandakphu. Also did you book in advance or just show up at the guest house?

I gather you booked the W.B bungalows while staying at the W.L. Sanctuaries. Are there other private options near by?

The Scorpio mHawk has plenty of power and in low range very very controllable, add to that torsion bar front suspension with coil springs at the back, makes it immensely comfortable compared to the leaf sprung variety that goes there. Surprisingly the Scorpio has a tight turning circle which if used properly will see anyone through the hairpins easily, moreover due to the reserve power, setting it into a micro power slide, helps reduce the radius further. Infact I found the ascent pretty effortless, it was the descent that was scary.

We did book in advance at all the places, could not take any chances. For Tumling it was through an acquaintance and for Sandakphu, Sherpa Chalet was booked, details available on net, can PM you if you need.

In Dooars, as far as we felt this time, the private options are better options and are situated right beside the FDC bungalows.

[rjstyles69]

Awesome man.Takes a whole lot of guts to take the scorpio to such places and above all you have come back without evening blow a fuse or a flat tire. Kudos !!

Looking at the terrain I literally had my heart in my mouth , especially

Then inching a little forward, saw that the road was indeed going straight but shifted to the left by 50 meters or so. Had to jut out the head to see the road curve left and drive! See Below.

Loved the 3 borders picture too. Neat !!

[SS-Traveller]

Excellent travelogue, Anirban, as well as lovely pics.

Oh boy - you found a gem of a manager at Kolakham! And you went and parked Marengo next to his bungalow at night... that was risky!

And you've gone and done a terrific sales pitch for the Scorpio 4wd in Sandakphu and its suroundings. Wouldn't be surprised if the local Mahindra dealer suddenly gets his order book filled with Scorpio 4wd bookings!

Originally Posted by Samba

...do you have a hill endorsement license? As one of my friend was fined at Darjeeling for not having it.

Originally Posted by 1100D

No Idea, hearing it the first time. Not sure if its required for private vehicles, or its just a ploy at Darjeeling.

Rule 193 of Motor Vehicles Rules, 1998, reads as under:

193. Endorsement of certain licences for hill roads. No person shall drive a public service vehicle or a goods vehicle on a hill road unless his licence to drive such public service vehicle or goods vehicle has been endorsed by a registering authority with a permission to drive upon hill roads situated within the jurisdiction of such registering authority or in the case of a public service vehicle hired by tourists, by the registering authority of the State with which reciprocal arrangements on the point have been agreed upon.

@Samba: your friend has just been scammed into parting with some money to support the Darjeeling cops!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

evening blow a fuse !!

Oh God! Did not know that this travelogue has left such an impact on someone!!!

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Excellent travelogue, Anirban, as well as lovely pics.

Oh boy - you found a gem of a manager at Kolakham! And you went and parked Marengo next to his bungalow at night... that was risky! !

Fortunately for us, his wife was a lot enthusiastic and helpful, she is the one who suggested moving Marengo. Had it not been for her, we would not have lived through the night. According to her husband, during a powercut, what problem should people have sitting quietly in the dark, they should enjoy the darkness alongwith the silence in the forest (he has a point though).

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

And you've gone and done a terrific sales pitch for the Scorpio 4wd in Sandakphu and its suroundings. Wouldn't be surprised if the local Mahindra dealer suddenly gets his order book filled with Scorpio 4wd bookings!!

I was quite surprised that Mahindra salesmen, who should rather be enthusiastic about selling a few 4WD's here, were rather trying to pitch the XUV500 for this terrain. Ofcourse they cant tell a low-ratio transfer case from bluetooth. However, I have suggested the Thar to them, would be more appropriate.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Rule 193 of Motor Vehicles Rules, 1998, reads as under: @Samba: your friend has just been scammed into parting with some money to support the Darjeeling cops!

Sometimes I wonder what sort of an encyclopedia are you!! Anyway, could be that @Samba's friend was driving a yellow board.

[adg_andy]

The ultimate destination in Bengal!!!(leaving aside Dzongri- but that is a foot trek anyway). Have very fond memories of North bengal, having spent 17 best years of my life in Siliguri. You surely rekindled the love and a helluva travelogue. Wishing you many such journeys or should i say dives ahead. And yes , I cant thank you enough for the pictures!!!

[Samba]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Rule 193 of Motor Vehicles Rules, 1998, reads as under: @Samba: your friend has just been scammed into parting with some money to support the Darjeeling cops!

Thanks for the clarification. Next time i drive will keep a print out of this.

Originally Posted by 1100D

Anyway, could be that @Samba's friend was driving a yellow board.

No he was not driving a yellow board vehicle , he drove his personal Astar all the way from Kolkata with his wife. You are correct that must be some kind of ploy by the Darjeeling police.

[samarjitdhar]

Wonderful write-up. Read through it at one go. Thanks so much for putting in the details. In fact the way you described the climb and descent I felt like I am riding up and down with you. Excellent pictures too. In fact this gives a very good idea about how tough that road is and how capable Marengo is. Hope your new tires are all right after completing such a treacherous route filled with sharp rocks.

Believe me each day my belief in a Scorpio 4X4 is reinforced as an all rounder vehicle. I have a layman question. I think I had read somewhere that the older Mahindra CRDe engines perform better at higher altitudes than the newer Micro Hybrid ones. I may have read it wrong but I think it said the newer one seemed to lose power at higher altitudes due to less oxygen.

[getsurya]

Our trip, mostly over.

Hi 1100D,

Great travelogue with amazing pictures and description. Deserves 5 stars!

Enchanting write up and details which made it a pleasure to read through for me and my wife. Many thanks & Happy motoring!

[Indraneel Bhat]

Hello Anirban,

Awesome, awesome trip and description. I had my heart in my mouth just looking at the pics. Plus to do it with your entire family!!! Kudos to your wonderful family as well. I can only imagine the extent to which the travel bug has bitten them given the overall harshness of the landscape and journey. Not to mention the trust that they have in your driving and judgement.
Once again, Great Job!!!

Rgds,
Indraneel

[ashphil]

Hello 1100D,
Great Travelogue! Lovely pics! I enjoyed your writeup on your Land rover driving experience and had my heart in my mouth when I saw the pic of Marengo with absolutely no view of the road in front! Really enjoyable. Will keep this road trip in mind for me and my family to cover some time in the future when time permits. Great Job! Deserves a 5 star rating.Here's to many more interesting Travelogues from you.
Regards,
Ashok

[Altocumulus]

Awesome Anirban, I could relate to every word in your travelogue and the achievement specially since the memory of making it to Sandakphu with Blackpearl and Ritik is still very fresh in my mind.

I have always been pestering them as to what would be a capable and comfortable offroader. Today I got the answer to my question.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by adg_andy

The ultimate destination in Bengal!!!(leaving aside Dzongri- but that is a foot trek anyway). Have very fond memories of North bengal, having spent 17 best years of my life in Siliguri. You surely rekindled the love and a helluva travelogue. Wishing you many such journeys or should i say dives ahead. And yes , I cant thank you enough for the pictures!!!

Originally Posted by getsurya

Hi 1100D,

Great travelogue with amazing pictures and description. Deserves 5 stars!

Enchanting write up and details which made it a pleasure to read through for me and my wife. Many thanks & Happy motoring!

Originally Posted by Indraneel Bhat

Hello Anirban,

Awesome, awesome trip and description. I had my heart in my mouth just looking at the pics. Plus to do it with your entire family!!! Kudos to your wonderful family as well. I can only imagine the extent to which the travel bug has bitten them given the overall harshness of the landscape and journey. Not to mention the trust that they have in your driving and judgement.
Once again, Great Job!!!

Rgds,
Indraneel

Thanks to each one of you, @adg_andy, @Getsurya, @Indraneel_Bhat

Originally Posted by ashphil

Hello 1100D,
Here's to many more interesting Travelogues from you.
Regards,
Ashok

Thanks Ashok, though not many in recent times, I do have some travelogues if you do a "find all threads by 1100d" option when you click on my profile!!

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

I think I had read somewhere that the older Mahindra CRDe engines perform better at higher altitudes than the newer Micro Hybrid ones. I may have read it wrong but I think it said the newer one seemed to lose power at higher altitudes due to less oxygen.

Dear Samarajit, Marengo has been to a higher altitude in 2011, to 14000 feet at Nathula and Tsamgo, with absolutely no civilian population in sight post the massive earthquake in the region. Had posed against the Kanchenjungha at 12k feet at Thambi view point. So till about 14k feet atleast, did not experience any perceptible power loss. Probably higher than that, maybe, but havn't experienced it first hand.

Now coming to the 2.6 crde vs the new 2.2 mHawk, there is an old saying that there is no replacement for displacement. The older engine does a few things much better. It has more torque off-idle and in the NA zone, a direct attribute from its tractor origins. It is also more relaxed on the highway cruise and has a very strong drivability in 5th gear at highway speeds, without much downshift required to overtake. In comparison, the 2.2 mHawk is outright more powerful and is quicker in the traffic light race, besides, the engine revs a tad bit higher, giving it a little more fun streak, gives significant benefits if one downshifts, being lighter it frees up the front suspension to be more compliant, in terms of front end nose dive, front end roll.

Now since I mentioned that the 2.6 crde has more torque off idle, its easier to take-off on an upslope, whereas the 2.2 will require a little revving, nothing too difficult if you drive a petrol car.

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Hope your new tires are all right after completing such a treacherous route filled with sharp rocks.

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

you have come back without evening blow a fuse or a flat tire. Kudos !!

Since there were questions about the tyres, and I knew there would be on this mad forum!! I kept pictures for the purpose!!

Some rocks were not avoidable and had to be driven on (some in order to prevent them from hitting something underneath or raise the GC). Lets see what the take is looking at the pics.

[Wireless]

Enjoyed your travelogue & pictures. However I am not able understand Why did you avoid coronation bridge?
Was it your bit towards the conservation of bridge?