Varsey or Barsey
Spending time amidst the enchanting splendor of Varsey which is a beautiful butterfly shaped sanctuary makes your tour a bit more unique than others. This Rhododendron sanctuary is covered in a huge area of 104 square km. It got its declaration in 1966 and is known as a famous attraction.
This is a wildlife attraction located in Geyzing, Sikkim. As mentioned above, this sanctuary is known for the huge array of Rhododendron along with various other amazing species such as Pine, Primula, Oak, and Magnolia. Not only flora will mesmerize you with its variety, but also the varieties of fauna can be observed in this sanctuary like Himalayan Yellow Throated Marten, Leopard cat, Kaleej, Crimson Horned Pheasant, Monal Pheasant, Himalaya n Palm Civet, Himalayan Langur and various other amazing species of birds.
Undoubtedly if you are a wildlife photographer or landscape, this place has a lot to offer you. Being located on Singalia Ridge, the beautiful view from the sanctuary is breathtaking. From here, you can easily observe the brightening snowy peak of Kanchenjunga. One can access Varsey from three gates Soreng, Hilley, and Dentam. No need of hiring a car as exploring on foot and having a close view of both flora and fauna species is worth it. If you are lucky enough, you might witness the endangered and rarely seen red pandas. The entire place is wrapped with scenic beauty and the wide varieties of flora and fauna.
This is a great place to visit with your family and friends. The serenity surrounding you will take away your daily stress and inject the peace within you. Even with every breath that you take you can witness the peace of the place.
What Can You Do Here?
If you are an adventure seeker or nature lover, Varsey has a lot in the bucket for you. Trekking trails are truly thrilling as it is a mix of excitement and satisfaction. Have a look at the nearby view of Kanchenjunga and the astonishing things of this sanctuary. And when it comes to nature lovers, you have no end to the feeling of satisfaction once you have a look and spend time at this place. Make sure you have your camera ready to capture the true essence of nature.
Best Time To Reach
The best time is from October to May as you get to see the world of flowers. However, months of April and May are also a great time to find the many types of Rhododendrons. Hence you can visit here at any point of time as the varieties of fauna are always available to see.
Nearby Attractions
Singshore Bridge:
This is the 2nd highest Bridge of Asia and is located at a distance of 7.4 km. Standing in the bridge can give you an idea about the depth and height of nature. Truly nature has no endings and beauty is sprinkled in every aspect of it. It is a great place for photography. If you fear from heights, you might feel scared because of the height of the bridge.
Sangay Falls:
On your way when you find a mesmerizing waterfall coming down by cutting the mountains somewhere from the height, isn’t it great? Well, this is not a picnic spot but a location that shows the beauty and treasure of nature. Take amazing pictures of the waterfalls and make some lifetime memories. Having the fall on the backdrop of your picture is worth capturing.
Kartok Lake:
It is a small lake covered with prayer flags around it. You don’t have to dedicate another day to visit this place. The serenity, the red fishes and the surrounding beauty is remarkably serene and will make you fall for this place even more.
Sewaro Rock Garden:
It’s a spectacular garden and you can never afford to miss it. It is a garden beautifully maintained with oranges, roses, lilies and various other flowers seem like have adorned the garden. Moreover, the meandering Teesta flowing through the garden cutting the mountains rocks makes it an amazing set of nature. This is more like those of fairylands with peace, beauty, and serenity.
With some of the most amazing place nearby the location, this place becomes a great one to add in your list. Moreover, being a sanctuary boasting some of the exotic species of flora and fauna, you can acquire great views of the nearby mountains along with enjoying some thrilling adventure here.
Accommodation
For night stay, there has a Forest Rest House in the Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary with limited facilities. Another stone curved bungalow, Guras Kunj is also available to welcome you, which have a single double bedded room and a dormitory facility with limited beds. Rent for the double bedded room is about 
1,500.00 per night, where for dormitory it will be 900.00 to 100.00 per bed per night. Veg and non-veg Thalis are available, once you ask it in advance.
How to Reach Varsey
After arriving in Siliguri or New Jalpaiguri by bus or train, you can hire a reserved car for Hilley or a shared cab for Jorethang and changed the shared cab at Jorethang to reach Hilley. Hilley is the last destination before Varsey, where a motorable car can be reached. Hilley is also accessible from Darjeeling or Gangtok by cabs. From Hilley, you have a 4 km trek to reach Varsey or Barsey through beautiful pine forests, which will take around 1 hour and 30 minutes approximately. Another way, you can take a jeep from Siliguri to Ribdi and then an 8 km trek to Hilley. You can reach at Siliguri by flight also.
About Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary Trek
Base Camp: Hilley (4 km)
Difficulty: Easy Gradient
The highest point: 12,125 ft
Nearest Airport: Bagdogra Airport (140 km/ 4.5 hrs)
Nearest Railhead: New Jalpaiguri (140 km / 4.5 hrs)
Region: West Sikkim
Starting Point: Hilley