Sikkim

Sikkim is a state blessed by NatureТs Marvels. One can find this mountainous region blooming with flowers in the spring and frozen lakes in winter. Gangtok, the capital city is a modern hill station with all amenities. The weather is pleasing most of the year and its Buddhist past has a tremendous appeal. The Institute of Tibetology, Do-Drul Chorten, Enchey Monastery, Rumtek Monastery and monasteries at Pemayangtse and Tashiding are visit worthy places. Among other places are the sacred and serene Changu Lake, Khecheopalri Lake, the quaint hamlet of Pelling, the traditional “Lepcha” village at Chungthang, the view of the magnificent Kanchenjunga peak at Singhik and the remote and flower-bedecked valley at Yumthang. There are numerous activities attracting adventure tourism enthusiasts like trekking in Tendong Hill, the Versey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Menam Hill and Dzongri Trail. Hang-gliding at Jorethan, Kayaking and River Rafting on the river Teesta, Mountaineering and Mountain biking can be thrilling experiences.
Sikkim being mountainous terrain does not have an airport or railway network. The nearest airport is Bagdogra in West Bengal and nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri. Gangtok can be reached by road from Siliguri, Darjeeling, Bagdogra and New Jalpaiguri.
Best Time to visit: March to May and then October to mid-December
Languages Spoken: Nepali, Sikkimese
Climate: Temperate climate with pleasant summers, heavy rainfall during monsoon and cold winters
Holy Places: Do-Drul Chorten, Enchey Monastery, Rumtek Monastery, monasteries at Pemayangtse and Tashiding
Places to visit: Institute of Tibetology, Pelling Hamlet
Natural Wonders: Changu Lake, Khecheopalri Lake, Singhik
Adventure tourism: Hang-gliding at Jorethan, Kayaking and River Rafting on the river Teesta, Trekking in Tendong Hill, the Versey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Menam Hill and Dzongri Trail and Mountain biking
Mountaineering Peaks: FreyТs Peak, Jopuno, Tinchenkhang, Byrmkhangse and Lamo Angden

Gangtok-Namchi-Pelling-Darjeeling tour- part 2

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Pelling is a small place, which offers an exceptional view of snow-covered Kanchenjunga mountain range from almost everywhere, from your hotel room to the small street you are walking on. After having breakfast, we started our journey from pelling to Darjeeling, as our night halt for that day was in Darjeeling, but we were to cover good places in between.

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Gangtok-Namchi-Pelling-Darjeeling tour- part 1

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We walked down to MG Road, and found it is such a nice open place with no-vehicle movement and lots of good eating and shopping options. Such large area for pedestrian and kids were just so happy in running here and there. We should also have something like this in Delhi NCR too; all we have here are malls or congested markets with no place to walk. I found Gangtok a very safe place for girls too.

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Visiting Kaluk in West Sikkim

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If you are an aficionado of history, then Rabdentse is a place not to be missed if you are on a trip to West Sikkim. Located on a ridge near Upper Pelling, Rabdentse was the ancient capital of the kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. It was destroyed by the Gurkha invasion and now only the ruins of the palace remain. The remains of the palace have been declared as of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India. The ruins offer panoramic views of Mt. Kanchendzonga.

Vikram dropped us at the point from where we were to trek about 1.5 km through forest to reach the ruins. A huge decorated gate leads to the trekking path. We started our journey through a stone-cobbled path through the forest. The path was narrow and dark. The forest was deep. There was not a person to be seen anywhere. It was super-thrilling!!

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Khecheopalri – The Holy Lake of West Sikkim

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Siliguri to Pelling in West Sikkim is 131 kms and takes approximately 3 hours for straight drive. Needless to mention that the drive is subjected to imponderables like traffic snarl, road repairs and broadening work, tea and meal breaks. As such it is safe to plan approx 4 hours for the drive. Pelling to Khecheopalri is 32 kms and takes about an hourтАШs drive along a graveled road. As usual the condition of road from Siliguri to the lake can best be described as тАЬthe good, the bad and the uglyтАЭ. Last year at a chance meeting a MLA from Jorthang told me that this West Sikkim road is being turned into a four lane highway, insallah.

Road from Siliguri to Sevoke is a smooth broad 2 lane highway (NH 31) that knifes through the neat sevoke Military Cantonment and Sevoke Forest. From Sevoke Bazaar to Coronation Bridge (3 kms) is another smooth, well carpeted road snaking along he mountain curves runing almost parallel to Teesta River. This road is adorned with good highway signs; however, unfortunately this stretch is marred by delays due to railway gate blockage and heavy traffic from/to North East, Dooars, Sikkim and Kalimpong. From Coronation Bridge to Teesta Bridge near Teesta bazar (37km) NH 31is forever in the making and subject to traffic jams & delays caused by repairs and expansion; as such, it can be dusty and slushy depending on the season.

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Ranka Monestry Gangtok

Sikkim : A mystic land

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Sikkim is a truly mystical land, a confluence of advancement and mysticism. It is IndiaтАЩs least populated state, hosts Kanchenjunga, the worldтАЩs third-highest peak,…

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Summer in Sikkim-part ll- Pelling

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Pemayangse means тАЬ the perfect sublime lotusтАЭ. Lhatsun Champo, one of the three Lamas of Yuksom, founded the monastery in 17th century. It is the most important gompa in Sikkim and belongs to Nyingmapa sect. As we entered the gate we explained to Rachit about Prayer Wheels that were on both the side of gate. After this, a winding and climbing road is lined with fluttering prayer flags in all colors, sending the wishes riding on the horses of air in all the directions, till it reaches to Gompa.

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рдЧрдВрдЧрдЯреЛрдХ рд╕рд┐рдХреНрдХрд┐рдо Part-2

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рд░реЛрдкрд╡реЗ 70 /- рд░реВрдкрдпреЗ рдХрд┐рд░рд╛рдпрд╛ рдерд╛ рдПрдХ рдмрд╛рд░ рдореЗрдВ рдХрд░реАрдм 20 рд╕реЗ 25 рд▓реЛрдЧ рдЗрд╕рдореЗрдВ рд╕рдлрд╝рд░ рдХрд░ рд╕рдХрддреЗ рдереЗред рдЗрд╕рдореЗрдВ рдмреИрдардиреЗ рдХреА рд╡реНрдпрд╡рд╕реНрдерд╛ рдирд╣реАрдВ рд╣реИ рдЗрд╕рдореЗрдВ рдЦрдбрд╝реЗ рд╣реЛрдХрд░ рдЖрд╕-рдкрд╛рд╕ рдФрд░ рдиреАрдЪреЗ рдХрд╛ рд╡реНрдпреВ рджреЗрдЦрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВред рдПрдХ рдЕрд▓рдЧ рд╣реА рдирдЬрд╛рд░рд╛ рджреЗрдЦрдиреЗ рдХреЛ рдорд┐рд▓ рд░рд╣рд╛ рдерд╛ рд╕рд╛рде рд╣реА рд╕рд╛рде рдЬрдм рдмрд╕ рдиреАрдЪреЗ рдХреЛ рддреЗрдЬреА рд╕реЗ рдЙрддрд░ рд░рд╣реА рд╣реЛрддреА рд╣реИ рддрдм рд╣рд▓реНрдХрд╛ рд╕рд╛ рдбрд░ рднреА рд▓рдЧрддрд╛ рд╣реИред

рд░реЛрдкрд╡реЗ рдХреА рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рд╕реАрдврд┐рдпреЛрдВ рд╕реЗ рдиреАрдЪреЗ рдЙрддрд░рддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рдПрдХ рд░реЗрд╕реНрдЯреЛрд░реЗрдВрдЯ рд╣реИред рдЗрд╕ рд╕рдордп рддрдХ рднреВрдЦ рдЬреЛрд░реЛ рдХреА рд▓рдЧ рд░рд╣реА рдереА рд╕рднреА рдпрд╣рд╛рдБ рдкрд░ рдЦрд╛рдирд╛ рдЦрд╛рдиреЗ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рд░реБрдХ рдЧрдПред рдпрд╣рд╛рдБ рдкрд░ рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧреЛ рдХреЛ рдЖрдзреЗ рдШрдВрдЯреЗ рд╕реЗ рдЬреНрдпрд╛рджрд╛ рд╕рдордп рд▓рдЧ рдЧрдпрд╛ рдФрд░ рдЕрдм 4 рдмрдЬрдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рдереЗред рдбреНрд░рд╛рдЗрд╡рд░ рдЬрд▓реНрджреА рд╕реЗ рдкрд╛рд╕ рдореЗрдВ рд╣реА Namgyal Institute of Tibetiology рд▓реЗ рдЧрдпрд╛ред рдЬреЛ 4 рдмрдЬреЗ рдмрдВрдж рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рддреА рд╣реИ рдЕрднреА рд╣рдо рдЕрдиреНрджрд░ рдШреБрд╕реЗ рдореБрд╢реНрдХрд┐рд▓ рд╕реЗ рдПрдХ рдорд┐рдирдЯ рд╣реА рд╣реБрдЖ рдерд╛ рдХрд┐ рдХреЗрдпрд░ рдЯреЗрдХрд░ рдиреЗ рд▓рд╛рдЗрдЯ рдмрдВрдж рдХрд░ рджреА рдмреЛрд▓рд╛ рдЯрд╛рдЗрдо рдУрд╡рд░ред

рдЕрдм рддрдХ рд╢рд╛рдо рдврд▓ рдЪреБрдХреА рдереА рд╕рдбрдХреЛ рдкрд░ рдФрд░ рдорд╛рд░реНрдХрд┐рдЯ рдореЗрдВ рд▓рд╛рдЗрдЯреЗ рдЬрдЧрдордЧрд╛ рд░рд╣реА рдереАрдВред рдкрд░рдиреНрддреБ рд╕рд╛рд░реЗ рджрд┐рди рдХреА рднрд╛рдЧ рджреМрдбрд╝ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рд╢рд╛рд░реАрд░ рдЗрддрдирд╛ рдердХ рдЪреВрдХрд╛ рдерд╛ рдХрд┐ рд▓рдЧ рд░рд╣рд╛ рдерд╛ рдХрд┐ рдЕрдм рдХреБрдЫ рджреЗрд░ рдЖрд░рд╛рдо рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдЬрд╛рдпред рдЖрда рдШрдВрдЯреЗ рд╕реЗ рдЬреНрдпрд╛рджрд╛ рд╕рдордп рдШреВрдорддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рд╣реЛ рдЧрдпрд╛ рдерд╛ред
рдПрдХ рдмрд╛рдд рдФрд░ рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧ рдЗрддрдиреЗ рд╕рд╛рд░реЗ рд╡реНрдпреВ рдкреЙрдЗрдВрдЯ рдкрд░ рдЧрдП рдкрд░ рдХрд╣реАрдВ рднреА рдХреЛрдИ рдЯрд┐рдХреЗрдЯ рд╡рдЧреИрд░рд╣ рдирд╣реАрдВ рдЪрд╛рд░реНрдЬ рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдЬрд╛ рд░рд╣рд╛ рдерд╛ред рд╣рд╛рдБ рдХреБрдЫ рдПрдХ рдЬрдЧрд╣ рдЯреИрдХреНрд╕реА рд╕реНрдЯреИрдВрдб рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рдЬрд░реБрд░ 10 /- рд░реВрдкрдпреЗ рдкреНрд░рддрд┐ рдХрд╛рд░ рдЪрд╛рд░реНрдЬ рдХрд░ рд░рд╣реЗ рдереЗред

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Murti Kolakham (A treat for your five senses)

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One advise to anybody booking WBFDC Murti Resort. Please make sure while booking that they are booking the rooms in the First floor of the resort and not the ones on ground floor, which are horrible. There are four large AC rooms on the first floor named Tista, Torsa, Murti and Jaldhaka. The rooms are well furnished with a big attached balcony where you can sit and enjoy the calmness of the environment around with only the gurgling sound of the ever busy river Murti.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 5 (Final)

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But me and my camera was not having any desire of sleeping as I wanted to capture the beautiful Teesta river in my eyes as well in the camera lens. The views from the bus window were amazing. Early morning, cloudy weather, green high mountains and flowing Teesta; I could not ask more from the Nature. I clicked endless photographs. After some time it started raining which made the surrounding more beautiful. Around 7.30 we stopped in the middle near a small tea shop just near the banks of the Teesta. It was a great experience to have tea on the banks of Teesta while is was raining outside.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 4

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The very first place to visit was Tashi View Point. It was around a distance of 7 km from our hotel. It is an observation point at an altitude of 6000 ft developed be erstwhile king of Sikkim, Tashi Namgyal. On clear days in early morning, this is the best place in Gangtok to view the mighty Mount Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. One final destination still remained to visit and it was Ban Jhakhri Falls. It is a theme park surrounded by lush green forest on the outskirts of Gangtok.

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