Take a break. Sikkim has abundant in store for you to relax, cherish nature, or go berserk at adventure sports.
Rush to your nearest airport, get a flight to any of the metro airports in India. If planning for Sikkim, prefer Dumdum airport in Kolkata. Get a flight from here to Bagdogra National Airport in New Jalpaigudi. Here starts your trip. From Jalpaigudi to Siliguri; Siliguri to to Gangtok, through Singtom and the entwined roadways passing through dense hill forests. This was the route I followed on my way to Gangtok. The city is very well connected to Siliguri as well as other hill cities and towns in Sikkim and North Bengal. Places like Kalimpong and Darjeeling, and others like Dzongri, Nathula, or Pelling can be easily reached by buses and cab services available from Siliguri. But for a quick short trip, a two-day trip to Gangtok and its suburbs are more than enough to impress you.
Time is short? Tough to decide how to start? Sample this.
Walk down from your cab, hire a 'tempo' (a three-wheeled vehicle) and look out for a lodge. Better to check in the ones facing the Kanchenjunga Range rather than the star resorts in the jam-packed market places. Now, be ready with your camera to capture pictures of Kanchenjungha, the third highest peak in the world. The striking beauty of the peak when ablaze in the sun is something that compels you to stay glued to it for hours. Ask locals for viewpoints in the city for a better look.
First, visit the Enchey Monastery. A 3 km trek from Gangtok drops you at Enchey, a 200 years Buddhist temple set on a hilltop. The monastery is best known for its ethnic interior decor, and its surrounding pristine vistas that temporarily cuts you off from the city.
Next you can see the Do Drul Chorten - an imminent 'stupa' in Sikkim. Do Drul is a one-stop must-see in Sikkim for its unique architecture and the 108 prayer wheels with mantras engraved on them. Diversity is nurtured in Gangtok as well. Aside Buddhism, you can see Hindu traditions at the Ganesh Tok situated on a hillock on the Nathula Road. Either crouch into the tiny cell to offer your prayers or enjoy the enchanting view of the entire city-scape from the hillock.
Drive 8 KM uphill from Nathula to reach Tsomgo. The place is significant for its barren untouched surroundings, the ice-capped terrains and a viewpoint for the Indo-China border. Hiring a cab is the only option, as buses can hardly cross the narrow hillroads to Tsomgo. Keep your nerves harnessed while coming across gruesome turns, and narrow streams suddenly emerging from deep crevasses of the hillslopes making travel more challenging. It's not uncommon when you come face-to-face with a fellow cab coming from the opposite direction. A backbreaking 3-4 hours journey, a drive from 4,700 feet to 12,400 feet, finally drops you at Tsomgo lake. Hike the mountain or spend time gazing at the green fresh-water in the lake. For a change, savor the authentic 'pahari' delicacies before you head back to Gangtok. Avoid drinking at the night and sleep well to gear up for Pelling the next day.
Hire a cab to Pelling to enjoy the surrounding vistas while traveling. That shouldn't cost you much if you are on off-seasons (Mid November - End March). Even a bus journey wouldn't be bad either if you are about to cross your budget plan. Known for its proximity to the Himalayan range, Pelling is best if you wish to get a closer look at mountains like Koktang, Kumbhakarna, Rathong, Kabru, Dom, Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Zopuno, Shimbho, Narsing, Siniyalchu and others. The view here is enthralling. Don't forget your camera; you won't get such photographic options always. Set at 6,800 ft, Pelling is not all about beauty only, but is the seat to culture and heritage of Sikkim. Pemayangtse Monastery, Sangachoeling Monastery, Khechepalri Lake, Rabdantsey Ruins are awesome places to be captured in your camera.
That's not all for your Gangtok trip. If still left with time, others like Kabi Lungchok, Phensong Monastery, and Hanuman Tak are all worth a shot. But, amidst history, culture, nature and religion, you may even plan for an adventure trek or a para-sailing or a mountain bicycling – if enthusiastic!.
How to Reach?
To Gangtok:
1. Fly to Dumdum airport
2. Dumdum Airport to Bagdogra National Airport at New Jalpaigudi.
3. Get a bus or hire a cab directly to Gangtok.
To Pelling (West Sikkim):
Direct tourist Bus/ hire a cab from Gangtok. (125 Km from Gangtok)
To Tsomgo: Hire a Cab ( 40 Km from Gangtok)
What to See?
Kanchenjungha, Enchey Monastery, Do Drul Chorten, Ganesh Tok, Tsomgo, Kabi Lungchok, Phensong Monastery, Hanuman Tak, Pelling (Pemayangtse Monastery, Sangachoeling Monastery, Khechepalri Lake, Rabdantsey Ruins)
Where to Stay?
Namdul Residency, Silk Route Residency, Namling Residency, Hotel White Conch Residency (pure Veg), The Royal Demazong (hill resort), Village Resort, babumoshai Resort (65 Km from Gangtok), Orenge Village Resort (luxury), The Junction (luxury).
Rush to your nearest airport, get a flight to any of the metro airports in India. If planning for Sikkim, prefer Dumdum airport in Kolkata. Get a flight from here to Bagdogra National Airport in New Jalpaigudi. Here starts your trip. From Jalpaigudi to Siliguri; Siliguri to to Gangtok, through Singtom and the entwined roadways passing through dense hill forests. This was the route I followed on my way to Gangtok. The city is very well connected to Siliguri as well as other hill cities and towns in Sikkim and North Bengal. Places like Kalimpong and Darjeeling, and others like Dzongri, Nathula, or Pelling can be easily reached by buses and cab services available from Siliguri. But for a quick short trip, a two-day trip to Gangtok and its suburbs are more than enough to impress you.
Time is short? Tough to decide how to start? Sample this.
Walk down from your cab, hire a 'tempo' (a three-wheeled vehicle) and look out for a lodge. Better to check in the ones facing the Kanchenjunga Range rather than the star resorts in the jam-packed market places. Now, be ready with your camera to capture pictures of Kanchenjungha, the third highest peak in the world. The striking beauty of the peak when ablaze in the sun is something that compels you to stay glued to it for hours. Ask locals for viewpoints in the city for a better look.
First, visit the Enchey Monastery. A 3 km trek from Gangtok drops you at Enchey, a 200 years Buddhist temple set on a hilltop. The monastery is best known for its ethnic interior decor, and its surrounding pristine vistas that temporarily cuts you off from the city.
Next you can see the Do Drul Chorten - an imminent 'stupa' in Sikkim. Do Drul is a one-stop must-see in Sikkim for its unique architecture and the 108 prayer wheels with mantras engraved on them. Diversity is nurtured in Gangtok as well. Aside Buddhism, you can see Hindu traditions at the Ganesh Tok situated on a hillock on the Nathula Road. Either crouch into the tiny cell to offer your prayers or enjoy the enchanting view of the entire city-scape from the hillock.
Drive 8 KM uphill from Nathula to reach Tsomgo. The place is significant for its barren untouched surroundings, the ice-capped terrains and a viewpoint for the Indo-China border. Hiring a cab is the only option, as buses can hardly cross the narrow hillroads to Tsomgo. Keep your nerves harnessed while coming across gruesome turns, and narrow streams suddenly emerging from deep crevasses of the hillslopes making travel more challenging. It's not uncommon when you come face-to-face with a fellow cab coming from the opposite direction. A backbreaking 3-4 hours journey, a drive from 4,700 feet to 12,400 feet, finally drops you at Tsomgo lake. Hike the mountain or spend time gazing at the green fresh-water in the lake. For a change, savor the authentic 'pahari' delicacies before you head back to Gangtok. Avoid drinking at the night and sleep well to gear up for Pelling the next day.
Hire a cab to Pelling to enjoy the surrounding vistas while traveling. That shouldn't cost you much if you are on off-seasons (Mid November - End March). Even a bus journey wouldn't be bad either if you are about to cross your budget plan. Known for its proximity to the Himalayan range, Pelling is best if you wish to get a closer look at mountains like Koktang, Kumbhakarna, Rathong, Kabru, Dom, Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Zopuno, Shimbho, Narsing, Siniyalchu and others. The view here is enthralling. Don't forget your camera; you won't get such photographic options always. Set at 6,800 ft, Pelling is not all about beauty only, but is the seat to culture and heritage of Sikkim. Pemayangtse Monastery, Sangachoeling Monastery, Khechepalri Lake, Rabdantsey Ruins are awesome places to be captured in your camera.
That's not all for your Gangtok trip. If still left with time, others like Kabi Lungchok, Phensong Monastery, and Hanuman Tak are all worth a shot. But, amidst history, culture, nature and religion, you may even plan for an adventure trek or a para-sailing or a mountain bicycling – if enthusiastic!.
How to Reach?
To Gangtok:
1. Fly to Dumdum airport
2. Dumdum Airport to Bagdogra National Airport at New Jalpaigudi.
3. Get a bus or hire a cab directly to Gangtok.
To Pelling (West Sikkim):
Direct tourist Bus/ hire a cab from Gangtok. (125 Km from Gangtok)
To Tsomgo: Hire a Cab ( 40 Km from Gangtok)
What to See?
Kanchenjungha, Enchey Monastery, Do Drul Chorten, Ganesh Tok, Tsomgo, Kabi Lungchok, Phensong Monastery, Hanuman Tak, Pelling (Pemayangtse Monastery, Sangachoeling Monastery, Khechepalri Lake, Rabdantsey Ruins)
Where to Stay?
Namdul Residency, Silk Route Residency, Namling Residency, Hotel White Conch Residency (pure Veg), The Royal Demazong (hill resort), Village Resort, babumoshai Resort (65 Km from Gangtok), Orenge Village Resort (luxury), The Junction (luxury).
That is quiet an Informative post. I actually love spending time there, in nature's lap. Here are a few more places to visit in Gangtok that one can explore.
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