India Travel
Details of North Sikkim
Most of spectacular north Sikkim is closed to visitors. Until 1993 no one was allowed to venture past Phodong, but now groups armed with special permits, arranged through travel and tour operators in Gangtok, are allowed as far as Yume Samdang and Thanggu, at the edge of the Tibetan plateau. Every year throughout the monsoon, landslides take out stretches of road, severely disrupting transport, and areas get cut off from Gangtok and the rest of the country. Teams of local villagers are drafted in to clear boulders, rebuild and shore up the cliffs.
The road north of Gangtok follows the deep Teesta gorge past Phodong across what is said to be the highest bridge in Asia (no photography allowed), before reaching the quiet little town of MANGAN, administrative centre for north Sikkim. There is little of interest here but a few basic hotels and cafes on the main road providing “food and lodging". The Himalayan has the biggest rooms in town and its own restaurant while the Laclien I alley, Ganga and North Point Lodge offer much the same on a smaller scale. The drive down to Namprikdang, a popular angling spot at the confluence of the Rangit and Teesta, is both spectacular and hair-raising. A small gompa 5km north of Mangan - the northernmost point for those tourists not travelling in a group - Singhik provides incredible views, especially early in the morning, of the huge east face of Kanchenjunga. The new Tourist Lodge at Singhik takes advantage of the location widely considered to be the best viewpoint in all Sikkim. Although a magnificent valley branches northwest from Mangan towards Kanchenjunga, this area is reserved as the Lepcha heartland where non-Lepchas are not allowed.
A further 40km north lies CHUNGTHANG, a dark and grubby town, set in a deep valley at the confluence of the Lachen and Lachung rivers, with a large military presence. There is a large Public Works Department bungalow here; although it’s generally used for PWD employees tourists can stay if there’s room. There are also a couple of basic hotels including the Neetam on the main road, with a decent but simple restaurant.
Beyond Chumthang the valleys fork, hese are border areas and the military, who maintain the rough roads, are very sensitive - photography, even of harmless monasteries, is not tolerated. The road to the right climbs rapidly to the small settlement of LACHUNG, the “big pass", a mere 15km west of Tibet. Across the river, Lachung Monastery is a two-storey Tibetan-style gompa belonging to the Nyingmapa sect. Most of the accommodation here, inclusive of meals, will be booked through your tour operator in Gangtok, such as Lecoxy, a large comfortable timber lodge booked through Blue Sky Tours &c Travels. Alternatives include the Apple Valley Inn and the more basic Alpine Resort.
Twenty-four kilometres further north, the valley becomes even more spectacular. Craggy snow-bound peaks rise as high as 6000m to either side above YUMTHANG, which has hot sulphur springs but no accommodation. Yaksey Lodge, halfway between Lachung and Yumthang, provides a base from which to discover the valley.
Several interesting high-altitude treks are now open to group tours in this isolated region, including the popular Lachen-Green Lake trek which takes approximately five days (one-way) and offers great views of Mount Siniokhu (6687m) across the Zemu glacier. Green Lake is the base for climbing expeditions attempting the many 6000-7000m peaks in the region. One such route from Green Lake crosses the Zemu and Tailing glaciers, and reaches Goecha La (4940m) and Dzongri La before it finally descends into Western Sikkim, but this is only for experienced mountaineers. Another extremely challenging route to Green Lake begins at Thanggu, 28km beyond Lachen. Trekking permits for the north must be sought through Sikkim Tourism in Delhi and mountaineering permits through the Indian Mountaineering Foundation also in Delhi.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Special permits
In addition to a visa, special permits may be required for travel to certain areas of the country - notably Sikkim, parts of Ladakh,the Andaman Islands, Lakshadweep, the far west of the Thar desert beyond Jaisalmer, and some northeastern hill states. There are two types of permits: those for restricted areas such as Sikkim, and the Inner Line Permit required by both foreigners and Indians intending to visit politically sensitive border areas of Ladakh, parts of the northeast, and north and east Sikkim. Inner Line Permits are usually issued by the District Magistrate (see chapters for more detail). Some areas (parts
Arrival and information of Gangtok in Sikkim
Gangtok is not served directly by rail; most travellers arrive by Jeep from Siliguri in West Bengal (4hr 30min; see p.72), the transport centre for the railhead at New Jalpaiguri and forBagdogra airport. Shared Jeeps also run from Darjeeling and Kalimpong. A helicopter service (Rs1500) connects Bagdogra airport with Gangtok, run in conjunction with Sikkim Tourism and designed to meet passengers arriving on Indian Airlines and Jet Airways flights. At the time of writing, though, both airlines had temporarily suspended flights to Bagdogra due to ongoing repairs to the runway. All buses run by Sikkim Nationalized Transport (SNT), the state carrier,
State tourist offices in Calcutta
The most useful of the many tourist offices representing other states in Calcutta are those that cover trie northeastern states, and issue whichever permits may be necessary (details of permit requirements can be found on p.1043), and that of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Andaman and Nicobar, 3A Auckland Place; Arunachal Pradesh, 41B Chowringhee Place; Assam, 8 Russell St; Manipur, 26 Rowland Rd; Meghalaya, 9 Russell St; Mizoram, 24 Old Ballygunge Rd; Nagaland, 11 Shakespeare Sarani; Orissa, 41 Lenin Sarani; Sikkim, 5/2 Russell St;
Travel details of North Sikkim
Jeeps tend to go when full, except for the Gangtok-Ghezing and Pelling services, which depart once daily. There are no train or plane services available and the helicopter service from Gangtok only operates to meet flights at Bagdogra. Buses cost a few rupees less than the Jeeps but they are much slower and tend to be a lot more uncomfortable. Jeeps Gangtok to: Darjeeling (5-6hr); Ghezing (4-5hr); Kalimpong (3-4hr): Pelling (5-6hr); Mangan (2-3hr); Siliguri (5-6hr). Ghezing to: Gangtok (5-6hr); Jorethang (2hr 30min -3hr); Pelling (30min); Yoksum (2hr 30min-3hr). Jorethang to: Darjeeling (2hr); Gangtok (4-5hr); Ghezing (2hr); Legship (1hr).
Some history of Sikkim
No one knows quite when or how the Lepchas - or the Rong, as they call themselves - came to Sikkim, but their roots can be traced back to the animist Nagas of the Indo-Burmese border. Buddhism, which arrived from Tibet in the thirteenth century, took its distinctive Sikkimese form four centuries later, when three Tibetan monks of the old Nyingmapa order, disenchanted with the rise of the reformist Gelug-pas, migrated south and gathered at Yoksum in western Sikkim. Having consulted the oracle, they sent to Gangtok for a certain Phuntsog Namgyal, whom they crowned as the first chogyal or
North Bengal in North Bengal
North Bengal, where the Himalayas soar from the flat alluvial plains towards Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, holds some magnificent mountain panoramas, and also some of India's best hill stations. Most visitors pass as quickly as possible through Siliguri en route to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the small state of Sikkim. For anyone with a bit of time on their hands, the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the one-horned rhino, bison and wild boar, east of Siliguri near the Bhutanese border, makes a worthwhile detour. Besides the occasional strike, few travellers will notice, but today the region is wracked by political turmoil, with
Gangtok Town in Sikkim
The capital of Sikkim, the overgrown hill town of GANGTOK (1870m), occupies a rising ridge in the southeast of the state, on what used to be a busy trade route into Tibet. Due to rapid development and new wealth, it now retains only a few traditional Sikkimese elements; there's an ugly assortment of concrete multistorey buildings which is growing, virtually unchecked, all the time. However, a short amble soon leads you away from the hectic central market area, while longer walks out into the surrounding countryside provide glimpses of the full grandeur of the Himalayas. On a good day, you
Jorethang and Legship in Western Sikkim
The most important town in western Sikkim, JORETHANG, lies in the very south of the state, just across the River Rangit from Singla Bazaar in West Bengal and a mere 30km north of Darjeeling, just visible across the tea plantations. Set on an extensive shelf, which makes it feel oddly flat despite the huge hills that rise in every direction, it's a surprisingly pleasant and well-ordered place, with a good market and a couple of decent budget hotels. The Namgyal next to the Darjeeling taxi stand has good-value doubles with running hot water, some with river views; it also has
Practicalities in North Bengal
Bagdogra airport, 12km west of Siliguri and served by flights from Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati, is connected not only with Siliguri itself, but also directly to Darjeeling as well as to Gangtok in Sikkim by helicopter.
Arrival, information and transport in North Bengal
Virtually all travellers arriving in Darjeeling from the plains come via Siligun, whether by the Toy Train, shared Jeep or bus. Jeeps and buses stop at the bus stand in the lower half of the town from where it's a bit of an uphill trek to the main hotel area. Taxis and some Jeeps will take you up to Clubside near the Mall, at the upper end of town; porters are available (from Rs20), but be careful as some act as touts so you could end up paying more for your room. Darjeeling is best explored on foot - in
Yoksum in Western Sikkim
The sleepy, spread-out hamlet of YOKSUM, which occupies a large shelf at the entrance to the Rathong Chu gorge, 40km north of Pemayangtse at the end of the road, holds a special place in Sikkimese history. This was the spot where three lamas converged to enthrone the first religious king of Sikkim, Chogyal Phuntsog Namgyal, in 1642. Named the "Great Religious King" he established Tibetan Buddhism in Sikkim.This meeting of three lamas coming from different directions across the Himalayas was predicted by Guru Rinpoche nine centuries earlier. Lhatsun Chenpo is supposed to have buried offerings inYoksum's large white Norbugang Chorten
Pelling and around in Western Sikkim
The laid-back, scenic, but rapidly swelling hamlet of PELLING. situated 2085m above sea level only 2km beyond Pemayangtse, looks north cowards the glaciers and peaks of Kanchenjunga. High above forest-covered hills, in an amphitheatre of cloud, snow and rock, the entire route from Yoksum over Dzongri La to the Rathong Glacier can be seen. Pelling itself consists of little more than a road junction, helicopter pad and numerous hotels - most of which have been built in the last few years, creating the so-called "Bengali Boulevard", a strip of highly unimaginative identikit concrete blocks. Luckily, this is not enough to
Western Sikkim
This beautiful land, characterized by great tracts of virgin forest and deep river valleys, offers ancient monasteries such as Pemayangtse and Tashiding and the attractive but rapidly developing hamlet of Pelling. The old capital. Yoksum, lies at the start of the trail towards Dzongri and Kanchenjunga. On the far west, along the border with Nepal, the watershed of the Singalila Range rises along a single ridge, with giants such as Rathong and Kabru culminating in Kanchenjunga itself. Although only two high-altitude trails are currently available, and these are subject to restrictions and high charges, several low-altitude treks provide opportunities to
Ghezing in Western Sikkim
The unattractive market town of GHEZING (which sometimes appears as GYALSHING). 110km west of Gangtok, is the administration centre and transport hub of western Sikkim. It's a good place to stock up on provisions, and has a handful of basic hotels around the main square, including the Kanchanzonga, which has a restaurant; the Mayalu; and the Chopstick, with lighter and brighter rooms and views across the valley to Ravangla.The most comfortable place in the centre of town is the Ami at the top end of Ghezing with a/c double rooms. But for a bit of luxury head for the dramatically situated
Around Gangtok in Sikkim
The most obvious destinations for day-trips from Gangtok are the great Buddhist monasteries of Rumtek to the southwest, and Phodong to the north. Towering above the town of Ravangla to the west of Gangtok, the forested peak of Maenatn is famous for its plants and the tremendous view from its summit; the trek could be done as a short excursion or en route to West Sikkim. Closer to Gangtok there are three popular viewing points offering panoramas of the Kanchenjunga Range. The mos: accessible is Ganesh Tok, a steep walk from the TV tower and Enchey monastery. A small Ganesh shrine
Around Kalimpong in North Bengal
Although the Lepchas, the original inhabitants of the area, have lost their traditional way of life in most other parts of Darjeeling and Sikkim. rheir lifesryle has remained relatively untouched in the unspoilt forest-covered hills and deep river valleys to the south of Kalimpong. Lying on an old trade route to Bhutan, the small hamlet of LAVA, 35km from Kalimpong and accessible by shared Jeep, makes an ideal base for exploring the nature trails ot Neura National Park, abundant with orchids, birds and other wildlife. Lava is also convenient for approaching the Rachela Pass (3152m) on the Sikkim-Bhutan border which
Tiger Hill in North Bengal
Jeeps and taxis packed with tourists leave from Clubside in Darjeeling around 4am each morning, careering 12km through Ghoom and the woodlands to catch the sunrise at TIGER HILL. This incredible viewpoint (2585m) provides an unparalleled 360° Himalayan panorama, with the steamy plains bordering Bangladesh to the south, the Singalila Range with Everest beyond to the west, Kanchenjunga and Sikkim to the north, and the Bhutan and Assam Himalayas trailing into the distance to the northeast. From left to right, the peaks include: Lhotse (which actually looks larger than Everest); Everest itself; Makalu; then, after a long gap, the rocky
Accommodation of Gangtiok in Sikkim
Gangtok's hotels are expensive in high season -broadly speaking April to June and September to November - but at other times offer discounted rates. Many hotel rooms have excellent views of Kanchenjunga and operate a viewing tax, which makes them slightly more expensive. As the town spreads so does the choice of accommodation, with good hotels springing up along the highway at Deorali and Tadong.
Sports and outdoor activities in Delhi
The recreational activity most likely to appeal to visitors in the prenionsoon months has to be a dip in one ot Delhi's swimming pools. Other local diversions include bowling, golf, and even rock climbing, on crags on the outskirts of the city, during the cooler months. Bowling Alley, Outb Hotel, off Sri Aurobmdo Marg; Xanadu Bowling Lanes, South Delhi Club, Greater Kailash 1. Delhi Flying Club, Safdarjang Airport. Temporary membership available. Delhi Gliding Club, Safdarjang Airport. Call for details of a day's flying. Delhi Goli Club, DrZakir Hussein Marg. Busy and beautiful 220-acre golf course on the fifteenth-century estate of the
Detail of Sikkim
The tiny and beautiful state of SIKKIM lies just south of Tibet, sandwiched between Nepal to the west and Bhutan to the east. Though measuring just 65km by 115km, it ranges from sweltering deep valleys a mere 300m above sea level to lofty snow peaks such as Kanchenjunga (Kanchendzonga to the locals), which, at 8586m, is the third-highest mountain in the world. The capital city, Gangtok, at 1870m, follows the extreme contours of the land and all roads snake around its precarious slopes. It has good facilities and magnificent post-monsoon views. Permits for restricted areas can only be obtained in