India Travel

Ghezing in Western Sikkim

Related Properties from Gurgaon

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).

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

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

Tashiding Northeast of Yaksum in Western Sikkim

The beautiful gompa of TASHIDING occupies the point of a conical hill 19km southeast of Yoksum, high above the confluence of the Rangit and the Rathong. "The Devoted Central Glory" was built in 1717, alter a rainbow was seen to connect the site to Kanchenjunga. A wide path leaves the main road near an impressive mani wall (painted green and inscribed in silver paint with the mantra Om mani padme hum: "Hail the jewel in the lotus") and leads steeply past rustic houses and fields up to the monastery compound. The large complex consists of a motley collection of buildings,

Practicalities of Yuksom in Western Sikkim

The road to Yuksom is in shocking condition, which means that the daily bus. which usually leaves from outside the Dzongrila (see below), for Ghezing via Tashiding (90min) and Legship (2hr) doesn’t alwayas quite make it to Yuksom. When this is the case, the bus usually leaves from Gerathang, 5km down the road, at 7am. A couple of seriously overcrowded Jeeps depart at around 6.30am to Tashiding and Legship and occasionally on to Jorethang on demand. Accommodation in Yuksom is improving, with several budget options around the small market area including: Demazotig, where some rooms come with attached baths; Wild Orchid an

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

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

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

Khecheopalri Lake in Western Sikkim

Surrounded by dense forests and hidden in a mountain bowl (2000m) 33km to the northwest of Pelling, Khecheopalri Lake, known as the "Wishing Lake", is sacred to the Lepchas. Legend has it that if a leaf drops onto the lake's surface a guardian bird swoops down and picks it up, thereby maintaining the purity of the water. Another tale tells that Khecheopalri Lake and Kathok Lake in Yoksum are female and male counterparts and were once neighbours. However, villagers gave more importance to Kathok and neglected Khecheopalri, dumping rubbish there and destroying her sanctity, causing her to relocate in a

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

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

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,

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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