For stories from my Sikkim trip, read this blog
Travelled in: December 2009
Itinerary:
The overall pace of the trip was relaxed as I don’t like cramming too many things into the day.
Day 0
- Flight from Bangalore, via Delhi. Arrive at Bagdogra at 13:00 pm.
Drive to Gangtok. Arrive by evening. Stay overnight at Gangtok.
Day 1 – Visit Tsomgo Lake with a guide. Stay overnight at Gangtok.
Day 2 – Leave early morning for Lachung, via Singhik. Sight-seeing on the way. Stay overnight at Lachung.
Day 3 – Leave early morning for Yumthang valley & Zero point or Katao. Stay overnight at Lachung.
Day 4 – Leave Lachung for Lachen. Sight-seeing on the way. Stay overnight at Lachen.
Day 5 – Visit Gurudongmar Lake & Chopta valley. Stay overnight at Lachen.
Day 6 – Leave Lachen for Dzongu. Stay overnight at Dzongu.
Day 7 – Explore Dzongu. Stay overnight at Dzongu.
Day 8 – Explore Dzongu. Stay overnight at Dzongu.
Day 9 – Leave Dzongu for Gangtok. Stay overnight at Gangtok.
Day 10 – Enchey Chaam at Gangtok. Stay overnight at Gangtok.
Day 11 – Visit Rumtek & Lingdum monasteries. Stay overnight at Gangtok.
Day 12 – Leave Gangtok for Pelling. Stay overnight at Pelling.
Day 13 – Explore Pelling. Overnight at Pelling.
Day 14 – Explore Pelling. Overnight at Pelling.
Day 15 – Leave Pelling for Darjeeling. Overnight at Darjeeling.
Day 16 – Explore Darjeeling. Overnight at Darjeeling.
Day 17 - Leave Darjeeling for Bagdogra. Catch flight to Delhi at 15.30 pm.
From
Day 11 onwards, we modified our itinerary at the spur of the moment.
The one given above is our modified itinerary. Initially, we were
scheduled to leave Gangtok on Day 11 after visiting the monasteries
& drive to Ravangla. Day 12 was at Ravangla. Day 13 onwards was at
Pelling, with a trek to Khecheopalri Lake and Days 16 & 17 were to
be spent at Rinchenpong.
But,
we heard that all hotels at Ravangla were shut for winter (which was
true; we saw it when we drove through Ravangla). Also, there were
strikes at Darjeeling & we were advised to leave Sikkim soon, before
the only highway out of Sikkim was blocked. Hence, we spent the last 2
days in Darjeeling itself, amidst the strike; so that we would at least
have a chance of flying back to Bangalore as scheduled on Day 17.
When to go:
The
monsoons begin in Sikkim by June 1st week / mid June. Sikkim during the
monsoons will be very lush & green. But, by July, there are chances
of the rains being heavy & spoiling your travel plans. Landslides
may occur due to heavy rains. Also, you will not see any views of the
mountains as it will always be cloudy. All in all, avoid the monsoons.
You can see pretty Rhododendrons, which bloom in spring & summer if you go in March/April/May.
If
you want to see snow, go during December-March. West Sikkim is a little
warmer, as it is at a lower altitude. In the rest of Sikkim,
temperatures can hover around 0 degrees & dip below; be adequately
prepared. Also, Gurudongmar Lake may not be accessible if there is snow
& ice; so do not attempt the journey if the weather worsens &
your driver decides to turn back. He knows best. The Nathu-La pass too
may be closed during peak winter. Some areas of Sikkim (like Zero point
& Katao) are known to have snow well until summer.
Carry
an entire set of woolens: thermal inners, a light sweater, a heavier
jacket, woolen socks, gloves, mufflers, ear muffs and a woolen cap. You
will need all this even if you visit Tsomgo (Changu) Lake from Gangtok.
Within Gangtok-Pelling-Darjeeling, you may not need thermal inners too
much. It may also drizzle. Room heaters are available at most hotels,
either included in your room tariff or charged extra; ask for it when
you book your room.
But,
there’s one thing to always look out for: the political situation in
Darjeeling. Check this before you leave home. The reason for this is
that, Sikkim is connected by 2 entry/exit points; only to West Bengal.
One road (near Jorethang) leads straight to Darjeeling. The other road
connecting Bagdogra airport, SIliguri & New Jalpaiguri railway
station to Gangtok is very close to Darjeeling. Strikes in Darjeeling
may affect your chances of going to Sikkim.
Travel agent (for permits & guides) & Driver:
North
Sikkim (beyond Mangan / Singhik) can only be visited in the company of a
guide, after having the necessary inner-line permits. These permits can
be arranged by you. But, save yourself the hassle by getting it done by
a travel agent, who can also arrange for a ‘North package’.
Only
Indians are permitted to go to Nathu-La (near Gangtok), Zero point
& Katao (near Lachung) and Gurudongmar Lake (near Lachen).
Foreigners, though, can visit Tsomgo Lake (near Gangtok) & Yumthang
valley (near Lachung) and Tsopta (Chopta) Valley (near Lachen); besides,
of course, Lachen & Lachung.
Based
on recommendations, I had initially contacted 2 highly recommended
agents. Both of them did not respond well, were extremely slow in their
response (they took 2 months! And that too only after I called them up
every few days to follow up) & one of them even left me in the lurch
at the last minute (10 days before my departure) after promising to
organise my trip!
Panic
stricken, I contacted the lesser-known Khangri Tours & Travels
based in Gangtok and they made all necessary arrangements within a
couple of days. I am glad I went with them & highly recommend them. I
got the lowest quote too, from them. We used them for North Sikkim and
when we were happy; we also hired vehicles from them for a few of our
trips. And, at the end of our trip, when we were faced with the Siliguri
/ Darjeeling strikes, they really helped us out; even though they
didn’t have to. Contact person - Mr. Chamba: 098320-89467, 098320-49994
Or Arjun: 3592-206050. Website: khangrii.com
Our
driver for North Sikkim was Dorjee: 094745-30584. Dorjee is also the
owner of the vehicle (Mahindra Maxx). The vehicle was very well
maintained & hence, comfortable. He had also taken all additional
precautions & spares before our North trip, to ensure we had no
problems. He is an extremely cautious driver too, which was good for me;
as I am very paranoid. Also, both Arjun & Dorjee are young,
friendly, fun & helpful and we really enjoyed our trip because of
their company.
Hotels:
Gangtok:
The Royal Demazong
(for the first 2 days) – This hotel had been acquired by Club Mahindra
just a week before we went. The rooms were spacious but the walls were
paper thin; we could clearly hear the TV from neighbouring rooms. I
would not highly recommend it as it is far away from the main city &
needs a taxi ride costing 100 Rs, each time you want to go to MG Marg.
Mintokling Guest house
(during the Chaam) - It is located on Bhanupath. It is located away
from the main road, in a non-noisy area. Yet, it is easily walkable from
MG Marg (The 10-15 min walk was okay for us. May not be suitable for
the elderly). I chose it because I like to stay away from
the road noise at night. The food is good. The rooms are clean. We
stayed at the suite & that too was relatively in-expensive. I would
highly recommend this guesthouse.
Lachung:
Apple Valley Inn
- I loved this place. It's small & cozy; with extremely friendly
staff & awesome food. But, if you have a lot of luggage, you may
find some of the rooms a bit too small…ask for the larger rooms. I
stayed in the small but comfortable log room. The room didn’t have a
heater & we had to hire one from them as it was too cold.
Lachen:
Siniolchu Lodge
- The room & bathroom were spacious. We had some trouble with the
geyser, which was a bit of a problem as it was winter. They also had a
very barely functional, broken heater; that gave us no warmth. The food
is decent. We could have stayed at a better hotel at Lachen, but, when
we went in Dec; most of the hotels were shut. Luckily, I can manage with
very basic amenities & so, was fine. But, if you are not
comfortable with that, I would suggest trying some other hotel in
Lachen; there definitely are a few more options.
Dzongu:
Homestay
with Mr. Dupden Lepcha: 098002-54465. The family is very friendly, the
rooms are clean & basic and the food is great. But, the rooms don’t
have attached bathrooms.
There
are no shops in Dzongu, except small ones selling basic provisions
& home necessities. I'm not sure if medicines are available either.
You should definitely carry all emergency medication with you. The
nearest hospital seems to be at Mangan, an hours' drive away.
Pelling:
Elgin Mt. Pandim
- I really loved this hotel. I could walk to the Pemayangtse monastery
& Rabdentse. It was away from the crowded (main Pelling) area & I
had stupendous views of Mt.Khangchendzonga from my room! My room was
luxurious and comfortable. The food is good but may get repetitive for
longer stays.
Food:
As
vegetarians, we could not taste some of the signature Sikkimese dishes.
Though, wherever we went; we did manage to get a vast variety of
Sikkimese veg food: Momos (steamed dumplings), Chowmein, Thukpa (noodle
soup), salads, and steamed rice with gravies. Much to our surprise,
Sikkimese are big rice eaters; they eat it with gravies & pickle for
breakfast, lunch & dinner. Rice is cultivated extensively in
Sikkim, in picturesque, terraced fields. We also tried yummy Tibetan
food. Sikkim is a state of avid tea drinkers, drinking various varieties
throughout the day; which suited us fine. Besides regular tea as we
know it, they also make salted tea & salt-butter tea. Both are very
unique & I liked them. The other local brew is a beer made using
fermented millet, called 'Tongba' or 'Che'.
High altitude travel:
Acute
Mountain sickness (AMS) is commonly faced if you travel to higher
altitudes, especially during winter. In Sikkim, almost all of North
Sikkim is at extremely high altitudes. Plan your itinerary
intelligently. Spend your first few days at Gangtok; to acclimatise to
the cold weather. Then, go to Lachung first (as it is at a lower
altitude than Lachen). Next, go to Lachen & Gurudongmar (the lake is
at an extremely high altitude at 17,300 feet & you will face
altitude sickness). A gradual ascent like this will help reduce your
altitude sickness. All operators usually take you to Lachen first.
Definitely insist on going to Lachung first. It works out much better
for your health. That’s what I did.
Also,
take your time. Most popular packages to North Sikkim are 2-night ones,
from Gangtok; with 1 night each at Lachen & Lachung. I've seen many
travellers fall sick due to suddenly going to high altitudes and due to
the hectic travel & sightseeing. Opt for 3 or 4 nights if you can.
While
travelling to high altitudes, especially on windy roads; people prone
to motion sickness would do well to take anti-nausea tablets. Ask your
doctor to prescribe some. There are no tablets to combat the high
altitude. But, locals advised eating chocolates & popcorn. Avoid
alcohol & caffeinated drinks. I did all of the above, along-with a
gradual ascent.
Websites & useful planning resources:
Indiamike & Team-bhp posts:
Travel agents:
Others:
Shopping:
The
Handicraft & Handloom Emporium is at Zero point, Gangtok. It is
open from 10am to 4pm, mon-sat. This store stocks handicrafts, curios,
souvenirs, masks, fabrics & dresses. I went there in December.
Unfortunately, as it was Losoong (New Year), the students making
the handicrafts had not made anything for the past few months & we
only got some un-appealing stock. But, I spoke to many locals, who vouch
for the variety & quality of this store. So, definitely check it
out. It will also be a good way of encouraging the students who learn
here.
A
place where I got good knick knacks (inexpensive too) is at the small
cafe & gift store outside Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. There
are shops on MG marg as well, but, they didn't appeal too much to me.
The best collection that I found on MG marg was at a shop called
'Souvenirs'. It looked expensive, but, I found some nice things there. The road to Rumtek Monastery (when you walk up) is also lined with curio shops.
Gangtok
is your best bet for shopping. I doubt if there is anything in the
North….We were looking to buy handicrafts from locals rather than big
shops, but, didn't find anything.
Car hire / Travelling around Sikkim:
We
were told that an exclusive vehicle for 2 people would cost 2500 per
day, if we wanted the same vehicle to be with us continuously (from
Bagdogra to Bagdogra). Otherwise, you can hire separate vehicles for
each day & the cost will work out based on the distance travelled
that day. For us, it worked out cheaper, so we opted for that. Also,
a problem in Sikkim is that vehicles have permits to ply only in
certain zones (East Sikkim, North Sikkim, West Sikkim & South
Sikkim). If you want the same car to go to all places, it has to be one
with an all-Sikkim permit. Hiring local vehicles solves both the cost
& permit problems.
Some typical rates that we paid (exclusive vehicle for 2 people, in Dec 2009). Prices in INR:
Bagdogra airport to Gangtok - 2500 (Wagon R)
Changu Lake trip - 1800 (Mahindra Maxx)
Full day trip in Gangtok & Rumtek - 1500 (Wagon R)
Gangtok to Pelling - 2500 (Tavera)
1/2 day Sightseeing in Pelling - 800 (Mahindra Maxx)
Also,
in Gangtok & Pelling, we used the local taxis quite a bit. They are
really cheap. And you can walk a lot too. Note that these are winter
prices. Prices in summer / during peak tourist season are higher.
Share
taxis are available in most towns / villages from the main taxi/bus
stand. Buses too ply between major towns. These shared options are much
cheaper. e.g. under Rs. 200 per person for Pelling-Darjeeling, which
otherwise cost us Rs. 2500 for our own vehicle. But; they pack upto 12
people & luggage in a Tata Sumo (8 seater) and it can get
uncomfortable if you have a lot of luggage or if you are claustrophobic.
In
a lot of travel forums, travellers had strongly advised us to use the
vehicle ‘Mahindra Maxx’, for any journey on icy roads. Most travel
agents we contacted would hire out a Tata Sumo as the default & we
had to specifically insist on the Mahindra Maxx. It was one of the best
bits of advice given to us. The vehicle was extremely stable; where
other vehicles including the Sumo & the Innova skidded
uncontrollably en-route to Gurudongmar Lake, our vehicle got through
without any problems.
Monasteries:
Rumtek monastery is one of the oldest in Sikkim & at the outskirts of Gangtok. I
would highly recommend combining a visit to Rumtek with a visit to the
nearby Lingdum monastery. Though it is brand new, I really loved the
setting & the peaceful feel of Lingdum. In Gangtok, Enchey monastery
is the largest. Both Rumtek & Enchey monasteries have Chaam dance performaces during Losoong.
Pemayangtse & Sangachoeling monasteries are in Pelling. The Rabdentse ruins too are in Pelling. All these can be covered in a day. Yuksom,
which is a 1-1/2 hrs drive from Pelling, has the Dubdi monastery. Dubdi
monastery requires a 45 minute or more (depending on fitness) uphill
walk. So does the Sangachoeling monastery (30-45 minutes). Plan time
allowances accordingly.
We saw the small Bon monastery at Ravangla, on our way from Gangtok to Pelling.
Samdruptse
is near Namchi, in South Sikkim. That’s about 3 hrs from Pelling / 3.5
hrs from Gangtok. Samdruptse is famous for a huge statue of
Padmasambhava.
If you are travelling in Dec/Jan, check to see if any monasteries in Sikkim have their Chaam dances & then visit on that day. Check the Sikkimese calendar online.
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