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The Mystery and Magic of Sikkim Unravelled
GETTING TO GANGTOK:
The trip to Sikkim was a long awaited one and a long cherished dream come true. And there I was landing one fine morning towards the end of March, at the Bagdogra airport from Delhi with husband in tow. We hired a cab from outside the airport and headed to Gangtok cutting through forests, long winding road up and down hills, Teesta river flowing alongside the road with people enjoying river rafting. The road climbing up the hill to reach Gangtok was lined by several resorts and hotels, the imposing gate and campus of the Sikkim Manipal University, several schools and multi-storeyed residences with beautiful Geraniums, Azaleas, Orchids and Lilies in different hues and shades in pots lining the balconies. After changing to a local cab at the main bus stand, finally we arrived at our hotel – the Welcome Heritage Denzong Regency located in the heart of the capital city on a hill overlooking several more misty mountains and amazing views of Mt. Kanchenjunga. This is a boutique family owned resort. During our stay we had a chance to meet the owner, a charming gentleman belonging to one of the illustrious families of Sikkim. He makes it a point to chat with the guests and take their feedback.
EXPLORING GANGTOK, THE CAPITAL CITY:
The city literally sleeps after sunset. The roads are deserted and the only activity one can see is on the famous M. G. Marg where there are shops selling souvenirs, daily needs stores, small hotels and lodges and several small restaurants serving everything from North Indian Naan and Paranthas to Chowmein. The next day was spent exploring the various tourist attractions within the city of Gangtok, which included the steep walk up to the Do Drul Chorten(Stupa) which is encircled by prayer wheels (we were told there were 108), the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology which is close by and has a large collection of books and rare manuscripts relating to Mahayana Buddhism and a short ride on the cable car to get a panoramic view of the city, the Enchey Monastery and the White Hall where you can view the permanent flower show comprising a large collection of Tulips and Orchids - the captivating sight of the flowers is a feast to your eyes. We made a customary stop at Tashi View Point, Hanuman Tok and Ganesh Tok. We were done for the day and decided to charge our batteries for the trip to Nathula Pass the next morning. We had already given copies of our ID proofs and photographs to the travel desk of the hotel for the required permits.
A JOURNEY TO THE WHISTLING PASS:
The next morning we set out in an SUV to the Indo China border at Nathula Pass which is approximately 55 kms from Gangtok and at a height of 14,450 feet above sea level. The weather Gods were on our side and so with clear skies and no landslides, we had a smooth trip to Nathula Pass arriving there by noon. Nathula means the Whistling Pass. We made our way up the steps that lead to the spot where flag meetings are held between the Indian Army and the Red Army. Standing next to the fence on the Indian side and taking pictures with the Red Army building behind us was a rare moment that will remain etched in our memory. On our return trip we stopped by like all other tourists at the Baba Temple built in memory of Harbhajan Singh, a sepoy of the Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army who went missing while patrolling the border. It is almost a pilgrimage centre now with people leaving bottles of water in the hope of fulfilling their wishes or to heal ailments. This memorable day had another beautiful experience awaiting us at the Tsomgo Lake, also referred to as the Changu Lake, a sacred lake, at an altitude of 12400 ft. This lake is frozen during winters. Do try the Thukpa, which is a popular meal of soup and noodles combined and a ride on the Yak at the local market near the lake.
The next day was set aside for relaxing at the hotel and a visit to Rumtek Monastery, a must see on a visit to Gangtok, situated around 25 kms from Gangtok on another hill facing the capital city with its imposing and ornate buildings. We came across scores of playful young boys being trained to be monks.
NORTH SIKKIM – THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN
Instead of returning to Delhi the next day, we decided to stay on and explore North Sikkim after we heard about pristine natural beauty of the area. A visit to North Sikkim and back to Gangtok would ideally require 3 days. There are two major destinations or attractions in North Sikkim – the frozen Gurdongmar Lake and Yumtang Valley. We passed through narrow winding roads, dangerously narrow and treacherous at many places, passing through jungles and crossing many hills and stopping to admire several waterfalls along the way, including the Seven Sister water falls. From the small town of Chungthang, the road forks in two different directions – one leads to Lachen which acts as a base camp of sorts for the journey further up to Gurdongmar at an altitude of 17800 ft, the other one leads to Lachung which is close to Yumthang Valley and Zero Point. Our night halt was as Lachen. There are several homestays and small lodges which are fine for a night’s stay.
Starting early in the morning by 4.30 am, as we moved up to higher altitudes on the route to Gurdongmar, we came across totally barren landscapes punctuated with frozen hills and boulders of all sizes and shapes and a couple of locals with herds of Yak. When we finally arrived at our destination, nothing we read or heard had prepared us for the out of the world experience that we encountered there at the lake. There was an eerie calm about the lake and it looked as if a beautifully painted canvas had come alive to greet us. Since the water had thawed a little at many places, the army men on guard advised the visitors against walking on the lake. We stopped by a narrow stream of crystal clear and pure water flowing from one side of the frozen lake, which we were told was the river Teesta that originates from the Cho Lamu Lake located farther away and just 5 kms from Tibet border. General entry to Civilians is not allowed to Cho Lamu lake. Other than army check points and bunkers there is no human habitation anywhere in the region and we were told that China is just a stone’s throw away. It is difficult to remain in this area for a long time since the air pressure is very low and breathing becomes strained and one tends to get very tired easily. The night stay was at the other village of Lachung, again at a homestay.
Lachung was more populated and just 25 kms from the Yumthang, the Valley of Flowers. The drive to the Yumthang valley took us through picturesque valleys and vast expanses of Rhododendrons in all colours, red and purple being the most common. April and May are the best months to visit this place to see the Rhododendrons in full bloom. Yumthang valley is surrounded by hills with the Yumthang Chu river cutting across the landscape and a carpet of flowers spread before you. We decided not to go further to the Zero Point and made our way back to Gangtok which took around 5 and half hours through the same route. After staying overnight at Gangtok, we retraced our steps of driving to Bagdogra and from there the flight to Delhi. The beautiful pink Azalea plant that we picked up from one of the nurseries in Rumtek managed to survive the harsh Delhi summer and the flowers remind us our beautiful vacation in Sikkim.
TRAVEL FACTFILE:
Nearest airport to reach Gangtok is Bagdogra which is served by daily flights from all major cities to by AirIndia and Jet Airways. 4 hours by road or by Helicopter (weather permitting) from Bagdogra
Nearest rail link is at New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri and from there around 3 and half hours by road.
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Enjoy Sikkim in all its glory in April & May
