Top 10 things to do in Sikkim

The idea for this post came up while I was suggesting places to visit to one of my close friends who was planning for a vacation at Sikkim. I guess these kind of posts is a typical featured items in a commercial travel websites, but it's always good to have one personal version documented at a place and hence this post ! :)

Here're top-10 noteworthy experiences from my trip to Sikkim. Some of the typical things may not be featured here.

1. Evening stroll at MG Marg, Gangtok

MG Marg, Gangtok

Gangtok will be your base location for most of the travel destination at Sikkim. After tiring day-time sighstseeing, an evening stroll at the MG Marg would be a rejuvenating experience. Unlike MG Roads in other cities, this one is completely vehicle free !

2. Experience Spirituality at Rumtek or any other Buddhist Monastery

Rumtek Monastery

There're dozens of monasteries in Sikkim which offer serene and peaceful atmosphere to visitors. One of the significant and some-what controversial monasteries is at Rumtek, which is one hour drive from Gangtok. The monastery is actually the seat of 17th Karmapa, who's currently at exile Dharamshala(Himachal Pradesh). Indian Government has prevented him from taking up the throne for the fear upsetting Chinese sensibilities.

3. Tasting local cuisines - Momos and Thupka at low-brow eat outs 

Low brow eat-out in Rumtek

While traveling away from the cities it would be difficult to find proper fine-dining restaurants. You may have to compromise with Maggi, Bread Omelettes etc. But it will be a good opportunity taste local cuisine like Momos and Thupka especially in chilly weather !

4. Spend some time with locals, especially with Kids

Had a nice time with these kids at Lachung

One of  the highlights of the Sikkim is innocent and down-to-earth nature of the people. Do take some time of from your busy travel schedule and strike a conversation with them. Many families have one of the members working in Tier-1cities but still you will find them rooted to their value system and have high regards about their culture ! And kids will always remain kids :)

5. Sip a cup of tea with majestic view of Teestha Valley at Singhik 

Tea at open terrace cafeteria at Singhik

In search for a cup of tea during our journey to North Sikkim, we had a stopover at some random place called Singhik. There we chose to have a cup of tea at a terrace hotel which offered view majestic of Theestha Valley. The atmosphere was so peaceful that we could hear the gushing of water which was kilometers away ! This unplanned visit turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. 

6. High on Tea at Temi Tea Garden 

High on Tea at Temi Tea Garden

Tea Gardens are always a treat for landscape photographers and when it coupled with clear weather, snow capped mountain - it turns out to be double icing on the cake. We experienced the same by being high on tea at Temi Tea Garden with clear view of Kanchenjunga in background.

7. Spend a night at Pelling Helipad

Experiments with light painting at Pelling Helipad

We concluded our west sikkim trip by doing a quick-visit to helipad at Pelling. Since it was a new moon day there was hardly any natural light. Our guide pin-pointed cluster of lights in surrounding areas which were actually Darjeeling, Keylong etc. As per our guide, on full moon day many enthusiasts camp at the helipad to get an uncluttered view of moonlight Kanchenjunga. Since we didn't have an iota of light to view the peak, instead used the opprotunity to experiment with light painting :)

8. Experience sub-zero temperature and 360 degree snow at Zero Point

360 degree snow at Zero-Point

Yumasongdeong, famously known as zero-point is the last point beyond Yumthang Valley where civilians can visit and experience snow at sub-zero temperature. Not sure about the reason for the place beeing named zero-point, may-be there's no trace of civilization ? Zero-point is not featured in regular tourist itinerary for some unknown reason. One has to pay extra money to the vehicle drivers for getting to this point.

9. This is India, that is China at Nathu La Pass 

With Indian soldiers and posing with AK-47s which they had kept at static display

Can you imagine that one can get 2.5 hours ahead of time by taking a one step ? Yes, you may not be able experience it in person but it's technically possible when one crosses Nathu La pass in East Sikkim. Historically, the place was part of silk trading routes between the two countries and now you will find Chinese and India armies stationed at the international border. The friendliness of the Chinese armies depends on the personnel posted during your visit. When I had been there they used to show grinning face to Indian tourists but the staff deputed at present have shaken hands with Indian tourists who have been there recently. On the Indian side, do take photos with our jawans and with AK47s and bazzokas which would be kept for static display. Also, get a certificate of visit to Nathu La by paying a nominal amount.

10. Watching Sun Rays kissing the tip of Kanchenjunga at Pelling

Witnessing this from comfort of our hotel at Pelling

Last but not the least is experiencing sunlight striking the tip of mighty Kanchenjunga peak Pelling. One has to get up as early as 4.30 am to witness this daily spectacle. We were lucky to get a room with an open terrace and the timely tea served by hotel staff made this an experience to cherish for lifetime !

FAQs on Sikkim Trip

Art work at Rumtek Monastery

I had been to Sikkim in 2010 for a week and had covered many of the interesting places. The experiences of the trip shared in this blog have been very handy for people who plan for a visit to  the State. And based on the detailing and prompt response to queries some people assume I am a travel agent or a resident of the state :) especially in my post on North Sikkim ! Also, there have a few specific queries from my close friends. This blog post is an attempt is to consolidate all such queries at one place :)

Q: Winter clothes - how many overcoats/sweaters one needs to wear to bear the cold?

It depends on the time of year you're visiting Sikkim. In winters, it will be very cold at high altitudes and wearing thermal is highly recommended if you're not used to cold climatic conditions. Whereas in summers, the temperature in Gangtok would be normal i.e. manageable without jackets and in North Sikkim you can manage with one layer of warm clothes.

Q: Shoes - should we have one extra pair? Will it get wet soon?
Not required, it will unnecessarily add weight to your luggage. Your shoes may get wet while walking on the snow at Zero-point but you can manage by having a back-up slippers/floaters.

Q: Yak Ride - how much one negotiate for Yak Ride Tshung lake in Gangtok. I read a mule stepped on your feet in Ladakh? How about here - is it crowded?

I didn't opt for Yak Ride and it may be crowded during peak season as many tourists will be keen on having a profile with the beast :) Btw Tsanghu lake is quite far from Gangtok, may be around 2-3 hours ride :). A mule had stamped on my feet when I was hiking at Valley of Flowers which is quite far from Ladakh :).

Q: Lonely Planet Sikkim Guide - you told you have the guide. Can you pass it on? :)

It's DRM protected soft copy and also with dated information. I highly recommend you to download latest PDF version at Lonely Planet - India- Sikkim - Download for 3.32 USD

My friend Debojit having Veg Thupka

Q: Food - how is the food there, should we carry some fast food/junk food?

At remote areas while traveling, getting homely food will be tough and you may have to compromise with Maggi. You will get dal and rice at accommodations at North Sikkim but don't have very high expectations. It's recommended to carry some junk food for quick bites. However, I suggest trying out local cuisines like Momos and Veg Thupka. If you're a non-veg there will be multiple options for which I am not the right person to comment.

Q: How to protect the Camera in moist, windy, cold conditions in Sikkim. Did you buy any special gear for that ? 

Not required. All entry-level DSLRs are robust enough to sustain cold temperatures. If you want to be on safer side, I suggest buying a DSLR pouch from amazon/flipkart. Kindly note that you may not be able to get good quality pictures by operating DSLRs inside this pouches :)

Q: Any other suggestion you would like to make?

• Nothing particular. Do you try to strike a conversation with locals. They will have some interesting story to share. Many households have their sons/daughters working in metro cities in India and would definitely relate to your stories. 
• Have realistic expectations about travel time. In mountainous terrain, sometimes you won't be able to cover even 20 kms in an hour :). 
• I am planning to write a new post on top-10 things to do in Sikkim stay tuned !

Q: We are 4 adult 2 kids and one infant and wanted to visit north Sikkim in coming June last week, could you plz suggest here ?

Travel to North Sikkim is regulated. You cannot travel on your own. Please book your excursions from an authorized tour operator in Gangtok. For details, you can get in touch with Binita Lama: 09734983536/09832079292. Young kids may have difficulties in getting adjusted to high altitudes but I feel it won't be serious.

In case you have any other queries please write me at sandeep.shande@gmail.com. I will try my level best to address it :)

West Sikkim: Pelling, Pemayangtse, Khecheopalri, Singshore Bridge

Time 4.45 am, we got up with a loud beep of alarms set in our mobiles. The agenda for the morning was pre-decided before sleeping on previous day i.e to shoot orange sunlight falling on the tip of Mt. Kachenjunga. The ritual was religiously followed for 2 days of our stay at Pelling (West Sikkim), the place well regarded for providing the best view Mt. Kanchenjunga from comfort of hotels.

Highlights:

• Early Morning view of Kanchenjunga
• Pemayangtse Monastery
• Sacred Khecheopalri Lake
• Kanchenjunga waterfalls
• Singshore Bridge
• Night View from Pelling Helipad

South Sikkim: Ravangala, Temi Tea Garden, Sandruptse

After North Sikkim Trip it was time to venture into Southern side of the state. We had thoughts of getting there directly from North, but due to weird topography of the state we were forced to travel via Gangtok(East Sikkim). Also, we finished our pending visit to Rumtek Monastery which was on the way to Ravangala, our first destination in South Sikkim.

Highlights of South Sikkim trip:

• Sunrise Point at Ravangala
• Temi Tea Garden
• Rock Garden
• Padma Sambhava Statue at Sandruptse

North Sikkim: Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang, Zero-Point

Yumthang Valley

After sufficient sightseeing in East Sikkim we were due exploring beautiful regions of North Sikkim. If you are in the state at least for a week then North Sikkim is a must visit and major part of energy and time should be allocated for it. For this trip we opted for a 2-Nights/3-Days package trip conducted by Lama Tours and Travel(MG Marg, Gangtok). The total expenses for 6 people was around 16k INR inclusive of transportation, accommodation and food.

Highlights:

• Panaromic view of Teestha Valley at Singhik
• Experiencing snowfall at Thanggu
• A relaxed evening on banks of river at Lachung
• Breakfast at Pema's shop at Yumthang valley
• Experiencing sub-zero temperature and 360 degree snow clad mountains at Zero-point(15000+ feet)

East Sikkim: Gangtok, Nathu La, Chaggu Lake, Rumtek

This post is continuation of Summary-and-Retrospect post.

Major Highlights:

• Casual walk on M.G. Road
• Red Panda at Zoological Garden
• Visit to Rumtek Monastery
• Nathu La and Chagu Lake trip

Tripline: Sikkim Trip Report

Today morning while going through Forbes India magazine, I accidentally dropped on a write-up Next Generation Startups. The very first company in the list was Tripline.net, an online web service where one can narrate a story about a travel by putting the locations on a map, with animated lines, timelines and pictures.



I was desperatly looking for this kind of service using which I can interactively narrate my Sikkim trip experiences in a brief manner. Please find my self composed Sikkim story embedded above.

Sikkim Trip: Summary & Retrospect

We the group of six people(myself, Jatin, Ravi, Jay, Deb, Harish) made the most of back-to-back long weekends in Oct-Nov 2010 and explored one of picturesque states in India. Thanks a ton to Jatin for taking up the initiative of planning the trip and getting people on board, without his enthusiasm the trip would not have materialized.