Sikkim
Home to glaciers, alpine meadows, thousands of wildflowers, buddhist monasteries and includes India’s highest mountain Kanchenjunga. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it.
What you should know is that it takes hours to get anywhere, you are on high roads going round mountains and they are full of local indians driving like lunatics. You have an occasional glimpse of pretty countryside as you are thrown from side to side and only if it is not covered in mist. The towns are a blot on the landscape, concrete lumps stuck on the mountainsides.
We had the most wonderful guide ever but he struggled to show anything interesting. The highlight of our time in Sikkim was a last minute visit to the Rumtek Monastery, Mr Shu found out the top monks were visiting so we were treated to a special performance, even so this involved a 2 hour journey up and 2 hours back down. We also liked the Rabdentse Ruins in Pelling but our trip out to the Khecheopalri Lake was an anti climax, another 4 hours of our lives wasted. Pemayangtse Monastery is okay but not amazing.
Pelling itself has nothing in it, not quite such an eyesore but nothing there.
Gangtok is described as a beautiful hill station with a wide boulevard full of glittering restaurants and shops. I think they were on drugs when they wrote this, we found 2 semi decent shops to buy local crafts, nowhere to have a coffee or anything to eat and the visit to the Museum was a waste of time, the shop was full of bad tourist tat.
Perhaps if you are going trekking into the interior the scenery would no doubt be spectacular.
We left for Delhi after two nights in Gangtok, never been so glad to be bounced around in the back of a car for hours again.
How to get there and Transportation
By Air - one airport in Pakyong opened in 2018, 33 kms from Gangtok. SpiceJet will fly in from Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati daily.
By Bus - from Siliguri and Gangtok, fixed rate and schedule
By Train - from Kolkata to Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal and then get a taxi.
Getting around
Taxis, private cars/jeeps with driver.
Visas & General Information
Foreigners must obtain a permit to visit, available from all Indian Missions plus if trekking in the interior then a Protected Area Permit is required.
Best time to Visit
Temperatures range from sub tropical to cold snow. From May to October rainfall can be heavy.
Winter - December to February
Spring - March to May
Monsoon - June to November
You would be best to check conditions in each region you are visiting against what you wish to see.
Where to stay
Mayfair Spa Resort & Casino - Gangtok - 3 star just
The Elgin Mount Pandim - Pelling - 3 star
Read More about The Mayfair Spa Resort Read More about The Elgin Mount Pandim
What to See
Main office of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism built in 1959.
Oldest and the premier Buddhist monastery in Sikkim
Ruins of the second capital of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814, it was destroyed by a Gurkha army.
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
Opened by Nehru in 1958, has a collection of Tibetan Buddhist artifacts and does research in Tibetan Language and culture.
Sacred Lake considered a wish fulfilling place.
Where to report animal cruelty in Sikkim
Restaurants
None
Shopping
None
Tips
If you are looking for any kind of luxury accommodation do not bother.
Check the weather for the time of year you are planning, May was overcast and rainy.
Travelling to get anywhere is only for people who are not bothered by heights.
They have also banned smoking everywhere but the guides know where you can go. I would not ever return, felt it was a waste of our time.
Note: you need a permit to visit, your agent should take care of this for you and need photos for when you get to the border. Permits can be obtained from Indian Missions and Sikkim Tourist offices in New Delhi and Kolkata.
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