Adventurous Sikkim - A week long trip across Sikkim: Gangtok - Lachen - Lachung - Gangtok - Pelling

Sikkim doesn't have a functional airport. The nearest airport is Bagdogra, situated in Siliguri, West Bengal.

We took an early morning flight from Mumbai to Hyderabad and then another from Hyderabad to Bagdogra. Once we reached Bagdogra, we started our journey towards Sikkim. The daylight in Sikkim is until 5-5.30 PM, so it's best to arrive at Siliguri by noon. Traveling during dark hours is not recommended since the roads are too curvy and dangerous.

The journey from Bagdogra to Gangtok took around 8 hours. Google maps show around 5 hours, but the real-time traffic and road closures due to landslides differ. As we passed through the Siliguri corridor, the road was vivid, beautiful, and full of trees. Once we arrived in Sikkim, we were greeted by the Teesta river, our constant companion as we continued our journey.

We started our day early. Our destination was Lachen, but we planned to stop at a few spots in transit. It took us around 6.5 hours to reach Lachen. On the outskirts of Gangtok, we could get a splendid view of Mt. Kangchenjunga, the world's 3rd highest peak. To get a better view, we climbed up the stairs leading to the Tashi viewpoint.

Sikkim is full of mighty waterfalls. We stopped at a few on the way to Lachen - Twin waterfall, Naga waterfall, and Yuigang waterfall.

We stopped at Chungthang and had the most delicious Thukpa. Here we could see the confluence of the Lachen and Lachung rivers.

Sikkim is a Zero Plastic zone - so no plastic carry bags, water bottles, or other plastic items are allowed here. The locals and the authorities are very keen to keep this rule intact. All cars and belongings were checked before entering Lachen. People who carried plastics with them were fined. We already had an idea regarding this and did not pack any plastics.

Once we reached the hotel, we had a relaxing time, and then we headed out to explore this quaint little place.

Owing to the proximity to China and Tibet Border, Inner Line Permits are necessary to visit North Sikkim (Lachen and Lachung). Indians can visit Gurudongmar Lake, while foreigners are restricted to Chopta Valley and Yumthang Valley. Permits can be obtained only in Gangtok a day before the journey.

Within no time, the colors change from green to various shades of barren or snow-capped mountains. There is a military outpost here, and the permits were to be submitted and stamped. Beyond this point, only Indian Nations are allowed to enter. Thangu is the last habituated village; beyond this, there are only army settlements. We had our breakfast at the canteen, as no options were available once we crossed Thangu. Since we were traveling to a higher altitude, we had some hot tea/coffee here.

As the name suggests, the color of the mountain is black. We traveled in April, and the mighty mountains were covered in snow. The only colors in sight were Black and White. It was cold, and we played around in the snow. We had to detour from our route to Gurudongmar to reach Kala Patthar. The roads here were as bad as they could get, yet the experience was bizarre.

Gurudongmar lake - the gem of Sikkim is one of the highest lakes in India. It is situated at an elevation of 17,800 ft. The oxygen level here is drastically low. Some of us faced issues while breathing. We carried camphor with us, which helped us a lot. There is a walk down towards the lake from the parking spot. Once you reach the lake, you can see yourself surrounded by mountains. The only patch of crystal blue amidst all the white. As we stood there near the lake, we could sense the tranquility. The weather conditions started to deteriorate, and we were advised by the army personnel to leave the place immediately. Within a couple of minutes, we could see the clear sky turning gray and the winds getting mightier.

We started our journey back to Lachen. Once we reached our hotel, we picked up our belongings and headed to our next destination - Lachung. We reached Lachung by 6 pm and decided to rest after a long day.

Lachung is the closest town to the Tibetan border. It is a small town, and the options are limited. During the night, it gets pretty cold, so choosing a hotel that can provide a heater is the best option.

We were back on the road early morning. We started the journey to Yumthang Valley, also known as Sikkim Valley of Flowers Sanctuary. The flowering season is generally during Spring. The blue river, rolling meadows, and pine trees cover high mountains on one side, and the snow-capped mountains on the other make it a perfect place for postcards and pictures.

Zero point is another destination ahead of the valley. People usually visit this place to play in the snow and explore the mountains covered in the snow. We decided to skip this as we had an extensive journey to Gangtok ahead. The continuous traveling on the road makes Sikkim's trip a bit exhaustive. It is better to stay one more day at Lachung, explore all the places, and then head back to Gangtok the next day.

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is an explosion of knowledge. This is a Buddhist museum depicting the complete history of Buddhism. The origin of Buddhism, the significance of Sikkim and Tibet, everything is depicted here - either in the paintings or artifacts. We spent around 1.5-2 hours exploring this place and wished we could spend some more.

The red Panda is the state animal of Sikkim, and it can be spotted in the Himalayan zoological park, Gangtok. Since this consisted of extensive walking, we decided to skip it. If you are a vegetarian, food options, especially in remote parts of Sikkim are limited. We found a great place that served delicious Vegetarian North Indian food. The Shahi Darbar is situated near MG road. We spent the evening exploring the street markets of Gangtok and took a few souvenirs with us.

We began our journey to the best part of the trip - Nathula pass. It is a restricted territory, and Only Indian nationals are allowed here with the necessary permits. Nathula pass was a part of the ancient silk route, which connects India and Tibet. Nathula pass leads to the Indo-China border, guarded by soldiers on both sides. It is located at 14400 ft. Due to high altitudes, breathing gets difficult. Please make sure to check whether you are fit to visit here.

The road from Gangtok to Nathula is spectacular. It is maintained by BRO - Border Roads Organization. Snow-capped mountains, long windy roads, and low-lying clouds make it one of the best routes. The Maratha light infantry regiment of the Indian Army serves in Sikkim. Just like all of us, they worship Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It was amazing to see the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the entrance. There is also a war memorial, where we paid our respects and thanked the Indian Army for protecting us. Beyond this point, photography or videography is not allowed.

This temple is located near Nathula. The temple was built in memory of a Sepoy Harbhajan Singh, also known as the hero of Nathula. A short trek from the mandir leads up to a Shiva idol. It is regarded as one of the highest-located Shiva idols in the world, situated at 13000 ft. As we made our way to the Shiva idol, we could spot small streams with cold and clear water. In the backdrop of the idol, the Namnang chho waterfall can be seen, which elevates the beauty of the idol.

On our way back to Gangtok, we could see Tsongmo lake from above. Its beauty is surreal. We stopped by the lake for a while and then went back to Gangtok. We had dinner at The House of Tibet, a popular restaurant serving authentic Tibetan food. It is situated on MG road.

Our first stop was India's first glass Bridge. This was on our bucket list, and we were very excited. We had included Pelling, especially for this Skywalk. However, it disappointed us. The Skywalk is not too high, and the view from the Skywalk is not outstanding. This can be included in the trip if you are stopping by other places in West Sikkim. If not, it is preferable to drop this from the itinerary.

The monastery is situated adjacent to the Skywalk. There are around 120 steps that lead you to the monastery. A giant statue of Chenrezig greets you at the entrance. A fabulous view of Pelling and the Himalayan ranges can be seen from the top of the monastery.

It is situated at the top of a hill. Vividly believed to be one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. The museum on the top floor depicts numerous historical artifacts used by the Buddhists.

We also dropped by some gardens and ruins and then headed back to explore the town of Pelling.

This being our last day in Sikkim, we made full use of it. The hotel we stayed at had the most incredible view of Mt. Kangchenjunga. The hotel staff was lovely and arranged tea/coffee for us on the terrace, from where we could see the sunrise with the magnificent view of the mighty mountains. After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Kangchenjunga waterfall.

Unfortunately, Bagdogra airport was closed for maintenance. So, we had to book our return flight from the nearest airport - Kolkata. We booked an overnight train from New Jalpaiguri (Siliguri) to Kolkata, and then a flight from Kolkata to Mumbai.

The road from Pelling to Gangtok was one of the most scenic routes in Sikkim. Mountains on one side and the valley on the other. Teesta river was again our companion for half of the journey.

With this, our adventures in Sikkim came to an end.

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