Sikkim: A Melodious Symphony (Gangtok, Lachung, Katao, Tsongmo, Pelling & Darjeeling) #Lockdown

Tripoto
3rd Feb 2020
Photo of Sikkim: A Melodious Symphony (Gangtok, Lachung, Katao, Tsongmo, Pelling & Darjeeling) #Lockdown by Suraj Bajaj

I feel so relieved and a bit less guilty as i write about this trip after being more than a month into the worldwide lock down induced due the deadly corona virus. Back then it felt like a crime taking a two week leave from work so early in the year. Before finalizing the Sikkim itinerary, we were sure of the fact that Gurudongmar lake (High altitude glacial lake- a major tourist destination) was completely out of the question during the month of February when all the major high altitude roads in the state are closed due to extreme snowfall. Moreover we would need to be extremely lucky to at least visit some parts of these snow prone regions of North and West Sikkim.

The ideal time to visit Sikkim so that you don't miss anything is after March when the peak winter season is over and before July once the monsoon sets in. But as far as we have understood from our visit, its an absolute mayhem during those months owning to the high influx of tourists in the states from the different parts of the country and the rest of the world (not to mention the exorbitant prices for every commodity). So even though we did miss some of the most popular destinations in the state (Gurudongmar Lake and Nathula Pass), we surely didn't miss the unparalleled peace and beauty this Himalayan state has to offer. Also not to forget the hospitality of the locals and their willingness to make your holiday even more memorable was something that stood out for us.

Itinerary followed:

Mumbai- Siliguri- Gangtok- Tsogmo Lake- Lachung- Tashiding- Pelling- Darjeeling- Mumbai

Day 1

We booked a package deal with a local operator (Connecting Northeast) to avoid the hassle of obtaining inner line permits to North and West Sikkim. It turned to be a best decision to start with as the guys with Connecting Northeast became more of our friends than just our tour operators (More about them as the story progresses). A morning flight to Bagdogra Airport, Siliguri facilitated our transfer to Gangtok just before the dark. There is no airport in Sikkim and the nearest one is the above mentioned one falling in the borders of West Bengal. It's a long 6 hour ride from Gangtok with an intermittent break for lunch before Kalimpong, most famous hill station in West Bengal after Darjeeling. We checked into Hotel Helia which was about a 15 minutes walk from the Gangtok Mall road. We met our tour guide Mr. Phurba who informed us that the way till Nathula Pass (Indo- China Border) is blocked from a couple of days. There was only a possibility to go till Tsongmo lake (20 km before Nathula) and that too if weather permits. We submitted our Identity Proofs and photographs for processing the permit to visit the lake the following morning. Remember to carry your Election Card, Driving License or Passport as Aadhar card is not accepted as a valid Identity proof to process the permit. Unlike other hill stations, the mall road here is way more organised and clean. It was so well lit up dazzling under the streetlights that it seemed like we were on some busy street of an European town amidst the year end celebrations. We had a rather great evening exploring some of the cafe's and eateries on the road before resorting back to our stay as the temperature dropped drastically.

Photo of Gangtok, Sikkim, India by Suraj Bajaj
Day 2

We were already running late by almost an hour when we set out towards Tsongmo lake (locally known as Changu Lake) after a hurried breakfast. The entire stretch of the road was a gradual ascent all the way till the lake. Our documents were thoroughly checked at multiple army checkpoints on the way to ensure their authenticity. It never gets old to feel the fresh air on your face leaning out of the window on a scenic mountain drive. Tsongmo was our first slighting of a completely frozen high altitude glacial lake and oh boy! It was treat to those sore eyes fed up of seeing those inanimate structures in the city. A thick blanket of snow covered the entire lake surface making it impossible to ascertain that it is water body until told so. Even though it was an off season, the spot had it's own share of visitors happily immersed in circumventing the lake. There is also a rope way which gives a splendid bird's eye view of the lake and the adjoining snow clad mountain ranges. After the rope way ride we were on our way back towards Gangtok to get a late afternoon nap. The evening was rather cold as compared to yesterday as we strolled around the mall road aimlessly. The Bakers Cafe is a must visit joint for a cup hot chocolate coupled with colorful pastries to satiate your sweet cravings. We even tried some locally brewed beer options namely "HIT" and "Dansberg". Surprisingly the taste and aroma was at par with the wider known brands at below par cost. Do give it a try, you won't be disappointed. A fun fact was that the brand "HIT" is owned by the famous bollywood actor Danny Dengzongpa who hails from a nearby village Tashiding in the western part of Sikkim.

Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Tsongmo Lake, Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Day 3

There are primarily two routes to explore North Sikkim:

1) Gangtok - Lachen - Gurudongmer Lake

2) Gangtok - Lachung - Yumthang valley

We embarked on the second route towards Lachung on our third day in the state. The roads are in a really bad shape and even though Google estimates around 5 hours on the road, it would likely take more than 8 hours to reach Lachung including the stops for lunch and refreshments. It is therefore advised to leave as early as possible from Gangtok to have some additional hours to accommodate road blocks or other sort of unforeseen mishaps. Lachung is tiny hamlet close to the Tibetan border known for it's apple orchards and raw beauty. It is the base village to explore the Yumthang valley and the adjoining region known for its rich flora and fauna. It is undeniably the most picturesque town in Sikkim that carries a very distinctive rustic charm. Our home stay was at the end of the village crossing the Lachung river on the way and on the way to the Lachung Gompa built in late 1800s. It was excruciatingly cold after the sunset but our supplies helped us to get through the night. Not to forget the humble caretaker who helped us get comfortable around the property and served us a deliciously made dinner.

Photo of Lachung by Suraj Bajaj
Day 4

We packed our breakfast for having it on the way towards Yumthang valley but much to our dismay, we were stopped just about 4 km into the valley by an army personnel. We were informed that a large snow boulder has blocked the way up ahead and it would take atleast a couple of days to clear the path. We were dejected to hear that after travelling so far from Gangtok only to be sent back midway. After much of a thought and inquiring with our driver and tour organizer, we decide to explore Katao which was ahead of Lachung more close to the border area. Ideally this location is not included in the itinerary and the permit has be obtained in person at the local army checkpoint before proceeding ahead. There is obviously a fee included to make such an expedited permit. The way to Katao was the most scenic of the entire tour. We could see lachung getting smaller and smaller as we were closing onto the mighty Mount Katao. Thick patches of snow started emerging on the sides of road as we finally stopped amidst dense pine trees with a fresh blanket of snow all around us. It was a perfect spot to spend a lazy afternoon soaking sun, shooting memorable pictures and trying to make a perfect snowman. We left late in the afternoon knowing that it would be dark by the time we reach Gangtok. The way back was faster as we were only descending all the way till the capital city.

Shuffle Momos at the start of the mall road made a perfect dinner spot for that evening. We tried numerous kinds of momos and the Cheese aalo/Pork fried were the best among the lot. Shuffle momos takes pride in making the thinnest outer layer of the momos in entire Sikkim. After an usual long stroll around the mall road we called it a day rest our sleepy heads.

Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Katao - North Sikkim by Suraj Bajaj
Day 5

A trek to Gangyap hot springs was a surprise addition to our itinerary and believe me there isn't much in the eastern part of the state (including the usual tourist spots) except for this place which is indeed an unique experience. It is only known to the indigenous people of the region who believe the springs to carry certain healing powers. We were supposed to stay the night on the banks of the river Testa near to the hot springs after trekking down from Ralong village. Namchi can easily be given a miss which only hosts the replicas of all the four Dhams of Hindu mythology. Ravangla again has a park with a huge Buddha statue making it an average tourist spot. We spend much of our day traversing through Namchi and Ravangla before reaching to the base village from where we started descending down to the river bed. The distance was short but it gets dark real fast in the mountains after the sunset which was something that we were worried about. By the time we reached the temporary huts build on the river bed, it was pitch black and we could only hear the sound of the adjoining Testa river. The lanterns were lit and much to our surprise we were the only outsiders there having the privilege to take a part in decades long local tradition. The hot springs were situated across the river connected by a temporary bridge made by bamboo sticks. The villagers did a splendid job of putting together an epitome of craftsmanship to satisfy their imidiate needs rather than depending on the government to help them out. It was scary walking for the first time on the swinging bridge across the fierce flow of the river even after repeatedly being assured for the strength of the structure by our guide Mr. Purbha. Yes you heard it right, the man himself was there to make sure we have a surreal experience under his watch. The water in the hot spring was emitting vapors and the first dip was hard but it got relatively easy after a couple of minutes when the body got accustomed to the temperature. We could feel all of our weariness getting sucked up by the water as we slid into a state of relaxation. Every muscle of our body felt the warming sensation healing itself by the means of the magical Himalayan water rich in sulfur and other minerals. We spent hours there getting in conversation with the locals who shared some interesting stories about the place before walking back across the river for dinner. It was a modest cuisine same as what the locals have in their day to day meals giving us a peek into the their culture and lifestyle. The people were warm and hospitable beyond our expectations. We even tried a local millet based alcoholic drink known as "Chang" served in a bamboo cask. The taste was interestingly smokey unlike any other drink i have ever tasted. The rest of the evening after dinner was spend sitting beside the river under the clear sky listening to some soothing music. It was an ideal evening for any kind of a holiday.

Photo of Gangyap Hot Spring by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Gangyap Hot Spring by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Gangyap Hot Spring by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Gangyap Hot Spring by Suraj Bajaj
Day 6

We woke up to the sound of chirping birds and were ready for a demanding trek of the day uphill till Tatopani. We spend a good couple of hours relaxing in our favorite spot in the springs before leaving on our journey. It was equally soothing as the night before and for a brief while we wished to stay there if there was a spare day in our kitty. We got to the riverbed from one side of the mountain the other day and we were going back up the opposite mountain across the river today. The trek had a steep inclined trail and which was long one too. Some of the members of our group came too close to give up on the way up. But our guide was motivating us enough to keep moving ahead with will. He shared a bunch of local folklore on the way up, the ancient beliefs and traditions prevalent in the valley. The entire 4 hour trek was fun, challenging, informative and i am running out of adjectives to describe the entire experience. All of us were euphoric on reaching the top, dancing with the glory of our accomplishment. I cannot emphasize enough on the special arrangement on our tour as we had a private lunch at Phurba's home in Tashiding which is a half an hour drive from Tatopani. We tried the world spiciest chilli in the world, purest homemade butter and unpolished lentils from the farm among other items on the lunch menu. It was a satisfying meal and we didn't spare a ounce of it. It was just before sunset when we passed Yuksom on the way till Pelling. Yuksom is a sleepy town which is the last village on the way to numerous treks embarked into the kanchenzonga national park. The ancient Coronation throne, Kecheopalri lake and Dundi Monastery are some of the tourist spot to be visited in the town. We gave them all a miss after a tiring day in the mountains as all we wanted to do was to crash into our beds for a good night sleep.

Photo of Tashiding by Suraj Bajaj
Day 7

Before moving to the last destination of our trip Darjeeling, Pelling had a couple of spot that warranted our visit. The glass Skywalk and Sanga choelin Monastery were not at all disappointing. It was a bright sunny day and distant mountain peaks were clearly visible from the Skywalk. The Monastery was colorful and serene located at the edge of the cliff overlooking the Pelling city. Everything was worth a visit but not a highlight after the Gangyap springs. Everything could have been easily omitted from the entire West Sikkim itinerary just to spend some more time at the springs. We reached pretty early in the day to Darjeeling just to get disappointed looking at the narrow lanes, filthy streets and polluted air. Darjeeling as to my surprise was highly overrated in all aspects. The food joints are hyped, the tourist spots are substandard and the hill station itself seems worse than the cramped cities. No space to walk, no space to park and above all not at all an ideal place to just sit back and relax.

Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Pelling by Suraj Bajaj
Day 8

Even though i was not willing but still had a day to kill in Darjeeling. We covered the usual tourist spots like Batasia loop, Ghoom Monastery and the zoo during the day. We spent some time in the evening enjoying each others company as it was the last night of our vacation before we went to our mundane lives only to get together during one of such trips.

Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Photo of Darjeeling by Suraj Bajaj
Day 9

Nothing much to describe here as we caught an onward flight to Mumbai from Bagdogra Airport. We were all unusually silent and minding our own business as we reached Mumbai after a 3 hour flight. We hugged each other to bid farewell as a kind of ritual after getting back from a memorable vacation, all set to throw away ourselves back into the grind.

Some key takeaways:

1) Sikkim is a wonderful place that offers a bit of everything. Don't fret if you miss anything owning to the unpredictable weather as something that you didn't miss would after all be worth it

2) There is lot of hassle in procuring the permits. It's better to hire a local operator for that job. Also Sikkim is restricted state and strong in taxi unions, hence you would face a lot of difficulties to move around in a self drive car or a private vehicle.

3) The above point brings me to the most important part of this excerpt, connecting Northeast. This is a local agency run by Mr. Phurba along with his associates. It is based out of Gangtok and run by a enthusiastic and jovial bunch of young people. I often don't recommend operators but i have a no second thoughts recommending them. They would go out of their way to make your holiday memorable. Believe me when i say that when you would finally leave Sikkim, these guys would be your friends rather than some tour operators. You can also check out their page on Facebook and Instagram.

If you do plan to give it a try here is the contact Phurba: 8372038491

4) As mentioned previously Jan to March is the off season when you wouldn't be able to visit the high altitude regions of Sikkim but it is also the only time you would get to enjoy the nature peacefully away from the maddening crowd that engulfs the state in the summer months

5) West Sikkim is only a day's affair not more than that if you are not visiting the hot springs. The springs are not yet commercialized and would definitely needs some local guidance to pull off

6) lastly, Please avoid visiting Darjeeling. It is even worse than a city where at least you have the liberty to spend your time at peace in your home

Frequent searches leading to this page:-

darjeeling tour package 2 nights 3 days, darjeeling tour package 3 nights 4 days, darjeeling tour package from nepal, darjeeling tour package 3 nights, darjeeling tour package from new jalpaiguri

Related to this article
Places to Visit in Sikkim,Things to Do in Sikkim,Places to Stay in Sikkim,Sikkim Travel Guide,Things to Do in India,Places to Stay in India,Places to Visit in India,India Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from East sikkim,Places to Stay in East sikkim,Places to Visit in East sikkim,Things to Do in East sikkim,East sikkim Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Katao,Things to Do in Katao,Places to Stay in Katao,Katao Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from North sikkim,Places to Stay in North sikkim,Places to Visit in North sikkim,Things to Do in North sikkim,North sikkim Travel Guide,Places to Visit in West sikkim,Things to Do in West sikkim,Weekend Getaways from West sikkim,Places to Stay in West sikkim,West sikkim Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Tashiding,Places to Visit in Tashiding,Places to Stay in Tashiding,Things to Do in Tashiding,Tashiding Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Pelling,Places to Visit in Pelling,Places to Stay in Pelling,Things to Do in Pelling,Pelling Travel Guide,Places to Visit in Sikkim,Things to Do in Sikkim,Places to Stay in Sikkim,Sikkim Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Darjeeling,Places to Visit in Darjeeling,Places to Stay in Darjeeling,Things to Do in Darjeeling,Darjeeling Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Pelling,Places to Visit in Pelling,Places to Stay in Pelling,Things to Do in Pelling,Pelling Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Ravangla,Places to Visit in Ravangla,Places to Stay in Ravangla,Things to Do in Ravangla,Ravangla Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Tashiding,Places to Visit in Tashiding,Places to Stay in Tashiding,Things to Do in Tashiding,Tashiding Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Namchi,Places to Visit in Namchi,Places to Stay in Namchi,Things to Do in Namchi,Namchi Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Gangtok,Places to Visit in Gangtok,Places to Stay in Gangtok,Things to Do in Gangtok,Gangtok Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Lachung,Places to Visit in Lachung,Places to Stay in Lachung,Things to Do in Lachung,Lachung Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Katao,Things to Do in Katao,Places to Stay in Katao,Katao Travel Guide,Weekend Getaways from Tatopani,Places to Stay in Tatopani,Things to Do in Tatopani,Tatopani Travel Guide,