Three is considered to be an weird combination by many. However, an unlikely combination of three musketeers, me, mom and aunt embarked on an 'adventure' in autumn 2018, travelling to East Sikkim and a quaint town of North Bengal- Ramdhura.
An overnight journey by Darjeeling mail from Kolkata brought us to NJP, where our car was ready to take us to Aritar, first stop on itinerary. The excitement was palpable as the river Teesta joined us on our right, and we breathed in fresh air, the dust from the bad roads not affecting the lungs accustomed to pollution. We gleamed, clicked, took tea breaks and gorged on momos on our four hour drive to Aritar.
Aritar falls in East Sikkim under Rongli subdivision. Cabs are available from NJP/Gangtok/Rongli, however the area is situated away from the main route and shared cabs would be difficult to get. We stayed at Karma Homestay with comfortable rooms and geyser, along with homely delicious food and warm hospitality.
Post a homemade lunch, we strolled around, soaking in the peace and tranquility which we craved in the city. The vast mountains, empty roads and greenery all around lifted our spirits.
The evening brought in hot tea and pakodas along with a full moon night. Time passed as we chatted, unknowingly weaving back the connections we neglect and leaving behind a trail of memories.
We woke up to a sunny morning with a day trip to Dzuluk, Gnathang Valley,Kupup lake and old baba mandir in our itinerary. A morning walk before that to the nearby helipad ground gave us some serene sun kissed views of the surroundings.
We had two stops before Dzuluk, one at Rongli where you are required to take permit, and the other at Que Khola falls on the main road after you pass Rongli. For the permit, you need to carry passport size photo and photocopy of ID proof, and it takes about 30 minutes to complete the formalities.
Suddenly weather changed after Lingtam and it became cloudy on way to Dzuluk. It was a game of hide and seek through the 32 hairpin bends, clouds coming and going, but a patient wait at Ganek view point finally lifted the covers and gave us the sight to behold.
We proceeded further, and the expanses started turning white due to snow fall the earlier day. I was worried about AMS kicking in, as we could feel the shallowness of air at Gnathang and Kupup. Do carry adequate medicines to deal with emergency, or contact army for help.
We got back to our homestay at Aritar and had hot momos while watching an amazing full moon. Tired and exhausted, the bed could not be more welcoming!
The next itinerary was to Aritar lake, Aritar monastery, Ganesh temple in Rhenock and finally stay at Ramdhura.
Ramdhura is a small village located on the slopes of hills in Kalimpong subdivision of West Bengal. Shared cabs from Kalimpong are sparse but available. This area can be a tour in itself for 3-4 days with Ramdhura, Ichegaon, Delo(famous for adventure sports) and Kalimpong. We stayed in Ramdhura which has number of homestays.
The last day arrived and we were returning back to Kolkata. Hoping for a tryst with Kanchenjunga, we woke up shivering at 530 am, and got the view of a lifetime from our balcony. She gleamed as the first rays of sun fell, and we could just admire, spellbound.
After having breakfast, we started for Bagdogra, a journey of about 4 hours from Ramdhura. We packed our bags and with a last look at Kanchenjunga, headed back to the entanglement of our daily lives, leaving behind an unforgettable trail.