Sikkim & Bhutan - Summer at Himalayan Ranges [2023]

Bhutan had been on my radar for many years now. Partially because it's closer to India, doesn't required Visa, is affordable, and partially because of visions of pristine natural beauty I had weaved in my imaginations from various readings. Hence in summer of 2023, we attempted to convert visions into reality, and were largely successful in the attempt!

When Bhutan opened to tourism post-Covid19, it introduced few changes in its fairly regulated tourism industry. Indian tourists had to pay 1,200/- daily fee (which was free earlier, though fee for other tourists is exorbitant at USD 250 per day, reduced to $100 post Sep'23), and necessarily had to book local driver and guide, and necessarily have advance bookings for 3-star or higher rated hotel. In essence, Bhutan isn't DIY friendly. I did try to reach out via WhatsApp to few travel agents and guides from official licensed portal but didn't receive reply from any of 5 large travel agents and barely from 1 out of 5 guides I contacted. As if finding trusting agent from thousands of names on a government list wasn't daunting, lackluster customer service response killed desire for any self-arrangement whatsoever. So we found one boutique agent (Jambhala Tourism at Justdial, Facebook) from Pune and booked via them. They turned out to be somewhat cheaper than named travel agents in India so that worked out well.

During this process, we decided to add North Sikkim to our trip since landing airport was the same for both, as it was also in my To-Visit list for a while. We asked the same agent to provide package for 4 day Sikkim trip as well, because why not. Since this trip was pretty much agent driven - hotel, itinerary, cost - you'd see less planning steps from me in this travelogue than others I've written in past. But none the less, carry on reading!

Being in Himalayan mountain ranges, Sikkim and Bhutan are well suited to travel in Summer, and month of May worked out well for kids' school holidays too. We booked direct flight from Bangalore to Bagdogra for 18th May, where we were picked by our car at the airport and driven directly to our hotel Rufina Cardamom Residency for the 6 hr ride and overnight stay. Hotel is basic, and rooms lack hygiene and working bathroom, though staff is very friendly and accommodating. Wouldn't recommend though.

Next day early morning, I took a stroll to Tashi View Point (since it was within a kilometer of our hotel), before breakfast and before leaving for our destination of the day, Lachun in North Sikkim.

What a ride and experience it was! On the way, we stopped by Butterfly Waterfall, Meyong Waterfall and few other stops. After all, there isn't anything to see per se at any hill station but then there is everything to see. The ride, the breeze, the greenery, the ravines, the rivers, the trees, the nature, the water, the sounds, the Border-Road-Organization's safety messages, and the curves on the road are experience unto themselves.

By evening it had started to drizzle and get dark as we were nearing our destination, but the mother nature had intended something else altogether. Drizzle soon became torrents and visibility was reduced. Lachung river, which had been a friendly companion throughout, started getting muddy and rough. This wasn't unusual for the season, for we were informed that May is the rainy season in Sikkim (which we didn't know). Moreover, there were multiple tourist vehicles on the route giving sense of company and security. At about 50 km before Lachun, our jeep abruptly stopped as water was gushing from the side of mountain across the road just ahead of us to the river. We were informed that road is washed away due to the rains and it's difficult to go forward, and so we waited.

We waited till a rock flew just missing our windshield - and our driver knowing what it meant - reversed the vehicle in such a hurry that we worried of falling in valley beside. During the reversal we noticed two more boulders on the road which weren't there when we first passed that section of road few minutes ago. Landside it was!

Immediately we turned around and moved few hundred meters away, before thinking through next course of action: turn back, wait out, or carry on. Carry on was quickly ruled out due to condition of the road. We did wait out for an hour or so, before realizing that its getting dark, situation isn't improving, and having kids in jeep overnight isn't safe or comfortable, and decided to turn back. Thankfully we did, for we read in the newspaper next day the stuck people were rescued by the Army and had to spend two days in makeshift situation.

On the way back, we debated staying in Chungthang or go all the way back to Gangtok. We were in the unplanned territory now, and after multiple phone calls to our travel agent, we decided to go back to Gangtok despite not having hotel bookings for that night. Our agent was able to secure a room, albeit in a different (also better) hotel, and our North Sikkim itinerary of Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang valley, Gurudongmar lake was cancelled. Essentially we couldn't do the very thing we came for, and had to spend next two days in local sightseeing.

Within Gangtok, we visited Ranka Monastery (very good) and Rumtek Dharm Chakra (meh) in the morning, had lunch at Luing Garden (very good), and enjoyed Ban Jhakri falls (very good) in the evening before retiring. Our driver also applied for Nathu La permit on this day for the next day.

Next day, we left early morning around 6 am for Nathu La, which was very good decision since the single lane road to the border peak gets very crowded by 10 am and wait time extends from nothing to hours. Nathu La pass is India's border with China, which is covered in snow and is at considerable height. Vendors will try to sell you compressed air, should you feel sick, and we bought too (500/- for a can) since we had kids, but felt that it was more of a placebo than the oxygen which helped, if at all.

It's recommended to rent snowshoes (plastic boots), and carry/buy/rent jackets and gloves should you want to play in the snow, which you definitely should for the ultimate fun. Being a tourist place, shoe rental prices are high, fixed and non-negotiable. Touching an open - kind of - international border was fun, since the snow had covered barbed wire fend high enough that we could step over China if we wanted to. (My OnePlus phone immediately picked up Chinese tower and time zone as well. Some say that China made phone do that more than others.) Not that Army personnels posted there would have allowed us to. There is fair bit of up slope and slippery snowy terrain, which can be fun and/or risky depending on how you see. I had gala time sliding down the frozen snow, and eating hot momos and sipping tea served by a soldier (vendor?) at fairly reasonable price for the height and place.

As is customary on this route, we visited Baba Harbhajan Temple though drizzle was constant companion, and personally I'd would have been okay to skip this spot. Not because it's not beautiful, because everything is beautiful in the cradle of nature, but because it doesn't offer anything different.

We also stopped by Tsomogo Chho (Changu) ake on the way, which is large, calm lake with picturesque background. Cable car (360/-) ride up the hill is worth the experience, but Yak ride (1,200/- for 10min) isn't. There is a small cafe at the beginning of Cable car ride which serves limited dishes which tasted pretty good in the cold weather.

This turned out to be an amazing day and experience, notwithstanding the near escape we had from landslide mere two days earlier. Evening was spent strolling, shopping and dining at the MG road.

We left for the Bhutan next day after breakfast, on a 6-8 hr long ride, which was half scenic in mountain ranges and half on planes in West Bengal. Overall, we felt that Sikkim was an amazing experience, landslide notwithstanding, and deserved a full week, spanning 2 days in North, 1 in East, 1 in Gangtok, 2 in South and 1 in West Sikkim. There is always next time, right?

Difference in vibes on each side was stark though. Indian side was a typical Indian town, with hawkers, rickshaws and crowd, while Bhutan side felt like a small European town with clean roads and unbroken footpaths. We immediately checked in to our hotel for the night at Meto Pema. Since all hotels were necessarily 3-star, experience has been great everywhere and Meto Pema was no different. (You can see pictures of current King & his family pretty much everywhere.)

After settling in, we went out for a small walk to Central Park and Zangtopelri Monastery to get the feel of town. It's a small monastery (called Chhorten in Bhutan) abutting a small park, open 24 hr (no entry ticket, no parking fee). Dinner was part of hotel and basic with rice, dal, a curry, bread, salad, and a Bhutanese dish, two dessert options. (That actually happened to be our menu at pretty much all hotels, perhaps because our tour agent arranged that way.)

Next day morning before departing we decided to take a small hike up to Karbandi Monastery. While the monastery was just okay, the hike was a pleasure. Distance up to Karbandi is about where Indians can come permit free.

Our tour guide took care of permit meanwhile and we were ready for drive to Thimpu, the capital city. (Some travelogues mention Crocodile Park as possible tourist spot in Phuentsholing but we couldn't locate one on Google Maps and didn't bother finding out.)

It was late in the afternoon by the time we left, since our tourist goups had other people joining on the same day, so by the time we reached Thimpu it was almost dinner time.

Folk Heritage Museum was next step where we spent an hour and learn about life in villages of Bhutan, which wasn't/isn't much different than life Indian villages. You can buy roasted rice and traditional wine inside, albeit fairly expensive. Ticket was 100/- for adults. Our driver/guide did decent job of explaining, though we noticed over the course of tour that English/Hindi ability of guide matters a lot in what/how they explain and what you understand.

We visited Thimpu's famous zoo, Royal Takin Preserve, whose claim to fame is national animal Takin, but I'd advise against this attraction. One clearly noticeable trend was that since Bhutan depends on tourism for revenue so things tend to be at least twice the expensive compared to neighbouring India even if they aren't worth the price, but Takin Preserve takes this to a new level. For the price of Nu 300 (children under 12 free), you get to see one bird, few deers and goats, and plenty of Takins. Even with leisurely walk in the jungle scenery, it will barely take 45 min to cover what can perhaps be described as the world's tiniest zoo.

The same cannot be said of Buddha Dordenma Statue, which I felt is a must visit place. It has free entry (May 2023) and the statue has a large picturesque and calming presence. The view from the top is good too, but the real beauty is inside the temple (unfortunately, no pictures allowed). Walls are ornate with beautiful pictures from life and stories of Buddha and saints, main statues are mesmerizing, and it is overall a very well-lit and beautiful place to sit in. A good guide can really add value by narration of stories and explanation of motifs. Unlike other Buddhist temples, inside is built and lit in little modern style and this makes the experience unique even if you are not a Buddhist.

Simply Bhutan museum was skipped because of exorbitant prices before stopping by at Chimi Lhakhang as the last stop of the day. Entry fee is Nu 500 for adults and 250 for kids 5-18yr. The temple is similar to any other Buddhist temple so I wouldn't count much on it but ride to the temple and the mini trek is pretty decent.

Later on, we took a day ride to Punakha, via Dochula Pass which has another set of Chhortens.

We also did River Rafting near Punakha suspension bridge, which after hard barging from 2000/- to under 1000/- turned out to be quite an amazing experience. Rafting was more than hour long and with little turbulence, well suitable for kids and elderly a. We returned to Thimpu on the same evening.

Main activity of the penultimate day the trek to Paro Taktsang, or the Tiger's Nest, which we started early at around 8 am. Trek takes 4 hour round trip, not counting rest, if you are moderately fit. My 8 yr old did it comfortably. One can rent walking sticks for 100/- at the base which are highly recommended. You can rent mules for half-way trip as well but remaining half has to be on foot.

Some people in our group who didn't do the trek visited Paro Dzong "Fort" but feedback wasn't positive. It seems like even with the Fort in the name, everything in Bhutan is essentially a Monastery.

Next day was simple exit via immigration building onward to Bagdogra airport and returned to home.

Concluding remarks: Our package was from Jambhala Tourism in Pune (Ph: 9673885748, 9322534425), and as long as you are okay with pre-planned group itinerary, it was quite well done and recommended for their informal/personal approach and reasonable pricing. Bhutan and Sikkim saddle on two sides of same mountain ranges and while each was wonderful in its own right, if I have to choose one, I'd say Sikkim is more beautiful than Bhutan. That is because while greenery is similar on both, there are more waterfalls and more activities to on Sikkim side (e.g. paragliding). Bhutan pretty much had temples.

Planning Your Trip

Here are some potentially useful details to plan your trip.

Bhutan weather is cold throughout, so Apr-Oct are actually best times to visit with pleasing 15-20 degree Celsius. Jun-Oct is Monsoon which makes scenery even more enchanting but driving even more risky. One needs to keep buffer for getting stuck on the road.

Permitting at Thimpu takes few hours, and office is closed on Bhutanese holidays and weekends so first day of entry better be a weekday.

Indian registered cars are allowed to enter Bhutan with a permit from the Regional Transport Office in Phuensholing. Required documents: Original RC, Insurance, PUC, Tax receipt, DL + 2 photocopies of everything.

Indian issued debit/credit cards may not work in Bhutan (check the fine print behind your card) and digital payment is at nascent stage, so carry plenty of cash. Indian currency is accepted everywhere but change you get back may be in local Bhutanese currency which you should plan to spend/exchange before your return to India. Indian Rupee and Bhutanese Ngultrum are at fixed 1:1 exchange rate.

Health insurance isn't required. Since it's not that expensive country, neither is it recommended. Tashi Cell and Bhutan Mobile are mobile duopoly and either network is okay. Indian electricity chargers/sockets will work in Bhutan.

Restaurants aren't very common on highways. Datsi is cheese dish popular in Bhutan. Overall, I found limited food variety and taste bland. Grocery stores sell many Indian branded packaged food items.

Air entry in Bhutan is compulsorily only through state operated Druk Air from Delhi Airport to Paro Airport. You need to contact Druk airline office to book tickets since these tickets are not available on standard online ticketing portals.

Some vocabulary for you to be familiar: Dzong = fortress, watchtower; Goemba = monastery; Lakhang = Temple; Chorten = Stupa; Kuzu Zumpo La = hello/good morning; Cadinche La = thank you

All temples/monastery require you to be dressed moderately (shoulder, leg covering). Prayer wheels should be turned clockwise. Silence should be mainted inside premises.

Costing for 2 Adults + 2 Children

Flights to/fro Bagdogra 75,636/- for 4 people (18-28 May), 18,900/- per person

Sikkim Package 14.5k * 2 (adult) + 12.5k * 2 (kid) = 54k

Additional 16k for hotels cost due to landslide emergency arrangements

Total = 70k, incl hotel, breakfast/dinner, sightseeing, car/driver/toll/parking, permits

Bhutan Package 32.5k * 2 (adult) + 24k (kid with bed) + 18k (kid without bed), incl SDF, hotel, breakfast/dinner, sightseeing, bus, daily water, 5% GST = 107k

Miscellaneous extra spend during trips on lunch, snacks, souvenir, sightseeing, shopping, etc. = 48,320/-

Total spend = 3,00,956/-, or about Rs. 8.5k per person-day