Sikkim

Land of mystic magnificence
Sikkim offers the magical feel of a Himalayan fairytale land. It is an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow-fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers and forests. This former kingdom is home to three major population groups — the Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese — providing a colorful composite of cultures. Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world at 8,586 m, dominates the landscape and is revered as Sikkim’s guardian deity. Sikkim is a state of India tucked in the Himalayas across Nepal’s eastern frontier. It is crammed in between Tibet (China) to the north, Bhutan to the east and Darjeeling to the south.

DARJEELING
The queen of the hills
Darjeeling (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council) in northeast India provides the perfect ambience of a hill resort with its mild climate and laid-back charm. Its verdant hills and valleys are steeped in color, and are interspersed with vast stretches of lush green tea gardens. Presiding over all these is the 8,586-m Mt. Kanchenjunga looming over the northern horizon, giving a magical aura to the land that entices thousands to its environs and leaves all the senses intoxicated. Darjeeling is hemmed in by Sikkim in the north, Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east. Darjeeling town, Kalimpong and Kurseong are the major urban centers. Heavily influenced by British India, Darjeeling still retains legacies of its colonial past. The toy train is one of the most striking examples of Darjeeling's British Raj influence.

GANGTOK
Gangtok (population 50,000 and elevation 1,780 m), the capital of Sikkim, is a charming, laid-back town straddling a ridge with houses spilling down the hillside. The places to visit are Enchey Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery; Institute of Tibetology which houses rare statues, manuscripts, ritual objects and thanka paintings; Do-Drul Chorten, an impressive stupa ringed by prayer wheels; Government Institute of Cottage Industries for souvenirs like choktse (carved low tables), thanka paintings and carpets; and the exotic market of Lal Bazaar.

AROUND SIKKIM
Rumtek Monastery, a 24-km drive from Gangtok is the seat of the Gyalwa Karmapa Lama. The sacred Tsomgo Lake (elevation 3,780 m) is situated 38 km to the east of Gangtok amidst picturesque mountains. The famed Nathula Pass (4,392 m) on the old caravan trail to Tibet is 20 km further from Tsomgo Lake. In north Sikkim, Yumthang (3,782 m) is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing on flower-carpeted meadows against a backdrop of towering peaks. The 134-km drive from Gangtok to Yumthang takes you through Kabi Longstok, where Sikkimese history began in the 13th century with the signing of a treaty of brotherhood between Lepcha and Tibetan chiefs; Phodong Monastery, one of the six major monasteries in Sikkim; Chungthang (1,586 m), a sacred place blessed by Guru Rimpoche; and Lachung (2,684 m), an idyllic valley surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains. In west Sikkim, Pemayangtse Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery of the Nyingmapa order, is a 112-km drive from Gangtok; Sangacholing Monastery, built in 1697, is one of the oldest in the state; Khecheopalri Lake is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists; Yuksam is Sikkim’s original capital; and Tashiding Monastery, built in 1717, is famed for its stupa. In south Sikkim, Namchi, a 78-km drive from Gangtok, offers panoramic vistas of the snow peaks; Tendong Hill (2,623 m) and Menam Hill (3,141 m) provide unmatched views extending from the Himalaya to the plains of Bengal; and Temi tea garden is an opportunity to see how the aromatic leaves are grown and processed.

DARJEELING TOWN
Darjeeling town (population 83,000 and elevation 2,134 m) is located on a spur with houses hugging the hillside. The places to visit are Chowrasta, a wide promenade atop a ridge lined with shops and restaurants; Mall Road, starting and finishing at Chowrasta, for a leisurely stroll amidst peaceful surroundings and splendid views; Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park which houses the Siberian tiger, Himalayan black bear, red panda, snow leopard and many other animal and bird species, and the nearby Snow Leopard Breeding Center and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, a training center for mountaineers which also houses the Everest Museum; Natural History Museum, with its fine display of Himalayan wildlife; Observatory Hill which has Hindu and Buddhist shrines; Dhirdham, a pagoda-style Hindu temple; Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Center, a major center for the production of Tibetan carpets, woodwork and leather goods; the Buddhist monasteries of Bhutia Busty, Thupten Sangag Choling (Dali) and Yiga-Choling (Ghoom); Batasia Loop, a marvelous feat of railway engineering; Tiger Hill for its renowned sunrise view over the Kanchenjunga and the eastern Himalaya; Japanese Peace Pagoda, established by the Japanese Buddhist order, Nipponzan Myohoji; and Lloyd's Botanical Garden which has a varied collection of Himalayan flora. Visitors can also take a ride in the Darjeeling-Rangit valley passenger cable car or hop on the toy train, which wheezes and winds all the way from Siliguri to Darjeeling town via Kurseong.

AROUND DARJEELING
Kalimpong (pop. 46,500) is a sleepy little town situated at an altitude of 1,200 m, some 50 km to the east of Darjeeling. It once used to be the hub of the trans-Himalayan trade between India and Tibet when merchants used to ferry goods by mule caravan over the Jelepla Pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border.

The places to visit are Kalimpong Arts and Craft Center for handicraft goods; Tharpa Choling Monastery, a repository of old scriptures and documents; Thongsa (Bhutan) Monastery, the oldest in the area; Dharmodaya Vihar, a Nepalese Buddhist temple; Parnami Mandir and Mangal Dham; Durpin Danda from where the mountain ranges of Sikkim, including Jelepla, Tiger Hill and the confluence of the Relli, Riang and Teesta rivers can be viewed; Zong Dog Palri Fo Brang Monastery at Durpin Danda; Deolo View Point for magnificent views; and Kalimpong's famous flower nurseries. Kurseong (elevation 1,458 m) is a quaint little town about 30 km to the south of Darjeeling on the way to Siliguri. The market consists of rows of shops lining the main road, which is crisscrossed at several points by the railway tracks of the toy train. The places to visit are Eagle's Crag which has a park from where glorious views of the Kanchenjunga on one side and the southern plains on the other can be taken in; Dow Hill which has the forest museum, Deer Park and a water reservoir, all set amidst moss-laden conifers; and Chimney, a serene, open meadow. Mirik (elevation 1,767 m) is another tiny hill resort easily accessible from Siliguri, Kurseong or Darjeeling. The centerpiece of the town is the Sumendu Lake where boating under the serene gaze of the Kanchenjunga makes for a most relaxing pastime. Rameetay Dara and Deosi Dara are two elevated points near the lake from where the view is terrific. Apple orchards and tea gardens are other attractions.