Whenever we think about Sikkim, the picture of Snow-capped mountains, Lush green forest, Sensational waterfalls, and many thrilling valleys come across in our mind. Another thing we start calculating your office holidays and budget for the trip. Â Here I am going to tell you how you can plan, reach and Places to visit in North Sikkim, in just 6 thousand. You will need 5 days to cover all these places. So let’s start from the beginning.
After arriving at NJP/ Siliguri Railway station, take a shared taxi to Gangtok. It will cost around 300-350 rupees and you will have a reserved seat for Gangtok. Gangtok is the capital of Indian state Sikkim and approx 120 km from Siliguri, situated at approx 5500 ft above the sea level. En-route enjoy the mesmerizing view of the Teesta river and sal tree forest. Once you reach Gangtok, You can stay at a budget-friendly hotel near the MG market, which is the heart of the city. If you are a nature lover and want to stay in a peaceful area then you also have an option to stay in Homestay with locals. In the evening you can visit local MG markets for recreation and shopping.
There are many tour operators in Gangtok who offer to share tour packages for North Sikkim in just rupees 3999 per person including all transfer, Sightseeing, Accommodation, and meals. After getting ILP ( Inner line Permits ) from the tourism office, you are eligible to visit North Sikkim.
1.Lachen:
Get your shared taxi from Vajra Taxi stand and head to Lachen, which is the first place to visit in North Sikkim, and a beautiful small town situated at 9000 ft that gives a panoramic view of flora and fauna. This day you can visit the Lachen Monastery and the local village. During winter you can experience up to minus 5 degrees while summer is pretty cool and the best time to visit. Your cab driver will guide and assist you.
2.Chopta Valley:
This is the second place to visit in North Sikkim that will make you amazed with its greenery and snow-clad mountains. Chopta valley is situated at 13000 ft and can be reached by Taxi within two hours from Lachen. Chopta valley is a paradise for lensmen and honeymooners. Spring season of India is the best time to travel because this time mother nature colors herself into different colors with fresh Rhododendron
3.Gurudongmar Lake:
The highest Point among Places to visit in North Sikkim is Gurudongmar lake which is the source of River Teesta and situated at a height of approx 17800 ft, roads end here.
This Place is very interesting with many controversial stories that cause disputes among the Sikh community and Buddhist followers. According to Buddhism Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche visited this place in the 8th century and when he was coming back from Tibet, he found the water of the lake remained frozen all over the year and no possibilities to drink the water. Local requested the guru so he agreed to help them and Placed his hand on a small part of the lake which did nor freeze during the winter.
Since then, the Local people considered him as a god and started worshiping this lake. While Some stories say, on the way to returning from Tibet Gurunanak Dev Ji came across this lake in the 15th century and did the same act for people’s needs and touched the water with his walking stick, and made the whole lake unfrozen during the winter. Later in 1997-98, the Sikh regiment of the Indian Army constructed a Gurudwara nearby lake, but these local people did not accept it because this land was supposed to a religious place of Buddha. After a high-level committee examination, on 6th July 2001, this Gurudwara was handed over to the Lachen monastery.
4.Lachung:
Another mesmerizing place to visit in North Sikkim is Lachung, a small hill station with loving hospitality, situated at 8000 ft approx and 120 km from Gangtok city. Major attractions are Lachung Monastery, Rhododendron Gardens, and Local Villages. If you spend your night at Homestay then you can enjoy wine or beer in the evening with local people and they will entertain you with some funny stories with those characters who never existed. When you will go to your bed, the sound of River Teesta can be heard and it will work like Maa ki Lori for you.
5.Yumthang Valley:
Yumthang valley, is also called the valley of flowers of Sikkim, Situated at 11500 ft and 160 km from Gangtok or you can say, 30 km from Lachen. During spring season tourists can enjoy the blooming of rhodo , Primulas, Iris, and other floras. Winter season is usually too cold to freeze you and temp can go up to minus 10 degrees. To Visit Yumthang Valley you need to halt your night in Lachung and next morning after the visit, you can depart for Gangtok. The best time to visit Yumthang valley is Summer when roads are open so the government allows tourists to visit.
6.Zero Point- Yumesamdong:
This is the last territory for tourists before the China Border, situated at 15500 ft and 170 km from its capital Gangtok and that is why this is called zero points. This is a hidden paradise for Honeymoon cou0ple and solo travelers who want to play with snow and spend some quality time. Zero points can be reached by road and the best time to travel is summer because during the remaining season almost part is covered with huge snow and roads are closed
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