Day 01: Fly from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur which takes about 45 minutes. You will
then take a drive from Bhadrapur to Kakarivitta (Eastern Border town of Nepal).
You will undergo with some custom formalities and then drive to Darjeeling
by jeep which takes about four and half hours.
Day 02: Darjeeling
sight seeing. Morning visit Tiger Hill to see the sunrise
and also get the best view of the world's third highest mountain
Kanchenjunga and other peaks. On the way back visit Ghoom
Monastery Enshrining Maitreyee Buddha. After breakfast proceed
for a ride in the famous toy train for half an hour. This
day you visit Botanical Gardens, Observatory Hill, mountaineering
institute to know the history and the equipment and used
in the first conquest of Mt. Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary
and Tenzing Norge. Then you go to Zoological Park to
see the Siberian Tigers. Visit Llamas, Himalayan Black
Bear and Panda. Visit tea estates and Tibetan Refugee
self-help centre for woolen carpet and leather products.
You stay overnight in hotel.
Day 03: Drive from Darjeeling to Gangtok
which takes about 3 and half hours. You will drive through
the breath taking downhill pitched road Maney Bhanjyang -
Loptsu – Teesta. You will gradually drive to Rongpu
the border between West Bengal and Sikkim.
Beware: You are not allowed to spit on the road throw
the wrappers of foods and chocolates and no smoking
in public areas. You will have some custom duties to
be fulfilled and then drive to Melli – Singtam – Ranipol – Tadong – and
then to Gangtok. “A mountain of houses”
Day 04: Sight seeing in and around
Gangtok. The main places of interests are as stated below.
Tashi View Point: From here, you could have a view
of Mt Kanchanjunga and other peaks of the Himalayas.
One can have an experience of the changes in colour
of snows of the mountains there.
nstitute of Tibetology was established in 1958 to
promote research on the language and culture of Tibet,
as well as Mahayana Buddhism, it is the most prestigious
of its kind in India. It has on display a vast collection
of rare Tibetan, Sanskrit and Lepcha manuscript. The
museum section, houses a number of exotic ritualistic
chortens, brass bells, dorjis, rosaries and some very
rare thanas. Today it is renowned worldwide center
for study of Buddhist philosophy and religion.
Rumtek Monastery is the sect of the Gyalwa Karmapa
Lama. The monastery is a magnificent example of Tibetan
Monastic art and was built by His Holiness, Gyalwa
Karmapa, (a leader of the Kagyu Sect of Tibetan Buddhism).
It is a close replica of the H.H. Karmapa's monastery
at Tsorphu in Tibet and houses some of the world's
most unique religious art objects. The sacred Tsomgo
Lake (elevation 3780 m) is situated 38 km to the east
of Gangtok amidst picturesque mountains.a a Tibetan
Buddhist lamasery of the Nyingmapa order, is a 95 km
drive from Kalimpong.
Enchey Monastery is an important sect of the Nyingmapa
order, this 200 year old monstary, atop a hill above
Gangtok, was once the hermitage of Lama. Dripthob Karpo,
a tantric master renowned for his powers of flying.
The annual ritual dance is performed on the 18th and
19th day of the 12th Month of the Tibetan calendar
corresponding to the month of December/ January.
Deer Park: Embraced by gardens f flowers lies a beautiful
Deer Park – an ideal place to be solitude, beside
the Secretariat. Built to commemorate the Buddha’s
reincarnation as a musk deer, it has a large fielded
statue of Buddha under a beautiful canopy in preaching
posture, a replica of the statue at Sarnath in
Uttar Pradesh, where Lord Buddha delivered his
first sermon. It is a popular viewpoint on the
edge of the ridge.
White Hall: Built in 1932 in
memory of the first Political Officer of Sikkim,
Sir Claude White. Situated on a ridge, it has
historical value only. There is an officer’s
club.
Orchid Sanctuary: It is near Research Institute of
Tibetology, where you can see many of the 454 species
of orchid found in Sikkim. The best time to visit
is April-May, July-August and October-November. There
yet another collection of orchids produced by the
Governmental Tissue Culture Department of Sikkim in Saramsa
or Apeca Garden about 14 Kms. from Gangtok besides Ranikhola.
This is this garden for the home of Sikkim’s
many exotic orchids and other rare tropical and
temperate plants. Formed and maintained by the
Department of Forest, it is an excellent recreational
and beautiful picnic spot, and a swimming pool.
Ganesh Tok: It is at an altitude of 6500 ft. above
Gangtok and 7 Kms. There is a small temple of God Ganesha
nested. Panoramic view of Gangtok, magnificent and
breathtaking view of Khangchendzonga and Siniolchu
can be observed and enjoyed from this spot on a ridge.
A cafeteria serves hot tea, coffee and snacks.
Hanuman Tok: It is at an altitude of 7200 ft., about
5 Kms. From Gangtok where there is a temple of God
Hanuman. Panoramic view of Gangtok and adjoining hills
and valleys with Khangchendzonga on the background
can be seen from here. Sunrise can be observed from
here. Night view of the Gangtok city lights is mood
elevating.
Tashi View Point is About 8 Kms. from Gangtok. It
is a resting shed. Astounding view of Khangchendzonga
and the Siniolchu Range is the main attractive of this
point. The distant north Sikkim monasteries are also
visible from this point along the North Sikkim highway.
Do-drul Chorten (Stupa): Situated on a hillock, it
is a five minutes drive from Gangtok town, Built
by late Trulshik Rimpoche in 1946, head of the Nyingmapa
order and the late Chogyal Tashi Namgyal in 1957
to invoke the Gods for the peace and tranquility in the
State. Set of Kagyur holy books, relics, complete
mantras, rare mandalas of Dorjee Phurba (Bajra Kilaya)
and other religious objects are found inside the Chorten.
A small Chorten known as Jhang Chub is built beside the
Phurba Chorten in memory of Trulshik Rimpoche who passed
away in 1962. Few yards below the Chorten is the rock known
as “DO-TA-PU” or “Stone Horse”.
There is a monastery close by called “Guru Lakhang” with
the state of Guru Padmasambhava and Guru Snong Zisil
Gnen, the incarnated one of the first. Around the Chorten
is installed the ‘180’ Mani-Lhakor
or prayer wheels. The Chorten has the sacred topped
stupa.
Saramsa Garden: Also know as Ipecac Garden is about
14 kms from Gangtok, the home of Sikkim's most exotic
orchids and other rare tropical and temperate plants.
The garden is know as Ipecac garden because of the
plant Ipecac that is grown here. Established and maintained
by the Department of Forest, it is an excellent recreation
and picnic spot. Besides this plant, this garden also
contains a wide variety of other flora including numerous
types of orchids and medicinal plants. A large green
house also accommodates many other species of plants.
One has to take a taxi to reach this place.
Day 05: Drive from Gangtok to Pemayangtse
(Pelling) which takes about 4 to 4 and half hours.
The drive today will be through bank of perennial river
Teesta and many beautiful places of tourist interests.
Day 06: Free day for monastery
visit and enjoy mountain views. In the western district
of Sikkim, Pemyangtse is a picture perfect destination.
It offers a breathtaking view of the world's 3rd
highest peak of Mount Khanchendzonga. The little
place is home to a number of tourist attractions
in Gangtok, namely Pemyangtse Monastery which is
one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim, located
on a hilltop at a height of 6840 ft. Apart from it,
there are many other monasteries Pelling like: Sangachoeling
Monastery, Dabdi Monastery, Tashiding Monastery and
so on.
Day 07:Drive from Pemayangtse to Kalimpong which takes about
5 to 6 hours.
Day
08: Sight seeing
in and around Kalimpong. Kalimpong is a sleepy little
town situated at an altitude of 1,200 m, some 50
km to the east of Darjeeling. Kalimpong, "The
Stockade of the King's Minister" was once a bustling town on the trade
route to Tibet. 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. Although the trade route has closed
down since the early sixties, the town still retains its tranquility and intrinsic
charm. It enjoys the best climate in the region and is a favorite haunt of
those in search of peace and serenity. It enjoys the best climate in the region,
with dense forests of golden oak trees offset by the rich undergrowth of moss
and lichen. Owing to its rich flora, Kalimpong is a blaze of colors throughout
the year. The orchids of this region in particular are famous for their infinite
variety as well as their delicate tints.
Day
09: Drive from Kalimpong
to Kakarivitta via Siliguri which takes about 4 hours.
You will then drive to Bhadrapur via Kakarivitta
and fly from Bhadrapur to Kathmandu. Stay overnight
at hotel in Kathmandu.
ranging from 300 to 8540 meters. But the habitable
areas are only up to the altitude of 2100 mtrs. Constituting
only 20% of the total area of the state. Sikkim has been
divided into four districts and each district has further
been bifurcated into two sub-divisions for administrative
purpose.