The Way to Sikkim’s Most Picturesque Terrain

We randomly make plans to explore new places but end up doing something quite different. Its always better to make an itinerary and plan things if you are visiting some place for the first time. We also share our experiences through clips and posts in our Instagram @travelivingforever, but here’s now the detailed itinerary of our Sikkim trip that you can read and follow too.

How to reach

The closest airport is Bagdogra International Airport in Siliguri, West Bengal. It takes up to 4-5 hours to reach Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim from there by a cab. You can get a lot of private cabs outside the Airport itself. We got one which charged us INR 4000 (due to the peak season, usually it costs around INR 3500). There was traffic during the drive due to the narrow and badly maintained roads in some sections. Hence the drive becomes a bit hectic. Its better to keep one full day for travel if you are not used to it.

The nearest railway station connecting to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri located 148 Km from Gangtok. All trains that leave Guwahati for the rest of the country pass through New Jalpaiguri. It is well connected to all the major cities by road as well.

All about Bookings & Budget

Gangtok one day cab rental for sightseeing costs INR 2500 (which can go upto INR 3000 in peak seasons)

Hotel Bookings in Gangtok totally depends on your preference, as there no shortage of hotels, homestays and cottages, etc.

North Sikkim Tour (2N/3D) It includes transfers, accommodation and permits which in total costs INR 25000. Self drive is not a good idea when you are planning a trip to North Sikkim. Also there are no rental cars available, and the roads are in bad condition. Even if you drive your own car from a neighboring state you will need multiple permits as a majority of North Sikkim lies on sensitive Indo-Chinese border areas. So having a private cab with you for all the days that you spend in North Sikkim gets quite convenient.

We booked our North Sikkim tour with Galaxy Tours (our contact person was Tenzing). They provided a private cab and accommodation in Lachen and Lachung, which are the 2 most picturesque remote hamlets in North Sikkim. The experience with them was very good. We would highly suggest its better to book a scheduled tour for your North Sikkim journey. As it avoids the stress and hassle of paying more at the later stage too. They give you a confirmation voucher of the kind of transfers you have chosen (private/shared cab), and about the hotel options you want to choose.

Sooo..! Getting on with the interesting part now – the itinerary. This is going to be funn!!

Here’s our Itinerary for you guys

Day 1: Fly to Bagdogra Airport and transferring to Gangtok. Local Sightseeing near hotel (Enchey Monastery)
Day 2: Start of North Sikkim Tour, Visit Lachen covering three viewpoints on the way. Lachen Hotel checkin.
Day 3: Visit Kala Pathhar, Chopta Valley and Gurudongmar Lake, and Hotel Check-in at Lachung for the night.
Day 4: Visit Yumthang Valley after breakfast at Lachung hotel and transfer back to Gangtok.
Day 5: Explore Gangtok & surrounding on the Day 5th and 6th. Monasteries Visit.
Day 6: Visit Tibetology Institute and museum and Do Drul Chorten, come back to hotel.
Day 7: Relax in Hotel at Gangtok, Late checkout after lunch, Transfer to your prebooked Siliguri Hotel near Bagdogra Airport to avoid airport rush.
Day 8: Morning flight, fly back home.

We had an amazing 1 week trip in Sikkim, but if you have more days it’s even better. As we covered Gangtok and North Sikkim only in this trip, but trust me it was still worth each penny.

Day 1: Our Day 1 was mostly all about transferring from Bagdogra Airport to Gangtok.
Although after reaching Gangtok, we managed to visit the oldest monastery of Sikkim- Enchey Monastery.
Enchey meaning solitary, and the monastery totally lives up to its name. It has an unique architecture with artistic adaptation of Gyanak Riwo Tse-Nga, a sacred mountain with five peaks in China. This mountain was actually the spiritual place of Jampalyang, a disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni. Therefore it’s one of the most recognized monastery in Sikkim. Timings to visit are between 6 AM to 7 PM everyday.

What you seek is seeking you! Beautiful evening spent at Enchey Monastery

The varied terrain of North Sikkim

Day 2: This was the kick start of our 3 Days North Sikkim trip. And in those 3 days we literally spent around 6-7 hours in our rental car on those ‘not so’ good roads of North Sikkim. So you too can expect some bumpy rides there along with some complimentary back aches!😉
Make sure you’ve stocked up on snacks, and lots of optimism just like we did.
But I promise you this will all be worth it. Like totally! North Sikkim is like a paradise. An amalgamation of rugged terrains, lush green hills, huge valleys with mesmerizing flowers and beautiful rivers with clear waters, what not!

Coming back to the roadtrip, (Gangtok to Lachen) your driver will stop by at some view points and famous tourists spots during the drive. We stopped at Tashi View Point, Kabi Lungchok and Naga Waterfalls which was quite worth the visit. Let me give you a short overview of these three stops we explored on our way.

Tashi View Point: You can witness a spectacular sunrise over the third highest Kanchenjunga massif from here. Although we were there around 12’o’clock. But it was such a vibrant vibe over there. You can also stop here for its awesome souvenir shops which offers stuffs at reasonable prices. You can try the Sikkimese traditional wear- Kho/Bakhu and capture some cute & fun memories. (INR 100 per person for the wear)

At Tashi View Point, Wore their Traditional Outfit- Bakhu for a change 😉

Kabi Lungchok: If you want to take a sneak peak into Sikkim’s cultural history this is the place to be. As they say the ‘Lepchas’ (Sikkim’s original Tribe) and the ‘Bhutias’ Tribe (migrated from Tibet) met here and swore in for Brotherhood to live peacefully together. They did it so that the two races live in harmony together. This whole thing was so fascinating to me. We instantly got a connect visiting this place. Trust me the energy and vibrations were so positive and uplifting there that we instantly got recharged for the further journey too. If you are a seeker like us and wish to unplug and unwind for sometime and want a short dive into the history and ancient time, Kabi is ideal for you.

Naga waterfalls: These are situated between Mangan and Chumthang. It’s probably the biggest waterfall on this way and is quite popular with tourists. Surely an unmissable stop on this way.

Forever Waterfall Lovers

So our Day 2 was all about a tiring road trip from Gangtok to Lachen. FYI Lachen (Big pass) and Lachung (Small pass) are two quaint towns of North Sikkim. These two work as a base for tourists who want to travel to Kala Patthar, Gurudongmar Lake, Chopta Valley, Thangu and Yumthang Valley.
Chungthang act as an intersecting point. From here two different routes are diverted towards Lachen and Lachung. (as shown in the map below)

Latching on to Heaven- Lachen

Finally we reached our hotel in Lachen at 7 PM, it is situated at an altitude of 8,838 ft. It lies on the North Sikkim Highway and has been made accessible to the tourists just a few years back.

It was drizzling. After stretching a bit, we left for a stroll to the nearby local market of Lachen.
It looked like a small settlement having narrow roads with local shops, street food cafes & hotels on both sides. We had Momos, Maggie and chai from some local café.

There is something about exploring new places and foods, wandering in local streets- ‘Lachen Diaries‘

Came back to our hotel room. The hotel Lachen Paradise, booked through the package was quite good inspite of the remote kinda place we were in. Our room was cozy and the buffet was really good and homely in their restaurant downstairs.

Cozy Hotel at Lachen

The sways and jumps on those bumpy winding roads took their toll on our body. Even though we were not aware of it the whole day, once we hit the bed it all felt everywhere on the neck and back. We were even struggling to keep our eyes open during the dinner at the hotel restaurant and then just rushed back to the room to sleep. Total Anesthetic mode, Lol!

Day 3: This day is going to be exciting as we had Kalapathar, Gurudongmar Lake and some gorgeous valleys planned. After a much needed rest at hotel, we departed early in the morning to avoid the rush at Kalapathar. We planned to cross the checkpost at Thangu as soon as it opens- by 7AM. We had an early breakfast at 5.30AM, which the hotel was kind enough to arrange for us. It is advisable not to leave empty stomach for Gurudongmar lake (keep some snacks like dates, nuts). Due to its very high altitude of 17800 feet, oxygen is scarce here. People travelling from plains find it difficult to adjust to the varying levels of oxygen as they go up higher.

So continuing on our journey we reached at Thangu checkpost by 7.15 AM. Its the last civilian settlement at 13000ft along the route with a handful of villagers and a large army base. Stopped there for some time while the driver was doing the paperwork. There was this highest Dosa point here which tempted us. We shared one Dosa and had it with some hot tea as the weather was getting colder while we were driving up on very steep height.

At Thangu Check Post

Travelling on steep hilly roads for 6-7 hours is not that easy, we felt this throughout our drive. Within an hour or so the altitude changed by over 4000ft that’s how steep the road was. The motorable road ends at Kala Pathhar (14850 ft) and it is a dead-end. For those who want to witness snow even in the month of May-Jun, this is the place for them. It was like a litmus test to check one’s ability to survive in cold weather in high altitudes. We were freezing there and our fingers were numb. (Do carry gloves & proper woolens if you wish to visit Kala Pathhar)

It was fun enjoying snow in the month of May here

Empty yourself and let the universe fill you

We witnessed the beautiful Chopta Valley on the route. Despite of being a famous tourist spot, this serene valley has maintained its tranquility and pristine beauty. You can get the majestic view of the peaks covered with fog and the grazing fields around the river meandering throughout the valley. It is indeed an ideal place for the trekkers and explorers. Best time is during summers only as during winters, the valley is mostly frozen.

Soaking in the beauty of Chopta Valley, found a fury Yalk here, lazily chewing grass and chilling

On our way to the Gurudongmar Lake, we entered a desert valley of sorts that left both of us in awe. It is a long stretch of gravel and sand coming together in patches and the most beautiful and clear skies and clouds leading to the lake. That is just not it, you are going to witness places and landscapes that will constantly blow your mind and they will be there with you forever in memories. As that’s exactly what happened with us, when we were just sitting and witnessing the whole thing silently throughout our journey to the lake.

On our way to the Lake, Meanwhile capturing these Landscapes that make you feel like you have stepped into some other planet

The route comprises rugged motorable roads and panoramic landscapes. Gurudongmar Lake is a place unlike any other, hiding experiences that one should witness at least once in their lifetime. Gazing the pristine lake from far was not enough. So we went downhill nearby the lake to feel the chilled water of the lake. Very few people were actually getting down due to the lack of oxygen. So it is advisable if you are not feeling fine, just enjoy the beauty from the hillside nearby your vehicle. After reaching downhill we almost forget that life even exists. It was almost felt like we were landed in a different planet altogether. The temperature was around -2 degrees there. We spent some time and then went back to our vehicles as it started drizzling and the rain drops were turning into snowy crystals, which we experienced for the first time here.

Just before the snowy rains, Enjoying the heavenly landscape of Gurudongmar lake in -2 degrees

So once you cover Gurudongmar lake, Kala Patthar and Chopta valley, you need to come back to Lachen for lunch break before leaving for Lachung. That’s what we did, after having the lunch at hotel we left for Lachung at around 4 PM. (Lachen to Lachung took us 3 hours to reach)

On our way to Lachung we found a huge waterfall named Bhim Nala falls or the Amitabh Bachchan falls (since it’s the biggest one in Sikkim). It was a dark due to the early sunsets in the north east side, hence the pictures we clicked did not suffice the beauty of this huge waterfall that we were witnessing.

We finally reached our Lachung Hotel named Keerong Cottages and were quite lucky to get a beautiful room with a huge waterfall view from the window. It was just perfect view one can ask for. Just Bliss. It was around 7PM and raining since we reached there. After having dinner we took some rest and enjoyed the sound of waterfall in our room which were coming from the window.

A hotel with a perfect waterfall view-Lachung Diaries

Day 4: It was a beautiful morning at Lachung, the room was filled with brightness and cool breeze and sound of waterfall as soon as we opened the windows to absorb the beautiful view. We then went out for a walk near hotel since the view was so tempting and the weather was just perfect for a morning walk.

Imagine waking up to this..! ‘Lachung Diaries’

After having a filling breakfast from hotel buffet, we left from Lachung to the beautiful Yumthang Valley. You will have to travel for 25 Km to reach there. So try to leave as early as possible.
Best time to visit this valley is April to May first week, (mostly april) to enjoy the full bloom of flowers when the Rhododendrones go on a blossoming spree. We mostly enjoyed the greenery with some of the flowers and buds. There were a number of rivers with small rocks on its banks.

Clicked on our way, this whole route is usually filled with flowers in April

Mostly the beds of vibrant flowers can be witnessed on the way only, but as we were travelling around mid May, the flowers were not in full bloom. Due to rains and fog we could not witness the maximum blossom.

Flat valley surrounded by lush green mountains on either side, grassy alpine meadows leading to the Yumthang River flowing in the middle of it

After spending time in North Sikkim, we can say that we have experienced a bit of everything that Nature bestows upon humans. And we left from the beautiful valley around 1.30 PM after having some yummy Tibetan food from the Yumthang Valley local market. Reached Gangtok at 5.30 PM, which exactly took us 4 hours.

Exploring Gangtok

Gangtok, lying in the eastern part of Sikkim is the capital city. It is one of the most beautiful hill stations in the country which one should not miss on the north eastern circuit. It offers absolutely delightful weather especially during peak summers in India.

Elgin Nor-Khill, Our Gangtok Stay

There are number of accommodations here to suit all kind of budgets accordingly. A three day tour of North Sikkim is bound to leave you exhausted. So it’s time to calm & unwind to absorb the peace of the sacred monasteries in Gangtok. So we’d suggest save last two days to either relax (heritage hotel-elgin nor khill) or explore the buddhism culture in Gangtok as per your convenience.

We chose to stay in a luxurious heritage hotel that boasts of a history like no other. Elgin Nor-Khill was built by the King of Sikkim in 1932, was used to be the Royal Guest house for receiving visiting heads of state and dignitaries. It is now a luxury boutique hotels with 25 guestrooms, but its grandeur still remains intact.

After checking in the hotel and a little unwinding we went a nearby MG Road market around 6PM. It was almost dark outside, as sunsets in east are quite early, so we planned to have dinner also.
The atmosphere out there was almost like a carnival. There is a 1 kilometer stretch of the road, lined with restaurants, pubs, and lots of souvenir shops (from where you can try lot of bargain also). Vehicles are not allowed in there as it’s a pedestrian-only zone. On Tuesdays the market here is closed. After exploring lots of authentic momos in North Sikkim, we tried some authentic Tibetan food here in a vintage restaurant named Taste of Tibet. And for dessert, we had some pastries and coffee in the Baker’s café after that. After fully satisfying our taste buds we came back to hotel. (There is a taxi stand as you turn right towards Tibet road in case you need cabs for sightseeing tours in Gangtok)

Taking a stroll in MG Road Market, Gangtok & slurrping on my favorite Thukpas

I believe Buddhist culture is one of the simplest cultures with not so many complexities and implied narrations like others that’s what I love about it. Someway or the other it has greatly influenced the lives of many people in every corner of the world also.

Day 5: On this morning, we’d suggest getting up without an alarm clock and enjoying a languorous breakfast before setting out for beautiful monasteries out there. As last 3 days of North Sikkim tours were a bit exhausting due to the bumpy roads and long drives starting since morning.
We booked a cab from hotel for the monasteries visits. (Expect some hikes in cab rates in peak season)
So this day was all about exploring Monasteries, as India’s second smallest state Sikkim has huge number of Monasteries (around 200). Try to visit the monasteries during May-June months as it marks the beginning of Tibetan New Year which is celebrated with zest. Luckily we got to visit these two beautiful monasteries on my birthday that is on 18th of May.
No doubt everyone searches for enlightenment. Some look in temples and far off lands, some believe in saying things and words with no action, some look within. Somehow we found these monasteries so apt for calming the chaos of mind and to find the answers which often we look for.

Rumtek Monastery

This is situated at a place named Rumtek, 21 Kms from Gangtok, on a hill facing Gangtok. One can get a striking panoramic view of whole Gangtok city from this hill. The monastery is located on a pristine hilltop, (5,500 ft). From entrance parking area, you have to walk up the hill to reach the monastery building. It was drizzling when we visited so we requested at the entrance to take our cab upwards.

Being the largest monastery of Sikkim, this three-story building houses some original buddhist religious works of art such as divider wall paintings and some beautiful hand artworks.

After visiting the main temple and strolling around the hall and beautiful compound, we went upstairs to see the golden stupa which is the sacred place of worship inside the sanctum. There was this rhythmic chants and prayers by the monks going on there. That was pure bliss spending some time chanting with them. I could not have asked for a better birthday than this one. Thanks to Akshay who planned all this.

Ranka Monastery

This monastery is about 14 Kms from Rumtek Monastery which took us 30 mins to reach. Unlike Rumtek there is no long uphill walk required to reach the monastery. After we reached the parking area, we found a series of prayer wheels on a long wall nearby the entrance.
Also known as Lingdum monastery it completed in 1999, is a new addition, along with the other old monasteries of Sikkim. Although it certainly takes away the prize for being the most picturesque of all. No wonder several Bollywood movies have this monastery featured.

The prayer room has a huge golden statue of Buddha ahead, with intricate hand paintings on walls which was a visual treat for the eyes.
(If you are not so much into exploring monasteries and stuff like that, you can skip this one or visit one of the monasteries)

Outside the monastery near the car parking there are some souvenir shops and a café that has some pictures of Bollywood star Aamir Khan having lunch there during a film shoot in that location. We had some authentic Momos, Chow mein and Egg Thukpa there which was quite good and reasonable. Coming back to the hotel, that’s how the day ended with a mini birthday celebration at hotel itself.

Day 6: After having a royal and fulfilling breakfast at hotel we soaked the sun at the beautiful lawn area of the hotel. I heard a lot about the Tibetology Museum with a rich history, so we took a cab and headed towards there which was around 3 kms from our hotel. (Arranged cab from hotel itself for a tour of nearby places which cost us 800 Rs/-)

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology And Museum

Its building showcases traditional Tibetan architecture with golden, attractive murals and array of windows on the top floor which looked striking amidst the mountains.
I love knowing the rich histories and facts about places which landed us here too.
So Lets go on a little tour with me about the place and its conceptualization-
In 1950, when the China invaded & occupied Tibet, Tibetans felt a threat that the Chinese might damage or take out their rich heritage from them. In order to preserve their Literature, Religious books & manuscripts. They took it all here from Tibet so that the researchers can access the 1,500 years old Tibetan culture & heritage.

There is a Museum located on the ground floor, which contains a rare collection of statues, ancient manuscripts in Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan and Lepcha. And the center of attraction is the majestic image of Manjushri ‘the bodhisattva of knowledge that was brought from Tibet.
On its first floor there is Tibetan library that has got one of the largest collection of Tibetan documents & literature in the world.

There was again a souvenir shop named Asta Mangala Art near the institute from where we got a meditation bowl and a life of buddha hand painted wall hanging.
After having a cup of coffee at the original branch of Baker’s Cafe there, we headed to the next stop.

Do Drul Chorten Stupa

It is located at a walking distance from the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. There is a short & steep uphill pathway leads to the stupa (Chorten) marked by a golden top with a deity enshrined on it.
I know I always go back in the history and dig out the stories but I can not help it. I love to learn about the things with soul and facts. You have to bear with my storytelling again, but trust me the facts are never that boring too.
So back in 1940s, at the time of Second World War, the Royal Family of Sikkim (the Namgyals) who were passing through some tough times invited Trulshik Rinponche from Tibet to build this chorten (stupa) for the abundance of their family as well as for the citizens. Also to drive the evil spirits away, as locals here believed that this entire place was once haunted by evil spirits.
That is why this chorten is regarded as one of the most important chortens or stupas of Sikkim. Many valuable items were kept inside it including the Buddhist religious book ‘Tanjur’, and other valuable items donated by the rich and the elite.

We spent our last evening in Gangtok, Sikkim just relaxing at the beautiful heritage hotel and recounting adventures from the past 6-7 days. Relishing the memories of panoramas that wouldn’t be out of place in a fairytale, and what not.

Day 7: On this day we checked out quite from Gangtok hotel, almost after lunch and left for Siliguri. As the flight times are usually of morning only so its better to prior book a hotel near airport in Siliguri to avoid unnecessary stress.
After a final long drive of 6 hrs We reached our Siliguri hotel named Four Vedas around 8 PM. Hotel was quite decent and 30 mins away from the Bagdogra airport. A sound sleep was much required on the last day so we hit the bed early.

Day 8: Goodbyes are the hardest, and it gets even tough when you have to come back home from a place that already feels like home.
8 days and 2,688 kms later, it’s time to fly back home. And we’re sure you too will spend the flight back home dreaming of pristine Gurudongmar lake that act as mirrors to surrounding rugged mountains, its beautiful route & landscapes that made you feel for a second like you’ve just set foot on another planet, winding roads surprising you with some majestic waterfalls in almost every turn, romantic walks in the Yumthang valley which was almost gave that Switzerland vibe, the coldest yet cozy weathers of Lachen and Lachung, and places with the sacred Buddhism culture and heritage experienced on your epic trip of Sikkim. We don’t blame you one bit! Cause we were in awe of all this during our flight back to Bangalore 🙂

Hey readers! Has our Sikkim Trip itinerary convinced you to book your flights to this beautiful state in the north eastern part of our country? In case you need more convincing, have a look at the clips and posts shared on our Instagram page @travelivinforever.
Leave us a comment if you enjoyed reading our blog or if you have any questions at all.. As we love feedbacks!