What better place to escape the scorching summer heat than the mountains? So that’s where we went on a six-day trip; technically, four, if you exclude the first and last day, which were spent entirely traveling. Gangtok and Pelling in Sikkim, as well as Darjeeling in West Bengal, all of which are situated more than 5,000 ft above sea level, offer breathtaking views and pleasant weather. 

 

Day 1

We landed in the Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal at around 4, and were in the cab at around 4:45. We passed through a dense forest area, were stuck in traffic for a while because of a landslide that had earlier occurred, rode on the steep roads we encountered as soon as we entered Sikkim, and finally reached our hotel, Cilantro Comfort, in Gangtok, at around 10. The rooms were pretty decent and were quite spacious as well. We ordered food to our rooms and then went to sleep. A  3-hour flight and a 5-hour drive had made us exhausted, and as soon as we finished dinner, we crashed to bed.

       

Day 2

The Tsomgo Lake was the sole attraction on our itinerary for Day 2, as it’s a two to three hour drive from Gangtok. On the way, we stopped at a small shop where we had some warm tea. Woollen jackets and caps were being sold at very nominal rates, and they were of good quality as well. 

The Tsomgo Lake is situated 12000 ft above sea level, and the lake was shrouded in mist, giving it a calm and serene appearance. It felt refreshing to walk around the lake, and we felt as though we were in another world! We went on a yak ride, which was altogether another experience! The temperature wasn’t very low, but due to intermittent rains, we felt cold, in spite of wearing a jacket. 

We went on a winch ride, which took us another 1000 ft higher. There was a small Hanuman temple at the top. As it was cloudy, we didn’t get much of a view from the top, but it felt amazing to be at an altitude of almost 4 km!

We had lunch at a restaurant inside. It was a pure veg restaurant, and we had traditional momos, thukpa (a soup with noodles and vegetables), and veg fried rice. 

We went back to our hotel, and after a short rest, went to the nearby market. We walked on the streets past many shops, but didn’t buy anything. There was a huge mall, where we spent some time. The architecture was pretty unique.

 

Day 3

The following morning, after breakfast, we went to the Rumtek monastery. It was an hour’s drive from our hotel. After spending some time there, we set off towards the Buddha Park. On the way, we had a lunch of rice and dhal, along with some vegetable curries at a small restaurant. Most of the roads in the region were very narrow, and in a few places, there wasn’t even a proper road. The view was wonderful, but the drive was a little scary at the same time.

We reached the Buddha Park at around 3. The park is a recent construction, having been inaugurated around ten years ago. There’s so much greenery around, with a humongous Buddha statue in the middle. Inside the statue, there were many paintings that depicted the life and teachings of the Buddha. There was also a mini museum, where a few ancient artifacts were displayed. 

After a 2-3 hour drive, we reached our hotel, ‘Voyage Hotels and Resorts’ in Pelling. It was much larger than our previous hotel, and we could see the peak of Kanchenjunga from our room!

 

Day 4

The Chenrezig statue was a huge statue of one of Buddha’s disciples. There were huge rotating bells, as well as small bells that surrounded the statue. Colorful pillars gave a vibrant hue to the place, and there were several good spots to click pics.

We then went to the Pemayangtse monastery. There were many ancient artifacts, and there were idols of Buddha’s disciples. There was a huge structure inside a glass case, which had several colorful sculptures, including Gods, the daily life of people, and dragons. Photography inside this monastery was prohibited.

 

The bird park was the last attraction in Sikkim. There were several types of birds and arch-like structures decorated with pretty flowers. I personally, didn’t find the bird park very impressive. 

There were ruins nearby. It was almost a km walk from the bird park, through a partially wooded area. Though it was only a km, as there were many twists and turns, and as it wasn’t a flat path, the walk was quite tiring. The walk would have actually been pretty pleasant if it hadn’t been very sunny. We were a little disappointed when we reached the ruins. We were expecting a huge palace or a big fort, but it ended up being a small stone fort.

We reached Darjeeling at around 4. The roads seemed to be narrower than those in Sikkim, and there was hardly any place to park the cars. Our hotel was ‘Summit Hermon Hotels and Spa’. The hotel looked a little old and gave a log house kind of feel. The rooms were small but pretty decent, and we got a hillside view from our rooms. In the evening, my parents went shopping, while my brother and I chilled in our room. Apart from good food at dinner, we were entertained by a music performance.

Day 5

We first went to the Japanese Temple and the Peace Pagoda, which were both next to each other, and just a ten-minute drive from the hotel. Unfortunately, it was raining, so we just took a few pictures from outside and couldn’t spend much time here. 

We then visited the war memorial, which had a monument dedicated to those who had sacrificed their lives in war. A railway track surrounded the memorial, where Darjeeling’s iconic toy train passes through. We weren’t able to ride on the train, but clicked a few pics in front of it when it passed through. Iconic scenes of famous Bollywood movies like ‘Aaradhana’ have been filmed on this train. 

           

By the time we had reached the tea estate, the rain had subsided. Thousands of tea plants seemed to stretch for acres, and the view was amazing. We put on the traditional dress and posed for photos. We were, however, allowed only in a small portion of the estate, and there wasn’t any estate tour.

 

The refugee camp didn’t have much to see. There was an old building with pictures of refugees who had come to Darjeeling and Sikkim from Nepal, and there was a small shop where handicrafts made by local women were being sold.

When our driver dropped us off at Mall Road, it was around 1:30, and this was the last stop for the day. We didn’t buy much, but it was nice walking around the streets and window shopping. The entire place had an old town kind of charm. We had our lunch at a ‘Domino’s’ here and then roamed around for a bit more. Our hotel was around a km from the marketplace,  at a walkable distance. We reached the hotel at around 4:30, and decided to call it a day. 

Day 6

We were in the cab by 5:30 and headed off to the Bagdogra airport for our 11 am flight. The airport was a two-hour drive from Darjeeling, but we left early to avoid traffic. 

We’d spent a few days high up in the mountains, in the lap of nature, and now it was time to bid goodbye and go back home.

 

Travel Tips 

• We booked the entire trip through MakeMyTrip, which booked the hotels, flights, and arranged the cabs for us. This turned out to be extremely useful, especially for the cabs. The roads are very narrow, with several twists and turns, so a good driver is essential.
• A valid government ID, such as a Voter’s ID or a driver’s license, is required to enter Sikkim. For minors, a birth certificate is required. If you’re a foreign national, a passport is required. Foreign nationals also require a guide for Tsomgo Lake and are not permitted to visit Nathula Pass or Baba Mandir.
• As the Tsomgo Lake is situated at a high altitude, it is pretty cold here, and make sure you carry one or two jackets with you. The Nathula Pass can reach temperatures below zero, so make sure you deck up accordingly.
• It’s better to have a hotel at a walkable distance from the Mall Road in Darjeeling.
• The Himalayan Zoological Park and the Tibetan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling are closed on Thursdays. If you want to visit these attractions, plan your schedule accordingly.
• If you want to go on the Darjeeling toy train, book tickets for it in advance, as they get booked quickly. There isn’t much of a view from this train, as it mostly passes through the roads, but you can ride it if you just want the experience.
• The Kanchenjunga can be seen from Pelling. If you want to get a good view of the mountain, you can wake up between 4:30-5, and the driver will take you to a particular spot. However, ensure that it isn’t a cloudy day.
• Many attractions in Sikkim are far apart, and can take anywhere between ten minutes to three hours to travel from one place to another. So, plan accordingly.
• In Gangtok, people generally visit Tsomgo Lake, Nathula Pass, and Baba Mandir on a single day.
• The winch ride at the Tsomgo Lake takes you to a high altitude (almost 4km). Some experience shortness of breath here. Those with asthma or other breathing problems must take this into account before going here.
• A reliable place to buy tea in Darjeeling is ‘Golden Tips’ on Mall Road. This shop is also there at the Bagdogra Airport.
• The ideal time to visit Sikkim and Darjeeling is between March and June. Before March, it’s quite cold, and there are heavy rains and sometimes landslides too, around the end of June.