INDIA BUCKET LIST SERIES: SIKKIM
Welcome back to our India Bucket List Series,where we choose our top places we are dying to visit in India and share with you all what we want to see & do while we are there.
Second stop on the list: Sikkim
Situated in northeast India, Sikkim is part of the magnificent Himalayas. With dramatic landscapes that include India's highest mountain, Kangchenjunga at 8,586m, this is a very unique area of India to travel to. Home to glaciers, alpine meadows and hilltop Buddhist monasteries dating to the early 1700's - it's quite clear why Sikkim has made it into our list.
How To Get There
By Air: There are no direct flights to Sikkim. You will need to fly to Delhi, Chennai or Kolkata and then catch a domestic flight to Bagdora in the neighbouring state of West Bengal than catch a bus into the city.
By Train: There are also no rail services within Sikkim itself. The closest stations are New Jalpaiguri & Siliguri, which are also over the state border in West Bengal. You will than need to catch a bus into the city.
Where To Stay
$$Summit Sobralia Resort & Spa
$$$The Elgin Mount Pandim, Pelling
What To Do
Go on a group tour: We think one of the best ways to explore India is with a group. There are a number of Sikkim tour packages to choose from depending on your style of travel.
Experience Sikkim from the air: Paragliding is a new adventure sport here in Sikkim. It's best experienced in October and November when you get clear, sunny days.
Visit Rumtek Monastery: It is considered one of Tibetan Buddhism's most important centres, holding countless invaluable artefacts.
Take the trek to Goecha La: Many avid hikers say that this week-long trek is the best for sighting Mt Khangchendzonga, the world's third highest peak. Starting in Yukson, the trail takes you up to a gravity-defying peak of 4940m! April & November are the best months to visit for photos.
Sip on some Temi's tea: The tiny village of Temi is the only tea-growing region in the state, producing the famous Temi's tea. Come and have a cuppa right where it is harvested.
Go for a day drive to Tsomgo Lake: Tsomgo Lake is a stunning sight to see with a backdrop of rugged mountains rising towards the Tibetan Plateau. From the capital, Gangtok, it is a four hour return journey best visited in early spring and late autumn, when parts of the lake are frozen over. There are stalls along the lake selling local hot tea and traditional memos (meat-filled dumplings) to help you keep warm.
Where in India do you recommend we visit next?
A big thank you to Kashmir Tours for supporting Flying the Nest and sponsoring this post.
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