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Nepal Environmental Trek
Nepal Environmental
Treks & Expedition

Sikkim Tour with Darjeeling

Duration
9 days
Max. Elevation
7200m
Group size
Min 2+
Level
MODERATE
Transportation
Land & Flight
Best Season
SEP-OCT-NOV MAR-APR-MAY JUN-JUL-AUG
Accomodation
2-3 Star Accommodation in Kathmandu. Lodge Accommodation during Trip
Meals
3 times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Starts at/ Ends at
Kathandu / Kathmandu
Trip Route

Highlights

Overview

Sikkim Tour with Darjeeling offers you a combined tour of Darjeeling and Sikkim. The Sikkim Tour with Darjeeling begins with one day sightseeing that involves trip to Tiger Hill to see Mt. Kanchenjunga up close, visit to Mountaineering Institute & Museum and Botanical gardens. This will be followed by a drive to Gangtok where you will have time to visit Institute of Tibetology, Rumtek Monastery, Tashiding Monastery, Deer Park, Orchid Sanctuary among others. The trip is wrapped up with a visit to Kalimpong enroute back to Kathmandu.

Trip Itinerary

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.

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.

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”

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.

Institute 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.

The drive today will be through bank of perennial river Teesta and many beautiful places of tourist interests.

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.

Drive from Pemayangtse to Kalimpong which takes about 5 to 6 hours.

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.

You will then drive to Bhadrapur via Kakarivitta and fly from Bhadrapur to Kathmandu. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

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Art representing various natural and cultutal heritages of Nepal