Jan 14, 2009 04:16 PM
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Dear Friends,
I was recently approached by one of my friend who is interested in and has been over the years been hosting to tourists that come to Sikkim and go. He says that it is one of the best suited profession for him as he gets to come across a lot of people and learn so much from them, and till date he has told me that no customer of his has had any complaints while he was in Sikkim. So here I am trying my best to tell all the readers What, Where, How, When, regarding Sikkim.
Sikkim as we all know, is the 22nd State of India, and lies sandwiched between Bhutan, China, and Nepal with the entry point being only at New Jalpaiguri(West Bengal) which is around 120 km from the Capital of Sikkim(Gangtok), and similarly the nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport which is around 128kms.
Gangtok the Capital of Sikkim is connected with Siliguri, NJP, and Bagdogra with the National Higway, and is also connected by a Helicopter Service, which is run by the Sikkim Tourism Department, and plys from Bagdogra Airport.
By road if you leisurely climb up then it takes around 4 -5 hours though usually the taxis can ply within 3 1/2 hrs - 4 hours. Your ascent would be very gradual, and then as you cross over the plains, the forest, then you can find the River Teesta which is the main river of Sikkim, which would be always accompanying you as if to Welcome you over to Sikkim. Rangpo will be the place of entry for Sikkim, as you would be welcomed with a Big Sign, welcoming you to Sikkim. This place is the Police Checkpost and people of Foreign origin have to produce the required documents which is a must for entry into Sikkim.
Roads! Dear friends, Do not worry because they are well maintained except for a few areas. As you ascend upwards kindly note the change in the vegetation, and the trees which would give you a rough idea as to where( which altitude you are in) the vegetation slowly starts turning into tropical and Alpine.
Gangtok is where you would be reaching and Gangtok does cater to the needs of all the tourists both, National and International, and over the period of time they have sharpened their skill in Management(though my personal request would be to kindly have your holiday booked by the Tour Operators, and another hint of advice would be to go with a Good Tour Operator, some of which have some good and trustworthy people. because at the end of the day thats what you want when you are Far Away from Home)
Now your day starts in Gangtok, and then it depends on what interest do you hold, is it something to do with only Tours, or whether it is something of more adventurous and feeling and living under the Mountains. by Trekking, White Water Rafting, Mountain Climbing, Bird Watching, Butterflies, or are more interested to learn the mysticism of Buddhism, their Art & Culture the Land the People etc etc. I think that you should have that already chalked out with your tour management so that they can manage the trip as per your demands.
One thing that you would observe while you are in Gangtok is that, It has a market which is not very big but can Boast BIG in terms of Cleanliness, the Innovativenss, and the Beauty. This market had been the Epicentre since Times Immemorial, and over the period of Time had become congested with pollution of many vehicles, which prompted the higher authorities and the Government to come up with the plan that they have for you and the people of Sikkim. This move of renovating the whole Market place has been a great Initiative taken by the Government.
The people of Sikkim are basically from three ethinicity. the Lepchas(the original inhabitants) the Bhutias and the Nepalis though you would get people from all parts of India, living in perfect Harmony. Talking of Harmony, well I think and other would surely agree that It is one of the most Peaceful state in the World with the Crime Rate next to Nil(wonder what the police have to do then).
If you really love nature, and would like to be a part of it then Sikkim should not dissapoint you but send you back REJUVINATED! You are sure to find FRESHNESS, HUMBLENESS, AND MANY FRIENDS HERE.
