Sikkim, an untouched, timeless land whose smiling people offer you a welcome of unforgettable friendliness.
Sikkim, a land of extraordinary beauty – soaring mountains, plunging rivers and lush tropical forests, brilliant with a profusion of vivid flowers, birds and butterflies, and decorated with verdant terraced hillsides, simple stilled villages and colourful monasteries.
Sikkim, a land of abundance, beauty and adventure. Whether your passion is long treks or short walks in ever – changing landscape; White water rafting, or mountaineering amongst the world’s highest peaks; photographing nature’s diversity; or just hanging out, meeting people of other cultures, and enjoying festivals –sikkim is your destination.
INTRODUCTION
Under the guarding presence of “Kanchendzonga” (the 3rd highest mountain in the world) revered by Sikkimese as their protective diety,lies the small beautiful and magical former kingdom of sikkim known for its remoteness, majesty magic and mystery : Sikkim, forbidden to the outside world for decades, is now open to you with a promise of awesomely beautiful vistas of mountains, lakes, monasteries and people.
The majestic range are unforgettably beautiful, every possible variety of form and colour is theirs water falls break in to a thousand rainbows and relentless glaciers winds their way down into dark precipices, while through narrow winding gorges mighty river carry their message into distant plains. In Darjeeling, Sikkim or Bhutan Kanchenjunga dominates the scene, guardian of the five treasures, like a ‘Priceless’ necklace of shimmering pinkish pearls floating above the hazy valleys and hills: It guards, also the greatest mystery the “holy marriage of heaven and earth. “ For a holy in the clouds, where the mountains are almost within reach, Sikkim – a trekker’s paradise – offers at the same time its own wonderland of incomparable with turquoise blued lake and lonely dales.
The beauty of Bhutan, a mountain paradise, has earned for itself the epithet – “ the last Shangri-la formerly the ‘forbidden kingdom, it has at last opened its doors to select visitors. Fabled Sights await them:- the thrust of snowy peak with alpine valleys, rambling monasteries and hermits retreats clinging to crags in cliffs.
We have attempted, in this book, to bring the mountains close to the soul hungering for beauty, for peace and questing for the Spring infinite.
GANTOK ( SIKKIM) GENERAL INFORMATION
Area : 2,500 hec (Appx)
Population : Gantok : 45,000 (Appx) – Capital
Sikkim : 4,21,500
Altitude : 1,547 metres ( 5,800ft)
Climate : Summer : Max. 20.7C Min. 13.1C
Winter : Max. 12.5C Min. 7.7C
Rainfall : Gantok registers an average of 325 cm rainfall per annum whereas
Muguthang in the extreme north only 60 cm. Most of Sikkim does not experience high velocity winds, but on many tops and passes experience High Speed winds.
Nearest Airport: Bagdogra, West Bengal 124 km from Gangtok.
Nearest Railway: New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal 120 km from Gangtok
Best Season : March to May end, Oct. to Mid – Dec.
Language Spoken : Sikkimese, Nepalese, Lepcha, Limboo, Bhutan, English and Hindi.
Clothing required : Light and heavy woolens in summer and winter respectively.
VISA AND PERMITS:
In addition to an Indian visa, foreigners must obtain inner line permit (ILP) to visit Sikkim, from any of the Indian missions abroad or Tourism Office at New Delhi, Kolkata or Sikkim Tourism Office, if you are at Siliguri. Foreigners are issued a permit for initial period of 15 days, provided photocopies of Passport and Visa details along with two passport photos of applicants are make available. It can be extended for further 30 days of 15 days each. The extension of permits can be obtained from FRO at Gangtok or the Superintendet of Police of all the Districts.
