SIKKIM
Sikkim offers the magical feel of a Himalayan fairy-tale land. It is an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow-fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers.

Sikkim is a state of India lying in the Himalayan foothills. This former kingdom is home to three major population groups - Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali - providing a colorful composite of cultures. Mt. Kanchanjanga, the third highest peak in the world at 8,586 m, looks down upon the land and is revered as Sikkim’s guardian deity.

GANGTOK
Gangtok (population 50,000 and elevation 1,780 m) is the capital of Sikkim. It is a charming, laid-back town straddling a ridge with houses spilling down the hillside. The places to visit are Enchey Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery; Institute of Tibetology which houses rare statues, manuscripts, ritual objects and thanka paintings; Do-Drul Chorten, an impressive stupa ringed by prayer wheels; Government Institute of Cottage Industries for fine souvenirs like choktse (carved low tables), thanka paintings and carpets; and the exotic market of Lal Bazaar.

AROUND SIKKIM
Rumtek Monastery, a 24-km drive from Gangtok, is the seat of the Gyalwa Karmapa Lama. Tsomgo Lake (elevation 3,780 m) is situated 38 km east of Gangtok amidst picturesque mountains. The famed Nathula Pass (4,392 m) on the old caravan trail to Tibet is 20 km further on from Tsomgo Lake.

In north Sikkim, Yumthang (3,782 m) is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing on flower-carpeted meadows against a backdrop of towering peaks. The 134-km drive from Gangtok takes you through Kabi Longstok, where Sikkimese history began in the 13th century with the signing of the treaty of brotherhood between Lepcha and Tibetan chiefs, and Phodong Monastery, one of the six major monasteries in Sikkim.

In west Sikkim, Pemayangtse Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery of the Nyingmapa Order, is a 112-km drive from Gangtok; Sangacholing Monastery, built in 1697, is one of the oldest in the state. In south Sikkim, Namchi, a 78-km drive from Gangtok, offers panoramic vistas of the snow peaks.

PERMITS & TRANSPORT
In addition to an Indian visa, foreign travellers must possess an Inner Line Permit to visit Sikkim. If you are visiting the interior regions, you also require a Protected Area Permit which is obtainable in Gangtok. Tour arrangements should be made through a registered travel agent.

Transport services are provided by four-wheel drive vehicles. Taxis are available for getting around Gangtok. Sikkim Helicopter Service operates sight-seeing flights to different points in Sikkim.

Access:
From Kathmandu, fly to Bhadrapur in east Nepal (1 hour), then drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border, 34 km), to Siliguri (36 km) and to Gangtok (110 km, 3 hours 30 minutes). There are also daily helicopter flights from Bagdogra airport near Siliguri to Gangtok (20 minutes).

Season:
March-May and October-December. Bring light woolen clothing during summer (maximum temperature 20.7 degrees Celsius) and heavy woolens during winter (minimum 7.7 degrees Celsius).

Adventure:
Trekking, rafting and yak safari.

Accommodation:
Modern hotels and restaurants in Gangtok. Comfortable resort lodges in the outlying areas.

DARJEELING

Darjeeling (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council) in northeast India provides the perfect ambiance of a hill resort with its mild climate and laid back charm.

Its hills and valleys are steeped in color, and are interspersed with vast stretches of lush green tea gardens. Presiding over all these is the 8,586-m Mt. Kanchenjunga. Heavily influenced by British India, Darjeeling still carries imprints reminiscent of its colonial past.

DARJEELING TOWN
Darjeeling town (population 83,000 and elevation 2,134 m) is located on a spur with houses hugging the hillside. The places to visit are Chowrasta, a wide promenade atop a ridge lined with shops and restaurants; Mall Road, starting and finishing at Chowrasta, for a scenic and leisurely stroll; and Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park for its varied wildlife including the Siberian tiger.

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, a training center for mountaineers which also houses the Everest museum; Natural History Museum, with its fine display of Himalayan wildlife; Observatory Hill which has Hindu and Buddhist shrines; Dhirdham, a pagoda style Hindu temple; Tibetan Refugee Self-help Center, a major center for the production of Tibetan craft; and the Buddhist monasteries of Bhutia Busty, Thupten Sangag Choling (Dali) and Yiga-Choling (Ghoom) are other major sights.

Batasia Loop, a marvelous feat of railway engineering; Tiger Hill for its renowned sunrise view over Kanchenjunga; Japanese Peace Pagoda, established by the Japanese Buddhist order Nipponzan Myohoji; and Lloyd’s Botanical Garden, which has a varied collection of Himalayan flora, are worth visiting. You can also take a ride in the Darjeeling-Rangit valley cable car or hop on the toy train which wheezes and winds all the way from Siliguri to Darjeeling.

AROUND DARJEELING
Kalimpong (pop. 46,500) is a sleepy little town situated at an altitude of 1,200 m some 50 km to the east of Darjeeling. It once used to be the hub of the trans-Himalayan trade between India and Tibet when merchants ferried commerce by mule caravan over the Jelepla pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border.

Kurseong (1,458 m) is a quaint little town about 30 km to the south of Darjeeling on the way to Siliguri. The market consists of rows of shops lining the main road which is crisscrossed at several points by the railway tracks of the toy train.

Mirik (1,765 m) is another tiny hill resort easily accessible from Siliguri (52 km), Kurseong (46 km) or Darjeeling (49 km). The centerpiece of the town is Sumendu Lake where boating under the gaze of Kanchenjunga makes for a most relaxing pastime.

PERMITS AND TRANSPORT
Foreigners visiting Darjeeling must possess an Indian visa. No special permit is required for either traveling or trekking inside Darjeeling. However, necessary travel documents need to be shown as and when required. Transport is provided by buses and smaller vehicles. Local taxis are also available for hire.

GENERAL INFO
Darjeeling consists of forested hills and valleys. It lies to the east of Nepal.

Access: From Kathmandu, fly to Bhadrapur (1 hour), drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border, 34 km), to Siliguri (36 km) and to Darjeeling (77 km, 2 hours 30 minutes).

Season: March-May and September-November. Bring light woolen clothing during summer (maximum temperature 16 degrees Celsius) and heavy woolens in winter (minimum 1.6 degrees Celsius).

Adventure: Trekking, white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking and rock climbing.

Accommodation: Modern hotels and restaurants in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Comfortable lodges in Kurseong and Mirik.