If you’ve never heard of this place, you won’t be aware of the great experiences to have in Sikkim. It wouldn’t be surprising that you won’t know of Sikkim. It is the second smallest of the Indian states, ahead of Goa as the smallest, and it certainly has never attracted the tourist spotlight in the way Goa has. Sikkim is a landlocked state, located in the Himalayas and even though so small, it shares borders with India’s West Bengal, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. Unsurprisingly, the features that characterize its neighbors are heavy influences in Sikkim – particularly for the majority of the population, which is of Nepalese ancestry. Consequently, many of the travel experiences in Sikkim echo those of the bordering states.
Tsomgo Lake is about 40kms from Gangtok and sits at an altitude of around 3,770m. It’s a glacier lake, frozen until May with the Tibetan Plateau as its backdrop. An ideal time to go is early spring and late autumn, when parts of the lake are frozen over and the stalls by the lake serve hot chai and momos. Take your woollies as it’s always cold no matter what time of year. You can even ride a yak there.
A must to add to your things to do in Sikkim list is going on a trek. The most popular trek is the one-week Yuksom to Dzongri Peak trail; you can go further to Goecha Peak but only if you want to be challenged. The trek is mainly through Kanchenjunga National Park, so you’ll see amazing forest, flowers and waterways. It’s considered the best for viewing the world’s third highest summit, Mount Khangchendzonga. The mountainous terrain of Sikkim hosts a plethora of trails made by both tourist trekkers and the locals who have been walking these paths for hundreds of years from village to village. For experienced trekkers, walking the Old Silk Route to Nathu La is one of the experiences in Sikkim. Nathu La is 4,404m and still remains a strong Indian-Chinese trading post.
River rafting is gaining in popularity in India among young adventure-seekers. The Teesta River rushes from snowy high peaks down through Makha, Sirwani, Bardang and Rangpo. There are calm stretches for those who don’t want to thrill-seek, but if you want more than a challenge you can get it here – either by raft or kayak. The Rangeet River is for more advanced kayakers or rafters.
Momos – need we say more? Momos are the Tibetan fast food that can be found all over Asia. Small parcel like dumplings filled with meat or veggie options are steamed and served hot. They’re great eats on the run, but are so popular now they’re available throughout much of India.
You started off reading this post maybe never even having heard of Sikkim, but now you know what a wonderful place it sounds. Do any of these travel experiences in Sikkim light your fire for a Himalayan adventure or two?