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Sikkim, an untouched, timeless land whose smiling people offer you 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 stilted villages and colourful temples and monasteries.
Sikkim is a land of abundance, beauty and adventure. Whether your passion is long treks or short walks-ever changing landscape; white water rafting or mountaineering amongst the worlds highest peaks, photographing natures diversity, or just hanging out ,meeting people of other cultures and enjoying festivals- Sikkim is your destination
Sikkim offers the magical feel of a Himalayan fairytale land. Its an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers and forests.
Mt. Khangchendzonga the world’s third highest mountain peak in the world at 8,586 mts., dominates the landscape and is revered as the Sikkim's guardian deity. Sikkim is a hidden state of India in the Himalayas across Nepal's eastern frontier and Tibet and China in the northern side with a part of western frontiers with Bhutan and Darjeeling Gorkha Council in the south.
Imagine walking amongst gorgeous orchids ,flashing kaleidoscopes of singing birds, butterflies of all sizes-all framed by snow peaks.
For centuries botanists and plant lovers have irresistibly drawn to Sikkim for her profusion of over 4,000 species of flowering plants, including an incredible 600 species of Orchids. Magnificent magnolias flower in the temperate woodlands ,more then 40 varieties of Rhododendrons covers higher hills,45 species of primula bloom above 3,000 mts and celestial blue poppies colour the alpine heights.
In the forests are trees of almost all genera .Figs and wild bananas consort with a host of bamboos in a tropical valleys. Rich fern life shelters beneath the canopy ,including eight species like tree fern. Great tropical hard woods like sal give way on higher slopes to oak, maple and chestnut woodlands and these in turn are replaced by yew, larch, fir and cedar up to a tree line at 4000 m.
The abundance of colour, scent and variety attracts more then 300 bird species and 500 species of butterfly.
Sikkim-thus is rightfully is a paradise on Earth.
ACCESS
By Flight :The closest Indian Airport is at Bagdogra,124 kms from Gangtok, where scheduled flights operates from Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati. Travel time from the airport to Gangtok is 4 hours. Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation also operates a daily helicopter service flight from Bagdogra to Gangtok (20 minutes). From Kathmandu, fly to Bhadrapur in the east Nepal(1 hour), then drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border,35 kms), to Siliguri(37 kms) and to Gangtok (110 kms,4 hrs). Or fly to Biratnagar also in the east.
By Rail : The closest Railhead is at New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri which are connected to Calcutta ,New Delhi Guwahati and other major Indian cities.
By Road : Gangtok is at a distance of 110 kms from Siliguri and will take 4 hours from Siliguri to reach Gangtok. Gangtok is connected by road with Darjeeling,(4 Hrs) and with Bhutan, Phuentsholing (6 Hrs).
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BEST SEASON TO VISIT
March to June and September to December
ADVENTURE SPORTS
Trekking, mountaineering, rafting and yak safari
ACCOMMODATION
There are modern hotels and restaurants in Gangtok. Comfortable resort lodges are available in the outlying areas
TRANSPORT
is provided by buses. Vehicles are also available on hire. Taxis are available for getting around Gangtok. Sikkim helicopter service operates sight-seeing flights to different points in Sikkim.
PERMITS
In addition to an Indian visa, foreigners must obtain inner line permit (ILP) to visit Sikkim, the permits can be obtained from all Indian missions, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), New Delhi, Sikkim Tourism office, New Delhi, Sikkim Tourism Office, Calcutta and Sikkim Tourism Office, Siliguri on the strength of an Indian Visa. Foreigners are issued a permit for initial period of 15 days duration on the spot without any delay provided photocopies of Passport and Visa details along with two passport photos of applicants are made available then and there. It can be extended for further 30 days from the Home Dept., Govt. of Sikkim, depending on the merits of the case. If you are visiting the interior regions, you also require a Protected Area Permit which is obtainable in Gangtok from the Department of Tourism. We will handle all the official formalities for you.
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TREKKING
The best time of the year for trekking in Sikkim is from March to May & June and September to December.
Sikkim is the best kept secret in our Himalayas and trekking in Sikkim can be a wonderful experience and antidote of city stress of daily life and who long for Singalila. Sikkim trekking experience can be memorable and cherished for a lifelong. While trekking one can relish the pure air and silence of wilderness and feel the awakening of senses burdened by urban living. As one walks through the vales and dales and quaint villages. Mountains take up strange and wonderful shapes and the beauty of Sikkim Himalayas unfolds itself before you. All through each and every nook and corner of Sikkim - from the sultry tropical forests in the south to howling wilderness in the north is a trekkers paradise. Treks to Kanchenjunga is the most fascinating and challenging.
ADVENTURE THROUGH MOUNTAIN BIKING
The bike and trek itinerary offers an exclusive experience of Sikkim-the Land, its people, the flora & fauna. Biking is on proper memorable roads avoiding high traffic routes and meandering through the lush countryside and forests. The itinerary has been designed with room for flexibility in routes and overnights stays. Also a pilot vehicle preceding the group and a back up jeep will ensure full support to make biking in Sikkim a wonderful experience.
A trek to Maenam peak (10,500 ft) has been included to offer a change in the programme and also because Maenam offers a truly a fascinating and awesome views of our Himalayas.
The best time to experience Classic Sikkim would be March-May and Oct- Dec.
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