Sikkim Essential - 8 Days

• It shares a border with only 1 state – West Bengal in the south. It also shares an international boundary with 3 countries i.e. Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and China in the north which also happens to be the maximum number of international borders shared by any Indian State

• Nathu La pass is the key geographical feature of this state. Nathu La pass is a part of the ancient Silk Route which once was an important trade route connecting India with the far reaches of Tibet
• There are many hot springs in Sikkim which are known for their medicinal & therapeutic reasons
• Sikkim is known for its rich biodiversity and is the land known for more than 500 different species of Orchids, 11 Oak species, 23 different varieties of Bamboo trees, and over 400 different medicinal plants.
• Khan-gchendzonga National park is one of the highest national parks in the world and includes World’s third highest mountain Kangchenjunga. Yak and musk deer are the main animals found in Sikkim
• Sikkim has the largest area for Cardamom production and also it is the highest producer of large cardamom in India.
• Rumtek and Phodong monasteries are the most famous religious spots depicting the Buddhist culture of Sikkim.
• Gurudongmar lake & Tsomgo lake which are situated at a height of 5180 meters and 3700 meters respectively are sacred lakes as per Buddhist beliefs

• Statue of Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) in the south district is considered as the patron of Sikkim as per Buddhist beliefs.

Sikkim’s climate ranges from subtropical in the south to tundra in the north.
Summer:
March to mid-June. Temperatures –minimum 13 to maximum 28 degrees. Pleasant in summer.
Monsoon:
Monsoon prevails from late June to early September. During Monsoons, a landslide is a common sight all the way through Sikkim. Annual rainfall is 325 mm average.
Autumn:
Autumn stays from September to October providing a nice time for tourists to visit the state.
Winter:
Winters are heavy in Sikkim. The temperature ranges from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 12 degrees. The northern portion receives heavy snowfalls during winters.

the best time to visit Sikkim is either between March and May or October and mid-December. If you want to witness the blooming natural beauty in Gangtok best season to visit would be in spring, from March to May. Autumn, on the other hand, brings a clear view of the Himalayan Range. If you wish to experience snowfall then the best time to visit is between December to Februarys.
Local Languages: The official language of Sikkim are Nepali, English, Lepcha, and Sikkimese or Tibetan or Bhutia. Other local languages which minor Sikkimese people used are Limboo, Rai, Gurung, Tamang, Sherpa, Magar, Newari but these people also used the Nepali language. Nepali
Clothing: The traditional dress of the people of Sikkim and Bhutias is the Bakhu (according to the Nepalese dialect) The Thokro-Dum is the primary outfit for the Lepcha community members. However, the young generation now wears modern clothes.

By air – Bagdogra Airport which is the nearest to the capital city of Sikkim. A number of airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, Jet Airways, AirAsia India, GoAir, and Spice Jet operate regular flights from prime Indian cities including Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Guwahati, and Kolkata for Gangtok
By rail – New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead to Sikkim. Major trains from all over India ply to New Jalpaiguri. From the train station, you can take a bus or shared jeeps & cars to reach Sikkim.
By road, – Sikkim is easily accessible by bus. The Sikkim government has fixed-rate buses; Sikkim Nationalized Transport (SNT) from its bus terminal at Siliguri plying between Siliguri and Gangtok. There are buses from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) to Gangtok. You can take a shared cab to reach Sikkim from Siliguri city.
Helicopter Service: A daily helicopter service run by the Sikkim Helicopter Service connects Bagdogra to Gangtok. The helicopter can carry eight people at a time on thirty-five minutes long flight from Bagdogra to Gangtok. It departs around 0230 PM from Bagdogra to Gangtok
For local sightseeing & transportation, you must rent a vehicle for traveling.

Moving around: Bus is the cheapest mode of transport, though hired taxis are the best way of exploring this area. For visiting the newly opened areas it is advisable to engage the services of a registered travel agency for making all required arrangements.

Sikkim shares international boundaries with three countries, China (Tibet) in North and North East, Bhutan in the East, and Nepal in the West. In the South, it shares a boundary with West Bengal. The state is surrounded by the high mountains from three sides, and there lies another country on the other side of the mountains. This makes its position very vulnerable in case of conflicts and this is why the state has much strategic importance. The visitors can not roam in all the parts of the state freely without a valid permit.

Since Sikkim is situated at a significant height, breathing issues are a common problem. Keep the necessary medicines handy. It is also advisable to visit a doctor before you embark on your journey. Owing to the zigzagging hilly roads, motion sickness is another challenge. Keep the necessary medication along with you. Keep your self hydrated. If visiting Gurudongmar lake, Yumthang vally take care of your health. Due to fewer oxygen levels, you may get nausea, headache, etc. if you are a senior citizen & some ailment think before you travel to high altitude.

Sikkim is certainly expensive. The price per day may vary considerable between Rs 2000 to RS 4000 depending on your hotels, vehicles; sightseeing etc. meal depends entirely on where you eat and what you order. A nice quaint restaurant will cost you between Rs.300 to Rs.500 per person depending on what is ordered. Eating at the smaller eateries in the market will be much cheaper and you will find a number of small eateries run by locals that work out easy on the pocket. Most of the places are high altitude so if landslide occurs you require to incur extra expenses for extended stay, vehicle etc.

ATM services are available in major places like Gangtok , Pelling , and bigger towns. However carry cash for remote places & border sightseeing areas.
Credit cards are accepted by very few hotels and tour operators but there will be 2% service charge.

All major service provides offer 3G – 4h network in Sikkim. However you may have connectivity issue in northern remote areas and border sightseeing areas. You can also use What sApp calls and Skype calls to stay connected with friends and family as soon as you get an Internet access during your trip. Even when the connection is very slow, Whats App messages will always work. Most of the hotels offer WIFI network free of cost for their guests.

The famous festival is Losoong festival , Jorthong maghi Mela. Losar Festival

Shopping : There are numerous things to buy in Sikkim but the following are the most popular amongst tourists- prayer flags, wall hangings, Thangkas painting , woolen carpets, tea, the traditional dress of Sikkim, pickles, and Sikkim liquor.