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| The Mighty Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain from Gangtok |
With a steaming cup of tea in my hand I opened the curtains of window and then the glass pans. The cool breeze caressed my face with astonishing freshness. I looked at the scene. It was a lush green hilly terrains, a breathtaking topography and a mist slowly rising. I felt great. My shout to my friend, Tommy Singh, startled him who was still asleep.
Yes. This was the morning after our return from North Sikkim and the venue-
Hotel Royal Plaza in
Gangtok. A good place to stay,ideally located above a river valley with a view of paddy fields, forested slopes and snow capped mountain peaks.
I always loved
Gangtok as an exotic hill station, different from other mountain towns in North and Eastern India. A bustling, friendly hill station, and the capital of the H
imalayan state of
Sikkim. The name Gangtok is derived from the Tibetan word for '
hillside.' The rapidly-growing town is a fascinating mix of cultures, the population being roughly one-third Indian, one-third Nepalese, and one-third Tibetan.
There are beautiful views of the surrounding hills from the town itself, but the best views - dominated by
Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain - are from
Enchey Monastery and
Ganesh Tok, both high above the town.
We were leaving this tiny state of my country, a paradise, the unforgettable Sikkim today for the new destinations.
We decided to have an early lunch at a place called-
Tangerine Restaurant at the
Hotel Chumbi Residency, Tibet Road, Gangtok. It is just 5 minutes walk from the main market- MG Marg.
We found a great range of food to chose from, including Sikkimese. The surroundings were fairly plush without making us feel out of place, seating was on the floor with low tables. Relaxed atmosphere, good place to eat, drink and talk. Staff were really friendly. The surprising part was that the price-good value for what you get.
We had the
paneer makahani (Indian cheese in a creamy, garlic-tomato-ginger sauce), Sikkimese specialties-
pork gyaree (with ginger and garlic) and
sochhya (stew with nettle-shoots).
Which are the tourist spots in Gangtok?Many. And you can get all information from any web site. I'm not covering them as this is a narration of my current visit.
However, I would definitely mention-
The Changu Lake- which remains frozen almost throughout the year. In the summers the lake comes alive with
poppies and
irises blooming on its banks.
Travel to Gangtok is a haven for the adventure tourist:
One gets to indulge in Gangtok adventure activities like-trekking, hang gliding, river rafting, mountain biking and yak safari. Another aspect of the fun-filled journey is the festivals and fairs of this region. The annual Buddhist festival takes place in January and so does the dancing festival of ‘
Chaam’.
Kagyat-
mask dance held every month is another tourist puller in this region.
Well it was a time to leave for KALIMPONG on our way to Siliguri.
So, bye bye Gangtok!
:: Entry Formalities for foreigners::
Foreigners must obtain Inner Line Permit (ILP) to visit Sikkim. These can be obtained from all Indian Missions, Sikkim Tourism Offices at New Delhi, Kolkatta, District Magistrates Office of
Darjeeling, Siliguri, and Rangpo on the strength of an Indian Visa. The 15 days duration Permit is issued on the spot without any delay provided photocopies of the passport and visa along with two pass port photos of the applicants are made available. The permissible duration of the stay for foreign tourists is 15 days initially.
The State Government is authorized to extend the same twice by a further period of 30 days (15 days each). The extension of the permit can be obtained from FRO at Gangtok and office of Superintendent of Police of the North, West and South Districts.
For those interested in going for trekking in the interior region of the state, the Department of Tourism issues Protected Area Permit (PAP) at Gangtok which is available for certain specified area for groups consisting of two or more foreigners subject to condition that the trekking program is arranged through a registered travel agency.
Hotel where we stayed:
The Royal Plaza
General Manager
Upper Syari, Deorali, Gangtok,
Sikkim – 737102
Tel.: +91 3592 2815 71
Fax: +91 3592 2811 12
Email: trp@sarovarhotels.com
Great website for Sikkim:http://sikkimtournet.com/webforms/general/GangMap.aspx