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| Rumtek Monastery Gagtok |
When I was invited to visit Gangtok Sikkim for a wedding, I thanked God and accepted the invitation instantly. Sikkim always stirred my soul with my unforgettable memories of the past.
Secondly, I had been dreaming to visit mystic and heavenly 2nd highest lake of India-
“Gurudongmar Lake” tucked in the snow capped Himalayan range of
“Kangchenjunga” the third highest mountain in the world.
The city and capital of Sikkim-Gangtok, though crowded now, has always fascinated me. An epitome of tranquillity to adventure, land of monastery, mystic rituals and festivals at a height of 1670 meters / 5480. It is one of the most beautiful town with varieties of Rhododendron, Orchids and butterflies
I reached at my hotel in Gangtok in about 5 hours of picturesque drive from New Jalpaiguri Railways Station.
My host Ramesh was waiting for me at
Hotel Misttree Mountain on Paljor Stadium Road.
I had already expressed my desire to go to
Gurudongmar lake and my host had arranged everything for a 4 nights trip. Ramesh with one of the other guest Jayant Chatterjee from
Kolkatta had decided to accompany me.
After attending the wedding in the evening and next day,
visiting Rumtek Monastery, orchid garden and arranging permits for North Sikkim, we left day after early on our strange and untold adventurous trip to
Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim, very near (5 Kms) to China border.
Our 1st halt was Mangan (Distance- 65 km from Gangtok; Altitude - 3950 ft), the district HQs of North Sikkim, a little hamlet with flower patches, and the water wheels strung with bells set in exquisite miniature gardens more than compensate for the primitiveness of the region.
The 2nd stop was Singhik, 4 Kms from Mangan with a glorious view of
Mt. Khangchendzonga
Then we reached Chungthang: Distance - 95 km ( from Gangtok ) Altitude - 5,600 ft, where we had our late lunch. It was a small town surrounded by high mountains seeming to touch the sky. From here the road bifurcates for the
Lachen and Lachung valleysPost lunch we proceeded to our 1st planned destination Lachen.
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| Lachen North Sikkim |
Lachen
Distance - 122 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 9800 ft.
As we reached Lachen I was struck with the beauty of this valley and its alluring simplicity! In a way, it was good as Lachen was quiet and free from tourist’s onslaught.
Our hotel was
The Apple Cart Resort at Lachen
An awesome place in such a small and remote place! The doorstep of the Apple Orchard Resort was built of wood and stone. The resort was in the apple garden.
Wow! Lachen- the most scenic village in all of Sikkim
Early morning we roamed around the village of Lachen. The village it seemed, comprised of less than 200 houses, and we were told by our guide that the forefathers of the present day inhabitants built the hamlet along the grassy mountain slopes in a magnificent natural setting against a backdrop of imposing snow capped peaks, glaciers and rock cliffs.
Later we visited to the Lachen monastery and the women’s handicraft centre to view the weaving of traditional blankets and carpets.
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| Fog creeping in Thangu Lachen |
We climbed on the adjoining mountain. The view below was incredible. The fog was creeping into the valley. I just sat there though it was getting cold and watched..mesmerized!
Next day we left at 6 AM for
Chopta Valley via
Thangu and finally to our final mysterious destination
Gurudongmar LakeThangu
Thangu was at an altitude of 14,000 ft. and 30 Kms drive from Lachen. A small village where the visitors usually acclimatize before they proceed to
Gurudongmar Lake. The months of May and June see this valley carpeted with alpine flowers, which are replaced by snow from October through March
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| Chopta Valley North Sikkim |
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| Chopta Valley North Sikkim |
Chopta Valley
It was amazing! Wonders never cease in North Sikkim with each turn, each valley, and each rivulet trying to outdo the other in the scenic beauty that it offers. After seeing, I believed few places come close to virgin of appeal of
Chopta Valley ( 13,200 ft ). It was just a 30 minutes drive from
Thangu, this valley provided one of the few accessible places in Sikkim where, we were told, a visitor can actually walk over the frozen river. As we were there in the month of April, there was a riot of colors. The entire valley was carpeted with alpine flowers, a sight I thought I would never forget in my life.
Finally, we headed to our final destination
Gurudongmar Lake. The total distance from Lachen was around 55 Kms, about 1 hour from
Thangu/ Chopta Valley. |
| On way to Gurudongmar Lake |
The vegetation soon disappeared, and we had a desert, a cold desert like Ladakh. It was a different mesmerizing feeling. Increasing cold and height making breathing laborious but the captivating scenic journey made us forget all this.
After check post, we had to walk and then we were there. My jaw dropped! Never in my life I had seen such a sight. A pristine, heavenly and a God’s loved creation in front of me-
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| Gurudongmar Lake North Sikkim |
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| Another view of Gurudongmar Lake North Sikkim |
The Gurudongmar Lake
The Lake at a height of 17100 ft, was among the
top 15 highest lakes in the world and is the second highest lake in Sikkim as well as in India, the first being
Cholamu lake at a height of 18000 ft, also situated in Sikkim.
It was a remarkable sight! What a panoramic view!
Named after Guru Dongmar, the lake has a spiritual appeal, and I could feel it. Some, may be divine power forced me to kneel down and pray.
The view of
Mount Siniolchu and Khanchendzonga was breathtaking from where we stood. The beauty of the lake was awesome and out of the world spectacle. Surrounded by snow clad mountains and crystal clear icy water, I thought everything about the lake was very sacred.
We returned back to Lachen and then to Gangtok like a zombie, lost and in some other world!
Oh my God..will I go again?
Route to Gurudongmar Lake
How to reach Sikkim
Sikkim by Road:National Highway no. 31 serves as a connecting link between the state capital Gangtok and Siliguri, one of the major towns on the northern fringe of West Bengal. Gangtok is also well connected to Kolkata (721 km) and Darjeeling (139 km) with a good network of roads
By Rail:The nearest railhead to Sikkim is in New Jalpaiguri near Siliguri at 117 km from Gangtok. Overnight trains can be boarded from Kolkata to Sikkim that reaches New Jalpaiguri Station in the morning. Another railway station at Siliguri is also well connected with Gangtok in Sikkim. From railway stations, taxi's and cabs are easily available for tourist service.
Sikkim by Air:Bagdogra near Siliguri, 120 km from Gangtok is the nearest airport to the state. Regular flights connect it to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata from where daily flights are available to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and all the major cities of India
By Chopper:Another special Helicopter service has come up in Bagdogra for reaching Sikkim. It takes around 20 minutes to reach Sikkim (Gangtok) from Bagdogra by this Helicopter. You can use this service once in a day and four people are allowed at one time. For booking related request, please contact a travel agent.
Formalities for ForeignersForeigners cannot enter the state of Sikkim directly. They have to get an
inner line permit for traveling to Sikkim. This permit is easily available with Indian Mission and embassies abroad. Even your travel agent can arrange it easily. This entry permit allows a stay of seven days for traveling and sightseeing in Sikkim. However this limit extends to ten days in case of Group trekkers.