[abhi3284]

So, I finally decided to pen down my 1st Travelogue in Team-BHP of our recent Family Vacation to Sikkim & Darjeeling, 13 years after being a privileged Member of Team-BHP. I like to Travel, going Places and have travelled a lot pre-Covid times with my trusted Ritz, but for some reason never managed to put up a Travelogue. Though, I did not Drive this time and took Flights to West Bengal and then hired a Tourist Cab for the entire trip. I do not have the flair of a Writer by any means and the last time I wrote this much was probably in my last Engineering Exam. So hopefully, you guys do not get bored to death till the time you reach the end of my Travelogue. I had made my mind before our Trip to write a Travelogue, so I captured tons of photographs, all with my humble One Plus 8T. 1980 pictures, to be precise. I’ll make sure I limit them and upload the best snaps out of them and let the pictures do the talking. But it sure is going to be a hard task, as the beauty is mesmerizing. It was a 10-day Trip, and the Itinerary was to cover Gangtok -> Lachung -> Namchi -> Pelling -> Darjeeling, in that sequence. Instead, Lachung got replaced by an unexpected stay at the Army Base Camp for 1N. More on that later. I’ll split my Journey Day-wise, so it is better formatted.

Prelude

– I had initially started planning for our Sikkim Trip 2 Years ago in Dec. 2019 but had a change of plan and changed the destination to Dubai to spend the year-end with my sister-in-law and her husband and explore Dubai. Then, thought of planning for Sikkim in 2020, but we all know what happened next and all Travel Plans were in disarray. With me and my Wife WFH since 2020 till now, life had become monotonous. Managing work and along with it, the Wife and Kid Tantrums, day in day out, had become a routine. I had become pretty good at multitasking by Working From Home as well as Working For Home. I’m sure most of you can relate to it. All of us were desperate and longing for a Vacation to take a break and spend some good time and after the Covid 2nd Wave started dying down, I decided to finally plan for a Sikkim-Darjeeling Trip towards the year end. Since me, my Wife and Kids Vacation time had to match, we decided to do this Trip in Christmas Vacation time.

I love to research, take time, and plan my Trips in the best manner possible. Likewise, did a lot of research and reading for this Trip, decided to skip Lachen, as I read the Roads might be Closed due to Snowfall, not so good Stay Options and Power-cut Issues and the possibility of breathing Issues due to High Altitude for my 10 Yr. old Daughter. However, included Lachung to visit Yumthang Valley and Zero Point. Once the Itinerary was in place, got our Flight Tickets sorted out. Flights Check. Contacted few Tour Operators and finalized one for providing us an Innova for our entire trip, right from the time we land in Bagdogra till the time we depart back from there. Tourist Cab Check. Next was to hunt for Stay Options. What would you expect regarding rates for a 3*, 4* Hotel when it comes to Christmas and New Year time? Exorbitant Rates obviously. Like a Genie from Aladdin’s Lamp, Airbnb came to the rescue. Was able to book pretty good Boutique Homestays for around 4000 per night. Had to book a Hotel Stay in Namchi and Pelling, due to lack of good options in Airbnb. Accommodation Check. Next, we went on a Shopping spree to stock up on Winter Clothing and essentials.

Now, we were just counting days till 24 Dec. and hoping Omicron does not wreak havoc on our Plans, which thankfully it did not. Couple of days before our Trip, got the RT-PCR Test done for my daughter. With my Wife adding up her year long backlog quota of praying to God for the whole day for a Negative Result for our Daughter, God also decided to have some pity and mercy on her and showered us with a Covid Negative Report. Yay. Final Hurdle crossed. Now, there was nothing stopping us from our long pending Vacation. Packed our Bags, prayed to God for a Safe Journey before we left, and we set off happily hoping for a Memorable Trip.

Day 1

– Flew Pune-Delhi-Bagdogra and reached Bagdogra Airport around Noon and our Tourist Cab Driver was ready to welcome us. No RT-PCR or Temp. Checks at any Airport. The Plan was just to drive to Gangtok from Bagdogra and rest for the day. What was supposed to be a 5 Hr. journey, took us around 7 Hrs. due to crawling traffic mainly in Siliguri and also on-route to Gangtok in the Hills, due to road digging work. We were surprised to see it became pretty dark outside at 6 pm itself, which would be similar to 8 pm in Pune. Reached around 8 pm to our Airbnb Stay, and as we stepped out of our Innova, we could feel the extreme Chill in the Air and we quickly scampered to our Room. Thankfully, they had a Room Heater to warm the Room. Freshened up, had their local delicacy Thukpa, Momos and Sikkimese Thali for Dinner and called it a night. We had a big day lined up on Day 2, as the Permits were arranged for Nathula Pass and Tsomgo Lake. Little did we know, we were in for a lot more adventure, that what we had hoped or bargained for.

Day 2

– Got up and as soon as I went to the Balcony to get a Morning View of the Gangtok City, felt the sudden dip in temperature and I literally started shivering with Fog coming from my Mouth. The Room Heater really was effective in hiding how cold it actually was. Got to know it was around 3 Degrees. We had an amazing view of the Gangtok City from our Room Balcony. Captured few Snaps, finished Breakfast and started our journey to Tsomgo Lake around 9 am. Could see a beeline of Tourist Cars heading the same way. Got in Queue and followed the way. On-route got the first glimpse of the scenic surroundings and vistas. It was beautiful, to say the least.





















As we moved ahead, we finally got a glimpse of what this whole trip was planned for. SNOW. Our Driver told us it is not normal we get to see snow at that point, which means it is snowing more at the top. We were overjoyed with the thought of playing in the Snow and experiencing Snowfall at the same time. The Temperatures were really starting to dip now and we could feel the extreme weather, in spite of being fully covered with Thermals, Caps, Gloves, etc. Got down at a small shop for a break, had Tea and suddenly we could see small white particles falling down on the road. Yes, it had started Snowing lightly. The Shop-owner advised us to get going quickly and for some reason, warned us, not to go till the top and just enjoy the Snow at a point and come back. Was wondering why he said the same, which I got to know later in the day the hard way. We quickly got into our Innova and started going uphill, with the Snow intensity increasing as we headed up. Started experiencing a lot of Blockages and Traffic and we got to hear the sad news the Authorities are no longer allowing Cars to go past a certain point, due to extreme Snowfall ahead. Unfortunately, we couldn’t even reach till Tsomgo Lake.









Feeling a bit disappointed, we got off our Car and decided to make the most of the current situation and enjoy playing in the Snow there. And also enjoy the Snowfall that was happening. We spent a good couple of Hrs. playing in the Snow, making Snowman, throwing Snowballs at each other. It was unreal seeing the Mountains & Trees completely covered in a White Blanket of Snow. Being 25th Dec. Christmas Day, seems Santa Claus had decided to shower us with a generous dose of Snow. We had only seen this in the Movies so far. My Daughter was having a Gala time and it was a priceless feeling for me seeing the Joy on her face.

We decided it’s time to go back down, as it gets dark pretty early. So, we left around 2 pm and got stuck in a massive traffic jam of Tourist Cars. The Snowfall was just getting heavier and heavier. Started hearing news about Cars having difficulty driving in the Snow filled roads. We were moving at a crawling pace and would have covered 1 KM in around 3 Hrs. Meanwhile, we were making the most of the Snowfall and having fun. Our Driver told us later there are 2 dangerous turns on the way, where the Cars are skidding out of control in the Snow. Very few Cars had Chains with them and those Drivers started tying the Chains on the Tires and those Cars were able to make it through the tricky slippery Snowy Roads, with much fuss. Unfortunately, most of the Cabs did not have Chains handy, including ours. We saw a couple of Cars slipping and banging other Cars and sliding to the side of the Road with no control. We were getting a bit tense. My Wife started chanting Ganesh Mantras and I could see the tension on her face.

As we slowly started trudging down, it was almost 7 pm and pitch dark outside. We reached another tricky point, where the Army told the Tourists to get down and walk for a certain distance, as it was dangerous with the Cars sliding and walking was a safer option. One section of this road was so tricky and dangerous that we were walking on Snow on the left side of the Road holding the Railing, so as to not Slip in the Snow. On the other side of the Railing was the Valley. It was just 200 meters that we had to cover walking, but it felt like a Kilometer, maneuvering my Wife and Daughter safely. I felt like I was participating in Fear Factor. After covering that section safely, we got back in our Car hoping that’s the final hurdle, but no, that was not to be. We reached another point ahead where all Cars were stopped and our Driver told us no Cars are able to go down as it is extremely dangerous and we will have to go back and take shelter at a nearby Army Camp. With no other option, we started going back to the Army Base Camp Walking, as the Car was unable to climb up in the Snow. Reached the Army Camp and could see more Tourists coming in and few Army Trucks who picked up Tourists and got them to the Army Camp. They started segregating Men and Women/Kids into separate Rooms for Sleeping overnight. They provided us with their Bunk Beds where the Army Jawans sleep, which honestly were not in very great shape. But we were grateful that the Army came to our rescue and gave us shelter.

There were 1300 stranded Tourists in all now stuck at the Army Camp. Covid Guidelines and Social Distancing were Alien terms now in this mess we were stuck in. We were still trying to do the best we can to safeguard ourselves. The Temperatures had now dipped to sub 0 Degrees into the Negative with chilly winds and Snow falling and it was really getting extremely cold. Army Jawans told us it was -5 Degrees C. Somehow, got through the night with barely a couple of hours sleep and really praying for us to go back to our Hotel Room.

Day 3

- The Sky was looking Clear and we were hopeful of returning back to our Homestay soon. The Army staff had prepared Breakfast and Tea for all the Tourists, which was very thoughtful. Time was ticking by but we were still stuck in the Army Camp. Army told us that they are trying to clear the Snow off the Road, so Vehicles can ply. Meanwhile, the Army were doing their best to keep out spirits up, by putting patriotic songs and calling people on the Podium to sing Songs or give a Speech. They hoisted our Flag and we all sang our National Anthem. During all this, it again started Snowing and started becoming Foggy, again putting some doubts and fear in our minds of spending a 2nd Night at the Army Camp. We were trying to keep our spirits up but were getting pretty exhausted and downbeat. After some discussions, the Army decided to drop all the Tourists in their Army Trucks to a safe checkpoint, from where we can go ahead in our Cabs. Finally, after spending close to 24 Hrs. in the Army Camp, we were finally able to reach a Safe Point, from where our Cab Driver picked us up and there were literally Tears of Joy. We made it back to our Hotel Room, had Dinner and hopped on the Bed, to end an eventful 24 Hrs. The Hotel Bed felt like Heaven, after the previous night’s experience. All in all, it was an experience I never thought I will go through, some good memories, some not so good due to the stress, got to see how the Army operate and got a peek into their day to day Lives. We all 3 cuddled each other and slept like a Baby.

[abhi3284]

Day 4

– This day was planned for a trip to Lachung in North Sikkim. But, with the recent turn of events, and with the thought of again getting stuck in a similar situation in North Sikkim, we skipped the Plan of travelling to Lachung and decided to stay back in Gangtok and explore Local Sightseeing and spend some time in MG Marg. We had anyways lost a day, as we spent a day/night in the Army Camp. Our Driver told us that Permits were not being given for Zero Point and Yumthang Valley that day, due to Roads filled with Snow. We also got to know that Permits for Nathula Pass were stopped till 31 Dec. due to extreme Snow conditions at the top. It made me feel a bit better that we were at least able to enjoy and play in the Snow, which was the main reason for this Trip. The after events, though not ideal, but is something we will remember for a long, long time.

We covered few local Sightseeing Points like Hanuman Tok and Ganesh Tok, which are Temples and also offer a nice Valley View with Mt. Kanchenjunga as the backdrop. We were still not able to get a clear view of the Beast, as the Clouds were not very kind on us and did not want to give us a peek yet. We then covered the Zoo, which we found pretty good and we were able to get a glimpse of the rare and endangered Red Panda. Still a bit exhausted from the previous day, we decided to call it a day early and have early Dinner. Tried the Traditional Sikkimese Beer called ‘Tongba’ which is prepared from Millet and has a special container for it, to pour Hot Water and refill it once empty and enjoy. Captured few Night Shots of the Gangtok Town shining in bright light from the Room Balcony and went to Bed with the warmth of the Room Heater.

Day 5

– The plan today was to do Gangtok Ropeway, visit one of the Monasteries among the myriad options available there and spend some leisure time in the evening at MG Marg and do what the Ladies crave for – Shopping.

Gangtok Ropeway Cable Car offers a nice view of the Mountains as well as Gangtok City from a height above. After spending an hour in the Queue to get Tickets for the 15 min. Ropeway ride, we were finally able to enjoy the Cable Car experience for the 1st time. It was a great but a short ride offering a 360 Degree view of the Gangtok Town and the Hills. We then narrowed down to Rumtek Monastery, as it is the most visited by the Tourists coming there. Also called the Dharma Chakra Center, the Monastery is a Beautiful Architecture with Vibrant Colors offering a Calm and Peaceful ambience. Headed to MG Marg to have Lunch at a Restaurant called ‘Nimtho’, who specialize in Nepali & Tibetan Cuisine. Really enjoyed the Food over here and one must visit this Resto, when in Gangtok.

Next on the list was MG Marg which is very beautifully laid out with Pathways to walk and multiple Benches at regular distances to sit and enjoy the atmosphere and surroundings. Being Christmas & New Year time, it was nicely lit up and decorated with Lighting and Water Fountains and was hustling and bustling with people. Did some Strolling and customary Shopping and returned back to Pavilion and called it a Night post Dinner. Next day Destination was Namchi.

[abhi3284]

Day 6

– Started around 9 am towards Namchi with an expected travel time of 4 Hrs. The Weather Gods decided it was time for some Rain. Had booked our Stay at Sobralia Resort in Namchi. The Drive from Gangtok to Namchi is scenic, navigating through the Hill Roads with twists and turns with Valley Views. And along with the Rain falling, it made it all the more beautiful, with Fog engulfing the Hills with the Road visibility not so great. It was almost as if we were driving through the Clouds.























We reached Namchi at the scheduled time and decided to visit Char Dham before checking into our Hotel. There is a towering 108 feet statue of Lord Shiva surrounded by 12 Jyotirlingas, and replica of Char Dhams have been created, which are Badrinath Dham, Dwarika Dham, Jagannath Dham and Rameshawaram Dham. The statue of Lord Shiva is majestic and at one point, the towering status was faintly visible, completely covered in fog. Since it was raining and chilly, we made our way to our Resort, had Lunch, and took rest for the remaining day. We were able to see the towering statue of Lord Shiva from a fairly long distance from our Resort Room Balcony. Says a lot about the size of the statue.

[abhi3284]

Day 7

– Next 2 days were planned for stay in Pelling, which I was most excited about, as we get a clear and close view of Mt Kanchenjunga from Pelling, if the stars favor us. We were surely in for a Treat. I had booked our stay at Kaya Resorts in Pelling, which was a newly opened Resort offering an unobstructed breathtaking view of the majestic Kanchenjunga.















On the way from Namchi to Pelling were 2 tourist attractions, Samdruptse Hill & Buddha Park at Ravangla. We visited Samdruptse Hill first, which is ornamented with the tallest statue in the world of Guru Padmasambhava with a height of about 145 ft. One can see beautiful views of Namchi Town and Mt. Kanchenjunga from here.

















Our next destination was the Buddha Park in Ravangla. Also known as Tathagata Tsal, it features a 130 ft. gigantic golden statue of Lord Buddha at the center, surrounded by gardens and Mt. Kanchenjunga as a Backdrop. It is a sight to behold. It is spread across a large area with picturesque surroundings and the entrance is decorated with golden Buddhist Prayer Wheels, which blend well with the golden Buddha statue.





















After spending a couple of Hrs. here, we proceeded towards Pelling and reached around 4 pm, and checked-in to our Cottage. We did have a direct and clear view of the Kanchenjunga from our Room, but it was still covered in Fog and Clouds and the waiting continued to get a glimpse of the majestic mountain. But, we were told by the Hotel Staff, we should get a good view next day morning.

[abhi3284]

Day 8

– Set an early Alarm for 6 am and as soon as it went off, got off the Bed still in half sleepy state and moved the curtains aside to see if I can get a view of the big one. And I just kept staring at what I saw in front of me. I was totally awake now. In front of me was the majestic, mystic, serene and mighty Mt. Kanchenjunga standing tall in all its glory. Words do not justify the sheer beauty of this majestic mountain. Got out my Binoculars that I had purchased for the sole purpose of viewing Mt. Kanchenjunga up close. And it was definitely worth it. As the Sun rose, I could see the Mountain Peaks slowly turn Golden that offered a stunning view.





















Wifey started nagging me to stop staring at it and get on with the day, so we can cover the key attractions in Pelling. Plan was to visit Skywalk, Rimbi Waterfalls, Khecheopalri Lake, Kanchenjunga Waterfalls & Orange Rock Garden in that order and return back to the Resort. Pelling Skywalk is the first Glass Skywalk in India. It is located opposite the 137 Ft. tall statue of Chenrezig with magnificent views of Mt. Kanchenjunga on the opposite side.













Next on the list was Rimbi Waterfalls, which is a pretty small Waterfall on-route. Took couple of snaps and proceeded to our next point, Khecheopalri Lake. Reached the Car Park and it is about a Kilometer walk to reach the Lake. It is also known to be a sacred and wish fulfilling lake. Once at the Lake, it is surrounded by pristine forest and the atmosphere is very Calm and Serene. You can see the colorful Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Flags at the Lake. In spite of being surrounded by Trees, one astonishing fact about this lake is that you won’t find leaves on the surface of the lake as it is believed that as soon as the leaves fall down in the lake, they are picked up by the birds residing here. And it sure looked the same. Apart from praying at the Lake to get your wish fulfilled, another activity here is to feed the fish. There is a section of the Lake for Fish feeding, where there were numerous fishes devouring the fish food being given to them. There are numerous shops selling fish food to feed the fishes, which they also consider as holy.













Final destination for the day was Kanchenjunga Waterfalls. It is believed that this pristine waterfall originates from high up in the glaciers of Mount Kanchenjunga. Hidden from the Road, this pristine waterfall is visible after climbing 50 odd steps. The Waterfall gushes down with tremendous force from a height of about 100 feet into a Pool. It has a beautiful setup, wherein you need to cross a small Bamboo bridge and the Waterfall flows down under that Bridge. There is also a Rope Sliding Activity conducted here, for anyone interested.





















We chose to skip Rabdentse Ruins, as our Driver told us we need to walk for a while to reach there. Reached back to our Resort in the evening, had a Hot Cup of Darjeeling Tea and settled down. Being 31st Dec., the Resort guys had arranged a small event with a Live Music Band performing during dinner time. Enjoyed some Live Music along with Dinner and headed back to our Cottage to call it a night. This brought an end to our tryst with Sikkim. It is truly a paradise on Earth and has a bit of everything; stunning landscapes, serene lakes, beautiful flora and fauna, milky waterfalls, beautiful monasteries and to top it off, unparalleled views of Mt. Kanchenjunga. We were overawed by it. Though we could not cover North Sikkim or visit Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass, it is definitely in our Bucket List for a visit sometime soon. Up next was Darjeeling.

[abhi3284]

Day 9

– After clicking some final pictures of Mt. Kanchenjunga, we headed to our next and final destination, the Queen of Hills called Darjeeling. After an uneventful journey of 4 Hrs., reached the city of Darjeeling. After maneuvering through some traffic and narrow lanes, made it to our Airbnb Homestay, had Lunch and settled down. We were greeted to a beautiful view of Happy Valley Tea Estate from the Balcony of our Homestay.





















Decided to take a stroll on Mall Road in the evening and purchase some Tea. Maybe due to New Year time, but Mall Road and Chowrasta was choc-a-bloc with people and tourists with no sight of social distancing or following Covid Guidelines. Passed by the famous Kev’s and Glenary’s, with people swarming like a D-Mart Supermarket, which I didn’t dare to enter. Roads were not very Clean as well, Tourists littering the streets and Traffic was a mess to deal with. This is not how I envisioned Darjeeling, the Queen of Hills, to be. Not wanting to hurt the sentiments of Darjeeling Lovers, but I felt Sikkim was way more better and had a different aura to it. Purchased few Packets of Darjeeling First Flush & Second Flush Muscatel Tea and made our way back to our Homestay and called it a night.

Day 10

– Today’s Itinerary was to visit Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling Zoo, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, and anything else we could cover. Made our way to Happy Valley Tea Estate, where we were given a Tour of their Tea Making Process and a taste of few of their Tea Blends. The Tea Gardens here were mostly dried up, as we were told this is not the plucking season due to unfavorable climate for Teas and they just maintain the Tea bushes.

Next, we visited Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, which was again crowded with Tourists. But we were able to catch a good glimpse of the Snow Leopard and the Great Bengal Tiger named Samrat. As it was starting to get pretty hot and crowded, decided to skip HMI and return back to our stay. Spent the rest of the evening in our Room and viewed the beautiful Sunset from our Room.

[abhi3284]

Day 11

– Two major things were lined up today: Tiger Hill and Darjeeling Joy Ride. The Plan today was to get up early and leave around 3:30 am to observe the sunrise from Tiger Hill and view the illuminated peaks of Mt. Kanchenjunga with changing colors. Sadly, that was not to be and we were unable to view this spectacle, due to Snow Blockages on the way to Tiger Hill as well as Permits not being given, as WB Government had imposed additional restrictions and Closed Zoos, Parks and Public Tourist Attraction Places, in the wake of rising Omicron Cases.

Visited Peace Pagoda Monument that showcases the 4 Avatars of Lord Buddha. In the same premises, there is also a Japanese Buddhist Temple to visit.









After spending less than an hour here, we left for Darjeeling Station for our DHR Toy Train Joy Ride which has also been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage Site Status. I had prebooked the Tickets for the Heritage Steam Engine Ride from IRCTC, before leaving for the Trip at 1500 /- per person. Unfortunately, our Train was 1 Hr. late. We could anticipate our Train arriving, when we saw big plumes of Black Smoke rising up in the Sky from far behind and we heard the iconic whistle of the Steam Engine, which was music to the ears. As it halted, and people queuing up to take a Pic along with the Steam Engine, we made our way to our Seats.









As it started moving along with the iconic whistle and the chugging noise of the Steam Engine, it felt like being transported into Dreamland. It was a rare and beautiful sight to see the Train maneuver slowly by the roadside with twists and turns, with Vehicles passing by very close to you, almost touching the roadside shops and the numerous times the rail tracks went across the road, with Vehicles stopping to give way. The whole experience was something else and had a different charm to it. Total Journey time was 1 Hr. 50 mins. with a 10 min. stop at Batasia Loop where the Train negotiates a near 360 degrees turn and then has a 25 mins. stop at Ghum Station, which includes a visit to a very well-maintained Museum there.

Captured these beautiful moments in Pictures and we were back to Darjeeling Station to bring an end to an unforgettable experience. Visited Mall Road early evening and finally got a chance to see a less crowded Glenary’s, bought few Cakes and Pastries and headed back to our Homestay. This was the last day of our stay in Darjeeling and tomorrow we make our way back to Bagdogra and return back to Pune.

[abhi3284]

Day 12

– Having decided to return back to Bagdogra via the Mirik route and our Airbnb Homestay Owner also wholeheartedly recommending it, we left early from Darjeeling at 8 am with the hope of reaching Bagdogra Airport around 2 pm, for our 4:30 pm Flight.

As we left Darjeeling, found a couple of spots with clear views of Mt. Kanchenjunga, which i was able to capture.











I was casually scrolling Google News on my Phone and read an Article about Mamata Banerjee adding more stringent protocols and Indigo operating Flight between WB and Delhi only on Mon and Fri and cancelling the remaining day Flights. And today was Tuesday. Made a couple of panic Calls to Bagdogra Airport and Indigo Customer Care, who confirmed our Flight is On-Schedule to take off to Delhi and then Pune. And the Flight restrictions were in effect from the next day. We all heaved a sigh of relief.

As we passed through the scenic routes of Mirik with Tall Pine Trees lined up on both sides of the road, it was reminiscent of Hogwarts Forest in Harry Potter. It was a beautiful scenic drive with curvy and winding roads offering mesmerizing views of the Forest and Valley below. An hour into the Drive, we reached Simana Viewpoint from where Nepal Border is 0 Km and the Valley View we see from here is Nepal Territory. Next we reached Pashupati Fatak, which is the check-post for entry into Nepal. We had the choice of visiting Pashupati Market, but decided to skip it in the interest of time. To visit this Market, we had to hop on a Nepal Registered Car which will drive us to the Market.




View of Nepal:





Nepal Entry Checkpost:




Next stop was Mirik Lake, but stopped on the way at Gopaldhara Tea Estate as the picturesque surroundings were begging for some Pictures to be clicked. We started driving and reached Mirik Lake. The Park at Mirik Lake was Closed for Public possibly due to the increased Covid restrictions. Clicked few Pictures of the serene Lake from the over bridge on the Lake and made our way back to the Car to drive towards Bagdogra Airport. We reached the Airport well before 2 pm, thanked our Driver and proceeded for Check-in formalities.































As we took off from Bagdogra towards Delhi, the D, E, F section Seats of the Plane had a beautiful view of the Kanchenjunga Mountain Range floating above the Clouds. Unfortunately, we were seated in the A, B, C Section and I was unable to capture it. We were not left disappointed though, as few minutes later into the Flight, we were able to capture amazing snaps of the fluffy Clouds beneath our Flight surrounded by a hue of Orange Sunset Rays and the Moon smiling sheepishly at us. Perfect way to end a memorable trip.





That, Guys, brings an end to my Travelogue. If you guys have read it and made it this far, I salute you and Thank you for experiencing the Trip with me. Let me know how I fared in this Test of writing a Travelogue and if I Failed or scored a Distinction. Until next time…

[catchjyoti]

Very nicely written travelogue. I remember visiting the Pashupati market when I was a small kid. At that time jeeps from Mirik were allowed to go into Pashupati market. While coming back they used to be checked by Indian police if they were bringing back smuggled things or not. But small purchases by tourists were allowed to be taken. At that time the Indian shops had very little choice due to the license Raj. While shops in Nepal and some markets in NE India and North Bengal had these bright and shiny things typically made in China or south east Asia.

[Aditya]

Lovely travelogue supported by beautiful pictures. It's like visiting the place for us readers.

Kanchenjunga looks absolutely stunning in the pics and good to see Darjeeling retain its old-world charm and beauty even after so many years. The snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, lakes and plantations along with the toy train, monasteries and skywalk make Sikkim a must-visit place for me (whenever the pandemic is over).

Also great to see some rare animals in your pics. If I'm not mistaken there's a clouded leopard in one of them.

[abhi3284]

Originally Posted by catchjyoti

Very nicely written travelogue. I remember visiting the Pashupati market when I was a small kid. At that time jeeps from Mirik were allowed to go into Pashupati market. While coming back they used to be checked by Indian police if they were bringing back smuggled things or not. But small purchases by tourists were allowed to be taken. At that time the Indian shops had very little choice due to the license Raj. While shops in Nepal and some markets in NE India and North Bengal had these bright and shiny things typically made in China or south east Asia.

Glad you liked it. Thanks for sharing the above info.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Lovely travelogue supported by beautiful pictures. It's like visiting the place for us readers.

Kanchenjunga looks absolutely stunning in the pics and good to see Darjeeling retain its old-world charm and beauty even after so many years. The snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, lakes and plantations along with the toy train, monasteries and skywalk make Sikkim a must-visit place for me (whenever the pandemic is over).

Also great to see some rare animals in your pics. If I'm not mistaken there's a clouded leopard in one of them.

Thanks Aditya for your kind words. Sikkim is truly a gem of a place. And Yes, if i recall correctly, we did see the Indian, Clouded and Snow Leopard.

[archbishopofbhp]

Excelent travelogue sir! The views of Kanchenjunga and the Sleeping Buddha captured by you is truly incredible.

[sam264_2000]

Beautiful travelogue! Took me back to 1997 when we visited Jagganath Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Gangtok. Good times! After seeing these pictures, I need plan another trip just to Sikkim and Darjeeling.

[NagaBond]

Very well written and I am happy that you got a very good experience overall - particularly in West Sikkim (Namchi and Pelling). Also, you dont have to apologize for your comment on Darjeeling. It is so beautiful that tourists have spoiled it. It is the same story with many places. I hope the local administration puts some control and brings back the glory.

[TurboOnTarmac]

Nicely captured travelogue. Pictures are nice and invoked my earlier memories off travel in Sep 2021. Only difference that there was no snow around at that time. Sikkim is really an enchanting land with so much beauty around.

My favorite pic from your travelogue (and the moment behind it) is this



I could go back there 'n' number of times to live in that moment over and over again, time to time

Thank you for sharing.