Enliven the Pageant of Beauty with Gangtok Travel

The scorching heat of summers reminds me of my cool escape to Gangtok Hill Station. I visited the naturally blissful land with two of my colleagues. From Delhi, we reached Bagdogra by air. Soon after, we started our Gangtok Tour.

Gangtok Hill Station

On being reached the destination, we made ourselves comfy in an already booked Hotel. Then, the most exciting part of our trip started....the exploration of the gorgeous hill town! Lying in the Shivalik Hills of the Eastern Himalayan Range, Gangtok hill station in India is really a worth visiting destination. Lofty yet tranquil, chilly yet welcoming, the land beckons you to unwind yourself in the lap of nature.

Enveloped by several peaks of the Himalayas, Gangtok has been an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Our Gangtok travel enabled us to capture the sights of numerous small and big monasteries. Its mild temperature and pristine location gave me a reason to visit the place. We had a scrumptious lunch with its own special flavour by taking a halt outside.

Rumtek Monastery was the first tourist attraction in Gangtok that we visited. Going to the sacred place fills your heart with immense tranquility. The rich collection of artefacts, Buddhist scriptures and thangkas are also worth to watch.

We also went to visit Nathu La Pass in Gangtok for which we had to take prior permission. On the way, we also came across the breathtaking sights of Tsomgo Lake. It is known as, “The Source of the Lake'. With its plethora of rare flowers like primulas, iris, rhododendrons, the lake becomes scenic.

Visitors can pick any of Gangtok holiday packages to witness the picturesque beauty of the land. After taking a short break for food, we left for Ganesh Tok. The holy shrine is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is situated about 7 kms on Gangtok-Nathula Road on a tiny hillock. 

Labrang Monastery

Located on a high elevation, the site offers opportunities to have a bird's eye view of the region including Mount Kanchenjunga and the adjoining valley. From there, we headed towards Tashi Point, lying along the North Sikkim Highway.

Enchey Monastery was among other tourist places in Gangtok that we visited. Dating back to 200 years, this sacred site is located atop a hill and served as  major seat of the Nyingma order of Buddhism. We also visited Labrang Monastery and that too, brought us a tranquil experience.

The fresh mountain air kept us cheer up during our Gangtok sightseeing. Being a shopping lover, it was hard for me to refrain from Shopping. So, we all headed towards Lal Market and bought some exquisite items. The wooden carving and jewellery were my pick.

Our Gangtok trip came to an end but we were enjoying the charismatic feel of being in a hill station.

Gangtok-The Quaint Little Hill Station of India

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim is the destination, I recently visited with my two friends. Me, Denial and Albert were on India tour last month. Located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, Gangtok was the perfect destination for all three of us due to our love for adventure.

Rumtek Monastery

We decided to go by air and landed at Bagdogra airport in West Bengal. From Bagdogra, we drove towards Gangtok which took around 4 hours to reach. As we wanted to make this Gangtok tour the cherishable affair for us, we stayed in a luxury hotel. The modern amenities and warm hospitality just made our mood light and helped us to relax at its best.

Surrounded by beautiful view of the mountains, Gangtok just stole away our heart. We devoted the whole day of sightseeing of the famous monasteries of the city.

Situated on a hilltop Enchey Monastery, two hundred years old monastery was the first place that we visited. It is an important seat of the Nyingma order of Buddhism. While going inside, we saw many images of Gods, Goddesses and different other religious objects.

Then, we headed towards the Rumtek Monastery, located 24 km from the town. This monastery belongs to the Kagyupa sect of Buddhism. It is the seat of the 16th Gyawla Karmapa, who was the head of the Karma Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism. We also got to see the Golden Stupa, which holds the cherished relics of the Sixteenth Karmapa.

The next gompa we went to was, the Pemayangste Monastery. We enjoyed an exciting trek to Pemayangtse. Built in the 17^th century by Latsun Chempo, this monastery relates to the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism. Before going there, I had read about the monastery. So I was bit eager to see the magnificent sculptures and beautifully decorated paintings. Well, as read, the monastery justified the description. Denial is very fond of visiting museum and the unique collection. The ancient Buddhist antique statues and scriptures caught his attention.

Albert, being a wildlife lover insisted us to visit the Deer Park there, which we could not refuse. Based on our experience, I would say that the park was worth to pay a visit. Offering spectacular view of nature, the park has an open enclosure housing where we could see the animals like deer, Himalayan bear and Red Panda.

Tsomgo Lake

The day was tiring yet excited and in the evening when we came back to the hotel. Our evening was devoted to the discussions of attractions that we visited that day. Next day, we went for shopping as our other friends (who could not accompany us to this tour) had asked us to bring the specialties of the place. On being searched a lot, we shop for some local specialties like handicrafts, Alpine cheese and tea for them.

On our Tour to Gangtok, the beautiful Tsomgo Lake captured our attention not because of the religious significance but because of its scenic beauty. The tranquility of the lake just took away my heart and I enjoyed the atmosphere for long time. On the banks of the lake, we could view a number of flowers.

At last, we started our favourite section of the Gangtok tour. The exciting adventures of mountain biking and yak safari also became a part of our experience with the help of the state tourism department of Sikkim.

Due to the limited time in hand, we had to bid goodbye to Gangtok. The beautiful shots of the place that we visited kept me delighted throughout the tour.

Sikkim Tour- Exploring the Treasures of Nature

Sikkim, the destination which conjures up the images of immense natural beauty, old monasteries and romantic hills in my mind. With my husband, I had planned it several times but every time we left in lurch. This time when I got to know about 1 week break of my husband, I too applied for leaves. I was feeling myself fortunate enough when I got the approval and we packed our bags for Sikkim Travel.

Rumtek Monastery Sikkim

Leaving from Delhi, we reached Bagdogra Airport from where Sikkim was a six-hour jeep ride away. On being reached theres, I found it among the most beautiful places which I had even seen in my life.The moody weather, the pristine purity, colourful flowers and beautiful peaks just enlighted my mood the moment I entered the place.

We stayed in a comfortable resort lodge in Gangtok which was situated in the outlying areas. The modern facilities and a good view from our room just made it a really refreshing experience for us. The home like atmosphere and scrumptious food allowed us to enjoy our tour without worrying anything. We used to get awake in the early morning as soon as the cool wind entered the room.

Endowed with wondrous natural resources, Sikkim is nestled in the Himalayas and offers an impressive scene with each turn of the road. We found people of Sikkim was very warm and welcome tourists with a big smile on their face which helped us to be friendly with them.

I had heard a lot about the attractions of Sikkim and among those, one was the Rumtek Monastery so I was eager to visit the place. Unwillingly my husband accompanied me to the monastery, which lies about 24 km from Gangtok. This monastery houses a number of sacred things and Golden Stu-pa is worth to mention. Visiting the monastery was to fulfill my much awaited desire to experience the spirituality at a monastery.

On our day trip, we visited Tsomgo lake which is an alpine lake with many rainbow trout. Considered as a sacred lake of Sikkim, it is a must visit attraction. Along with it, we also went Nathuala pass. It used to be a gateway to Tibet and prior to Chinese aggression, it was the only silk route to Lhasa.

Tsomgo Lake

We also visited a 17^th century monastery, known as Pemayangste Monastery. Belonging to the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism, the monastery is known for its majestic sculptures. While seeing their decorated paintings on first floor, I was completely mesmerized.

How can I forget to mention the amazing view of mount Kanchendzonga which we enjoyed during our trip? Believe me, it seems like beckoning you with its spectacular views and to experience it, really enthralled me.

Being a passionate adventure, my husband decided to go for trekking in Sikkim and soon he was there. The thrill and excitement made me hold my breath till the time he was back. I wished to be with him but being scared of heights, I could not make it. After coming back from trekking, my husband told me that trekking through its dense forests, frosty waters and rocky trails is an amazing experience in itself. Next day, we woke up early morning, especially to visit Tiger hill. It was simply awesome and the best part of our Sikkim tour.

I love shopping and the charm becomes double when I am on any tour. The popular shopping items like handicrafts, the wall hangings and Tibetan carpets were just grabbed my attention and I could not help myself from buying them. At the end of our tour we drove to Bagdogra from Darjeeling to come back.  Our Sikkim tour ended with lots of photographs which we clicked with Sikkimese people.