Sikkim Backpacking Trip | Muddie Trails

Hello Travelers!

Sikkim Is Gifted With Stunning Natural Wonders Like High Mountain Passes, Numerous Glaciers, Alpine Lakes, Chilling Cold Rivers, Hot Water Springs And Rich Culture.

As Part Of This Backpacking Trip, We Will Cover Places In East & North Sikkim Where Popular Attractions Are Located, Along With Gangtok, The Capital City.

We Will Start The Trip With Attractions If East Like Tsomgo Lake Which Is Known For Seasonal Change In The Colour Of Its Water, Baba Mandir Which Has An Interesting “Ghost” Story Behind It, And The Nathula Pass  Which Is A Indo-China Border Post.

We Will Then Move Up North Towards Lachen Valley, With A Visit To The Majestic Gurudongmar Lake, One Of The Highest Lakes In The World Allowed For Visitors. This Lake Remains Frozen Throughout The Winter But Summers Present An Opportunity For Visitors To Enjoy This “Slice Of Heaven”.

Then Comes Lachung, A Scenic Mountain Village With Gushing Waterfalls, Apple & Apricot Orchards, And Handicraft Centers.

Part Of Lachung Valley Is Yumthang, Known As Valley Of Flowers, Is Home To Numerous Species Of Rhododendron Flowers On The Banks Of River Lachung Which Is A Tributary Of Teesta, The Main River Originating From Sikkim. It’s Also Home To Hot Water Springs Believed To Be Having Medicinal Properties.

The Monasteries, Temples, Bridges Hoisted With Colorful Buddhist Prayer Flags, And The Unmatched Beauty Of Sikkim Will Give An Opportunity To Spend Blissful Time Amidst Mother Nature, Detox And Unwind.

A Trip To Sikkim Is A Blend Of Innumerable View Points, Glittering Sights Of Himalayan Peaks, Ice Cold Climate, A Bit Of Culture And A Sense Of Rejuvenation And Peace.

Why Wait!

Highlights Of The Sikkim Trip:

• Gurudongmar Glacier Lake

• Yumthang – Valley Of Flowers

• Lachen – Mini Switzerland

• Lachung Valley

• Free Flowing Teesta River

• Butterfly Falls, Bhim Nala Falls

• Nathu La Pass, Baba Mandir

• Changu Lake

• Rumtek Monastery

• Gangtok Mg Road Stroll

Itinerary:

Day 1 (Bagdogra To Gangtok)

• Travelers Coming By Flight Will Get Picked By Our Vehicle At Bagdogra Airport At Around 12 PM In The Afternoon.

• Whoever Joins By Train Will Be Picked At New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (Njp) Around 12:30 PM.

• We Will Start Our Journey Towards The Capital City Of Sikkim – Gangtok Along The Curvy Road That Runs Parallel To The Free Flowing Teesta River Originating From The Glaciers Of Sikkim.

• It’s A Drive Of 200 Km That Usually Takes 5 Hours Along With A Lunch Stop.

• Check Into The Guest House By Late Evening And Take A Walk On The Famous Mg Marg – The Mall Road Of Gangtok. You Can Try Tasty Momos Or Chow For Dinner And Shop For Items Needed For The Trip.

• Good Night.

Day 2 (Day Trip To Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir, Nathula Pass)

• Start The Day Early With Breakfast

• Go On A Day Trip Towards Picturesque Oval-Shaped Tsomgo Lake (Also Called Changu Lake) Which Is Famous For Sturdy Yaks, Red Panda And Various Migratory Birds.

• Continue Journey To Baba Mandir At An Elevation Of 13,000 Feet. There Is An Interesting ”Ghost” Story Of Baba Harbhajan Singh Who Served Indian Army During The 1960s.

• We Will Then Head To Nathula Pass On The Indo-China Border At An Elevation Of 14,100 Feet, Which Needs A Special Permit (We Would Have Pre-Applied Beforehand).

• Nathu La Is Strategically Important For The Indian Army, And Is One Of The Very Few Himalayan Border Posts Open For Visitors Like Us.

• Head Back To The Guest House By Late Evening.

• Dinner With Social Gathering And Take Good Rest For The Night.

Day 3 (Lachung Valley Trip) 

• Check Out Of The Stay After A Heavy Breakfast.

• Today We Will Start Our Journey Towards High Altitude North Sikkim Famous For Snow Capped Mountains, Pristine Lakes, Gushing Water Falls And Natural Hot Springs.

• Take A Pit Stop At Butterfly Waterfalls And Bhim Nala Falls, Click Lots Of Selfies.

• Stop For Lunch At Beautiful Chungthang Village At The Confluence Of Lachen And Lachung Rivers.

• Reach One Of The Most Picturesque Villages Of Sikkim, Lachun That Is Located Close To Worlds Third Highest Peak – The Mighty Kanchenjunga!

• We Will Take A Stroll In The Evening Enjoying Splendid Views Of Surrounding Himalayas.

• Dinner And Rest At Lachen Guest House.

Day 4 (Gurudongmagar Lake & Lachung)

• Start The Day Very Early At 4 AM To Take A Beautiful Journey To Gurundongmar, One Of The Highest Lakes In India As Well In The World At An Elevation Of 17,800 Feet. We Will Have Breakfast En Route. One Can Spot A Barrage Of Army Vehicles And Camps Throughout The Journey As It Is A Highly Protected Area.

• The Journey Itself Is Not A Cake Walk. Because Of High Altitude, One Can Experience Shortage Of Oxygen Levels But Our Body Would Gradually Get Acclimatized During The Journey. Traveling On Rugged Roads And Taking Umpteen Number Of Curves Would Also Take Its Toll On The Body.

• But When We Eventually Reach The Destination After All The Hardships, The Stunning Beauty Of Gurudongmar Will Make You Feel Its Worth Every Bit Of The Tiring Journey.

• After Spending Good Amount Of Time At The Pristine Lake And Taking Numerous Pictures, We Will Have A Light Lunch And Start Our Return Journey Towards Lachen & Chungthang Village.

• We Will Continue Our Journey To The Next Destination Lachung Valley.

• Rest For The Night At Lachung Guest House.

Day 5 (Yumthang Valley, Back To Gangtok)

• Start The Day Early With Breakfast

• We Will Head Towards Yumthang Valley, Situated At An Elevation Of 11800 Feet, A 1.5 Hour Drive From Lachung.

• Yumthang Which Is Known As ‘Valley Of Flowers” Is Located In The Valley By The Lachung River. It Is A Picture Perfect Setting Surrounded By Snow-Clad Mountains On All Sides.

• Give A Visit To Natural Yumthang Hot Springs Which Are Known For Their Medicinal Properties Because Of Rich Sulfur And Other Mineral Content. There Is A Beautiful Walking Bridge Filled With Colorful Prayer Flags Across The River Lachung. Hot Springs Are Located At The Other Side Of The Bridge. The Temperature Of Hot Water Springs Varies Between 50 To 60 Degrees Celsius Even In Freezing Winter Times. Truly A Little Wonder Of Mother Nature.

• We Will Take A Stroll At The Yumthang Market And Try Local Food For Lunch.

• Further Up From Yumthang, At An Altitude Of 14500 Feet Is Zero Point. This Is Where The Civilian Road Ends And One Go Can’t Drive Any Further. A Special Permit Is Needed To Visit Zero Point.

• Start Return Journey Towards Gangtok By Late Afternoon.

• Check Into Gangtok Guest House And Socialize With The Group One Last Time During Our Sikkim Trip.

• Dinner And Rest.

Day 6 (Rumtek Monastery, Airport Drop)

• Check Out After Breakfast.

• Give A Visit To Majestic Rumtek Monastery By Taking A Roadtrip Of 24 Km From Gangtok. Besides Being An Important Buddhist Pilgrimage, This Magnificent Monastery Is A Must Visit Attraction In Sikkim Owing To The Unique Architecture And The Tranquility Of The Place. Rumtek Is An Excellent Example Of Tibetan Monastic Art In Sikkim.

• We Will Then Bid Adieu To The Himalayas And Head Back Towards Planes Of West Bengal Where We Started Our Journey 6 Days Back.

• It’s A 5 Hour Journey With A Lunch Stop, So It’s Safe To Book Flight After 6 PM.

Basic Details:

Travel:

• Trip Starting/Ending Point: Siliguri (West Bengal)
• Pick Up And Drop At Bagdogra Airport, Njp Railway Station
• Innova, Xylo Or Similar Tourist Vehicle (6 Days Journey)
• Start Time: First Day, 12 PM (Afternoon)
• End Time: Sixth Day, 7 PM
• You Can Book Flights To/From Bagdogra Based On The Above Timings.
• Note: There Is No Night Journey On This Trip. All Travel Is During Day Time.

Stay:

• Comfortable, Standard Guest Houses / Hotels.

• 2 Or 3 Sharing Rooms.

• Gangtok 3 Nights.

• Lachen 1 Night.

• Lachung 1 Night.

Food:

• Breakfasts & Dinners Included.

• Lunches Are Self-Sponsored As We Will Be Outside At That Time.

• How Much You Have To Spend For Good Food? 200 – 250 Per Meal

Sikkim Package Inclusions:

• Travel (Bagdogra To Bagdogra)

• Stay For 5 Nights

• 5 Breakfasts

• 5 Dinners

• Specia Permit Charges At Multiple Locations

• Trip Captain (Within Sikkim)

• Airport Pickup And Drop (Fixed Timings)

• Once In A Lifetime Experience Visiting All Places Mentioned In Highlights Section

Sikkim Package Exclusions:

• Lunches

• Any Additional Snacks, Drinks Ordered At The Stays

• Any Kind Of Activities Other Than Mentioned Above

• Any Kind Of Insurance, Shopping, Party, Medical Expenses

• Any Misc. Expenses That Are Not In Inclusions Above

• Any Extra Cost Arising Due To Any Change In The Itinerary/Stay/Route On Account Of Bad Weather, Traffic-Congestion, Landslides/Roadblocks, Natural Calamities, Political Disturbances And/Or Any Other Factors Beyond Our Control.