Sikkim Tourism - Most beautiful hill land of Himalayan mountains

Sikkim is one of the most beautiful hill land of Himalayan mountains situated at an elevation from 280 m (920 ft) to 8,585 m.The mountainous terrain state of India is the second-smallest state after Goa and one of the most popular tourist destination for its culture,breathtaking scenery and biodiversity along with other seven sister states. Sikkim is home to the highest mountain peak of India and world’s third-highest peak Kangchenjunga is situated on the border between Sikkim and Nepal and various species of flora and fauna. Namchi, the capital of South Sikkim district is famous for Siddhesvara Dhaam, a place with four major Dhams of the Hindus Jagannath, Dwarika, Rameshawaram, Badrinath have been replicated under one roof along with the twelve jyothirlingas and 108ft tall statue of Lord Shiva and the Padmasambhava Statue near by.

People and Culture

The culture of Sikkim varies as per the ethnic group, major group are Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali. Lepchas People are original and native people of Sikkim, along with Nepali ethnic group. The Food, dance and traditions of these communities varies, Noodle-based dishes are most popular cuisines here along with famous Momos. The most popular sports are football and cricket, although hang gliding,Paragliding along with river rafting and snow sports are also popular. Due to huge popularity of Western rock music, Sikkim is emerging as one of the hottest rock musical capital of the country, It has many rock bands like Girish N The Chronicles,Still Waters and all-girls rock band the Phynyx.

People and Culture Sikkim

Fairs and Festivals

The Festivals of Sikkim includes all major Hindu festivals including Diwali and Dussera along with predominant Buddhist religion festivals. Maghe sankranti and Bhimsen Puja are two popular festival, celebrated by Nepalese along with Bhumchu,the Buddhist festivals. Some of the main fairs and festivals of Sikkim are Losoong, Bumchu, Saga Dawa,Drupka Tesh and Paragliding festival, Sikkim Snow Festival.

Fairs and Festival Sikkim

Avifauna of Sikkim

Avifauna of Sikkim includes the mountain birds along with other 550 species of birds.The avifauna are griffon vultures, Impeyan pheasant, golden eagles,Old World flycatchers, the snow partridge and the snow cock. Some of the birds are declared endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat.

Himalayan Griffon Vultures

Arthropod fauna of Sikkim

The rich diversity of Sikkim also support rich species of arthropods, many of them are still unstudied and unknown. Arthropod fauna of Sikkim includes 695 species of butterfly, some of them are the Yellow Gorgon,Bhutan Glory and the endangered Kaiser-i-hind.

Arthropods in sikkim

Flora of Sikkim

The ecological hotspot of the lower Himalayas is home to a diverse range of flora, the alpine and tundra. Flora of Sikkim includes number of species of flowering plants such as rare orchids,primula,rhododendron,conifer and bamboo. The Dendrobium nobile is the state flower of Sikkim and the rhododendron is the state tree.

Rare orchids Sikkim

Fauna of Sikkim

The Biodiversity priority areas and protected areas of Sikkim mountain terrains are provide shelter to some of the most endangered species of animals the snow leopard, the Himalayan Black Bear, the clouded leopard,musk deer,the Himalayan Tahr and the red panda,state animal of Sikkim.

Red panda Sikkim

Natural Beauty of Sikkim

The high mountains and deep valleys of Sikkim offers most beautiful views of Water bodies,Landscape and breathtaking scenery. The Yumthang Valley and Teesta river valley are home to some of the spectacular waterfalls of state such as beautiful Seven Sisters waterfall, Khanchendzonga Waterfalls, Bakthang waterfall and Rimbi water falls. Sikkim is home to one of the highest lakes in the world, the Gurudongmar lake, situated at an altitude of 17,100 ft (5,210 m) and Cholamoo lake,India’s highest lake.

Natural Beauty in Sikkim

Place of Interest

Nathu La Pass:

The Nathu La Mountain Pass is one of the highest mountain pass in Indian at an elevation of 4,310 m (14,140 ft). Nathu La Pass connects Sikkim to Tibet area and one of the major trading border between China and India. Nathu La Pass Silk Road is play an important role for Hindu and Buddhist pilgrim to visit pilgrimage sites in the region.

Nathu La Pass Sikkim

Rumtek Monastery:

The Rumtek Monastery is one of the most famous monuments of Sikkim and one of the 75 Buddhist monasteries. Rumtek Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery situated near the capital of Sikkim, Gangtok. The Monastery of Rumtek is one of the best place to visit in Sikkim, its surrounded by flowing streams,Snow mountains and a river with pleasant climate.

Rumtek monastery gangtok

Frozen Changu Lake:

The Changu Lake is one of the major lake of Sikkim situated near the Nathu La passes at East Sikkim near Gangtok. Changu Lake also called as Tsongmo Lake is a glacial lake at an altitude of 3,780 m (12,400 ft) and get freeze during the winter season. Tsongmo Lake along with Gurudongmar Lake and Tso Lhamo Lake are thee famous frozen lakes in Sikkim.

Frozen Changu Lake Sikkim

Yumthang Valley:

The amazing Yumthang Valley is situated near the Lachung town in North Sikkim. Lachung is surrounded by high elevated Himalayan mountains, a river through the valley and considered as the most picturesque village of Sikkim. The valley of Lachung receive heavy snowfall during the winter and high amounts of rainfall in monsoon. Valley of Lachung and Lachen are most beautiful place to visit in the state of Sikkim.

Yumthang Valley Sikkim

Khangchendzonga National Park:

The Khangchendzonga National Park is a Biosphere reserve nature park located in the border of Sikkim. National Park and Biosphere reserve is home to endangered species of majestic snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep,wild dog, Red Panda, Snow Pigeon, Green Pigeon, Sunbird & Eagle along with reptiles Russell’s viper.

Khangchendzonga national park

How to Reach

Air: 

Sikkim is about to get its first airport,Pakyong Airport in capital city of Gangtok. Currently the only operational airport in Sikkim is Bagdogra Airport,the military airport in the town of Siliguri in West Bengal.Gangtok has a helipad, the only civilian helipad in Sikkim state.

Rail: 

The nearest railway station for Sikkim are Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. High mountains and rough terrain of Sikkim making it tough to plan a railway line, though Sikkim Railway has proposed plans for railway line and project to connect town of Rangpo in Sikkim with Sevoke.

Roads: 

Sikkim is well connected through the Indian road network via National Highway 31, links Siliguri to Gangtok. The State Transport of Sikkim runs buses, tourist taxi and jeep services throughout Sikkim and also connected to the hill stations of Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

Things to do in Sikkim

View from Hanuman Tok - Gangtok -Sikkim

Seven sisters of India

The Seven Sisters of India are relatively untouched, unexplored and isolated states of north east India. North East states are heavily forested and land of tribes peoples. These states are full of natural beauty,exotic places and wide variety of beautiful wild animals like rhinoceros, elephants and numerous species of birds. North east region consist of seven contiguous states Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Northeast India is ethnically distinct from the other states of India. Assam is the gateway through which the seven sister states are connected to the mainland. Sikkim and some parts of North Bengal is also come under the north east India. India’s Northeast is one of South Asia’s hottest trouble spots.These seven sister states has major population of tribes peoples in India.

Seven Sisters of India

Assam: 

The gateway of seven sisters is surrounded by other six states. Assam is one of the richest biodiversity zones in the world and consists of tropical rain forests, grasslands and numerous wetlands ecosystems now protected as Kaziranga and manas national parks. It is also know for its beautiful dark green tea gardens, Deep forest of Sal trees. Assam is the home for one-horned Indian rhinoceros, along with The Royal Bengal Tiger and numerous species of birds, it also provides one of the last wild habitats for the Asian elephant. Assam and other states offers so many big festivals like Bohag Bihu,Cheiraoba and Losoong.

Assam Tourism - Tea Plantation

Arunachal Pradesh: 

Land of the rising sun has many undiscovered places to attract tourist form many parts of the world. Tourist attractions include Buddhist monastery in tawang, Sela lake near Bomdila with its bamboo bridges overhanging the river and undiscovered scenic beauty of tuting. Rafting and trekking are also main attractable sports. Namdapha National Park located in Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the unexplored national park of India, It is also home for some of the giant animals, the great Hornbills and Red Giant Flying Squirrel.

Arunachal Pradesh - Bamboo Bridge

Manipur: 

“The originator of Polo game” is lies in an oval-shaped valley surrounded by blue mountains. There are four major river basins in Manipur and all the rivers in the valley area are in the mature stage. Manipur may be characterized in two distinct regions – Outer area of rugged hills and narrow valleys and the inner area of flat plain. The climate of Manipur is largely influenced by the topography of this hilly region. The valley region has a number of hills and lakes, The Loktak lake is an important feature of vally.

Loktak Lake in Manipur

Meghalaya: 

Meghalaya means “The Abode of Clouds”. Meghalaya lies in strip of hills in the eastern part, one third area of the states is forested. Meghalaya forest is also know for its biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants. There are several falls around Shillong. The Shillong peak is highest in the state and is good for trekking. Meghalaya is the wettest place on earth, annual rainfall as high as 1200 cm in some areas. Cherrapunji holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram, holds the distinction for heaviest yearly rains. The Langshiang Falls at Meghalaya is one of the largest waterfalls in India.

Waterfalls in Meghalaya

Mizoram: 

Also called “land of the Mizo people” Mizo means “highlander”. Mizoram is a land of rolling hills, valleys, rivers and lakes,it has the most varicolored hilly terrain. Blue Mountain is the highest peak in Mizoram. These hills are separated by rivers, these rivers created deep gorges between the hill ranges. Hilly regions gives it a mild climate all year. Mizoram is rich in flora and fauna and many kinds of tropical trees and plants thrive in the area. The Palak lake is major attraction and it is the biggest lake in Mizoram.

Palak Lake in Mizoram

Nagaland: 

Nagaland is the one of the smallest as well as largely mountainous state of India. Mount saramati is the highest peak of Naga hills in state. Nagaland is rich among all other states in flora and fauna and in evergreen forests. The Great Indian Horn-bill is one of the most famous birds found in the state. Naga tribes also found in most of the sister states, There are total 15 recognized tribes in the present state of Nagaland.

Nagahills in Nagaland

Tripura: 

Tripura is a landlocked hilly state with many rivers including the Manu River which originates here. Tripura has a rich cultural heritage of music, fine arts, handicrafts and dance. Music is an integral part of the tribal people of Tripura. Tripura is rich in flora and fauna and many species of trees and plants. Dance is an important to the tribal in all states of north east.

Tribal States of India

Tribes in India: India is a land of multitudinous culture and peoples.Every state of India has its own culture and tradition. The different forms of people found here out numbers any country.There are certain states in India where the number of tribal  population is much more than that of the other states. Due to the presence of these tribes India has receive various flavors and the tribal people are the real treasures of our countries. Major population of tribes are found in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesha and North East “The Seven Sister States of India. The tribes peoples of India are also know as “Adivasis”. The specific meaning of Adivasis is the original inhabitants of a given region. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands  are also the home for various tribes like The Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese.

Tribes of India

It must be very interesting reading to know tribes peoples and their culture.

Chhattisgarh: 

“Rice bowl of India” This is a newly formed state and situated in situated in the heart of India, it is very well known for its cultural heritage, attractive natural diversity and for tribes community. Tribes of Chhattisgarh are unique in their lifestyles and have beautifully retained their own culture and traditions for centuries. Bastar is the largest tribal district of Chhattishgarh and Gonds tribes Gonds of Bastar being the most prominent among them. The Gond Tribes include the Baiga, Korba, Abhuj Maria, Muria and Dhurvaa tribes.The tribal women love to wear ornaments made of cowries, shells, bones, mixed metals, copper and bronze.

Chhattisgarh tribes peoples

Orissa: 

The number of tribes that reside in Orissa is the highest anywhere in India. Chhattisgarh is the neighbor state of orissa, so Gond and Baiga tribes also found in some part of Orissa. The major tribes of the state are Kondhs, Koyas, Gadabas, Oraon, Juangs and Santals. Tribes of Orissa are very hard worker, they work in mills and plants. The major occupation of tribes are agriculture, fishing or hunting. Bamboo is used to make arts and crafts by the tribe peoples, and these are really very attractive. Tribes women wear a lengthy cloth material that they wrap around themselves, girls are seen with tattoos on their faces. The tribal state also offers best natural beauty in India, sparking waterfalls, magnificent lakes and big dams are the major attraction.

Baiga Girls of orissa

Jharkhand: 

State of tribal peoples, it is one of the most industrialized states of India, including Wildlife Sanctuaries and Forest. The tribes of Jharkhand are expert in making plates made up of Sal leaves joined together by tiny sticks. Kharias are one of the important tribes of Jharkhand, other tribes of Jharkhand are are Baiga, Asur, Santals, Oraons, Mundas and Hos.The tribes of Jharkhand also use bamboo for making baskets,hunting & fishing. Tribal peoples have tattoos called Godna, on their bodies instead of wearing ornaments, Bow and arrow is the symbolic weapon of the tribal of this area.

Tribes of jharkhand

Madhya Pradesh: 

Madhya Pradesh is a medley of ethnic groups and tribes, castes and communities. Tribes of Madhya Pradesh also known for well preserved traditions presented in the form of tribal music and dance. Madhya Pradesh was the largest state in India before the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out. Dhar, Jhabua and Mandla  districts have more than 50 percent tribal population. The main tribal groups in Madhya Pradesh are Gond, Bhil, Baiga, Maximum population is Gond tribes. The Bhils live in the mountain regions in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Bhils are considered as the third largest and most widely distributed tribal groups in India. Bhils tribes also found in some states of Rajsathan.

Traditional bils tribes

North East States: 

Also know as seven sisters of India, The north eastern states of India holds a large number of tribal population. The tribal chiefs enjoying a lot of power and status in the region. The northeastern states comprise thick forest and the virgin land are home of several North east tribal. The main tribes of north east states are Naga, Garo, Khasi, Maram, Tripuri, Reang, Monpas, Bamons. The Naga tribes had social and political links with tribes of Assam. Each tribes is having its own custom, language, dress and jewelery. The main occupation of these tribes is cultivation.

Naga Tribes of NorthEast

Sikkim Tourism - Things to do in Sikkim

Sikkim is one of the “Seven Sisters” in India. This term is used to describe the seven tiny states that together form India’s North-East. The small and truly untouched state of Sikkim has majestic landscapes and lush green hills. It is indeed blessed with nature’s bounty. Even after a considerable rise in tourism over the recent years, its sanctity and beauty have been preserved by its proud people and conscientious authorities. Sikkim is divided into four districts – North, South, East and West. We explore some of the highlights to help you with your Sikkim travels.

View from Hanuman Tok - Gangtok -Sikkim

North Sikkim: 

Here you will find the revered Guru-Dongmar Lake, which is considered sacred by both Buddhists and Hindus. Its mystical powers are heightened by the fact that even in the harshest winters parts of the lake remain unfrozen. The lake is considerably inaccessible and requires a two-day expedition. A popular destination closer to the capital, Gangtok is Yumthang – the Valley of Flowers. In spring, Yumthang is bathed with scarlet rhododendrons and wildflowers, a sight to behold.

Buddhist Temple in Sikkim

East Sikkim: 

Gangtok, the capital of the state lies in this part of Sikkim. In Gangtok, one can enjoy the local cuisine and shop for handicrafts. Many beautiful tourist destinations like the Rumtek and Enchey monasteries, Jhakri Falls and Tashi Viewpoint are a short drive from the city. Perhaps the most enchanting attraction of the state is the Nathula Pass-Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir trinity. Although these destinations aren’t in this part of the State, taxis and tours to reach them are best hired in Gangtok itself. Nathu-La is located at over 14,200 meters and offers one of the most breathtaking sights in India. En route to Nathu-La stop at the still and crystal-clear Tsomgo/Chhangu Lake, where you can ride on a yak, shop for locally produced goods and catch a bite to eat. Tourists require special permits to visit Nathu-La. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday

Sikkim Assembly Building

South Sikkim: 

This is the sleepy and peaceful part of the serene state. The hub of this district is Ravangla, which is located at the height of 7,000 meters. The township, famous for the Temi Tea Garden and wildlife, comes alive during the Lhabsol festival in August-September. Before leaving the district make sure you visit Samdruptse. In the Bhutia language, Samdruptse means ‘Wish Fulfilling Hill’. Here stands the 135 feet high statue of Guru Padmasambhava, made of concrete and copper.

Monastery at Ravangla

Western Sikkim: 

While South Sikkim is a haven for peace lovers, Western Sikkim is for thrill seekers. Rafting and kayaking on River Teesta draws people from far and wide to this small region. For visitors who prefer to tame the mountains, rock climbing and mountain biking expeditions can be organised.

Teesta River in Sikkim