Sikkim Silk Route.

A long desired tour.

Sikkim is a beautiful state and a frequently traveled destination. Since a long time I had a desire to visit East Sikkim, specially Silk Route. Its a common itineray for Bengali travelers. Normally I travel alone, but covering this area needs personal vehicle for some part of the route which is costly for a single person. I had been waiting for an opportunity to get a suitable group. Suddenly I found an advertisement on What’s App, put up by my long time Facebook friend cum brother Rana Mukherjee who runs a small travel agency, called Parijayi Paribar, with another partner. It was a 4 nights 5 days’ package. Their offer was very much affordable. I requested him to add me in their group. Rana met an accident and got injured two days before the journey, but still he accompanied us even with so much pain and inconvenience.

We reached Howrah station and boarded Kamrup Express on 26th November 2023 and reached New Jalpaiguri Station next early morning. Two jeeps were waiting for us at the station. We were a group of 15 adults and 2 kids including Rana. There was a group of 7 with a child who took one jeep and 3 couples with one 3 years old child and I boarded another with Rana.

There was road jam at two places on the way. One was for an accident and another was for road repair work. On the way we had breakfast before Kalimpong. We reached Sileri Gaon in the afternoon. Sileri Gaon is a small hamlet at the border of Sikkim and Darjiling. Mt Kanchenjunga Range is visible from the village. Our home-stay was good. There was a view point called Ramitey View point as there was haze I did not go there. In the early morning I woke up to see sunrise. As there were several obstacle of trees for a clear view of the mountain range from our home-stay, I went a little downwards and took photographs from the balcony of another home-stay. After breakfast with puri sabji we started for Padamchen.

At Rangoli we made our permit for Sikkim Silk Route. We visited Vinayak temple at Rhenock. We reached Padamchen at around 4 PM. We were delayed time to time because the jeep with the family of 7 people were facing problem as the child was vomiting time to time. It was their first trip to mountain, probably first time in a long trip. After settling there in the home-stay we had lunch.

The home-stay at Padamchen was very good, though situated in an interior area of the village, quite away from the main road. Though Padamchen is very scenic but hardly any snow peak can be seen from there. There is a monastery, but I could not visit it as we did not have much time to spend there and due to the position of the home-stay.

Third day was a tough and hectic day. We could not start early in the morning as breakfast could not be served before 8-30 AM. We started after 9-30. There were several points to visit, that include Silk Route. They were Zuluk village, Thambi view point, Nathang Valley, Kupup Lake, Old Baba Mandir. Those places were situated above treeline, so our organizer did not plan to stay at Zuluk as we had two kids and few novice travelers in our group. Weather was mostly good and we enjoyed the beauty of the places.

As we were already late and it was impossible to reach our next destination on time for lunch, so on the way back we took a break at Keukhola falls to have some food. I ate a small pizza at Old Baba mandir in the Indian Army run restaurant, so I took some dry fruits from my own stock. It took quite long time to reach our next destination Lungchok. The road was terrible after Rangoli. Nothing could be seen after sun down. It seemed an endless journey to reach Lunchok. At around 6-30 we reached there. The home-stay was not as per our expectation. There was geyser in the bathroom and everything was clean but the rooms were smelly due to lack of ventilation.

I never had heard about that place Lungchok, nor could not see anything in the dark. After tea and pakoda I took rest for a while and searched information about the place through net. I came to know that sunrise is spectacular there on Mt Kanchenjunga. Next morning I woke up and went out of the room and found that the information was true indeed and I witnessed a colorful sunrise. I have a desire to go there again and spend few days.

Next morning after breakfast we started for Aaritar Lake. It is a medium size lake with greenery all around. There is a monastery at a little higher altitude. I had momos and a cup of tea there, after walking around the lake. Then we reached Reshikhola. We stayed at Banalata Homestay No.1. We had to went down into the gorge of Reshi river from the main road. The home-stay was situated at the bank of Reshi river. It was a serene place. The service of Banalata Home-stay No 1 was good, though a family (whom we met at Padamchen )who stayed at Banalata Home-stay No.2 complained about their service.

The whole tour went well except few incidents. On the first day at Sileri Gaon our jeep reached first. So rooms were allotted to us earlier. Later the jeep with the family of 7 reached, they complained that we were provided better rooms. So from the next day onward we allowed them to choose their rooms first. They neither appreciated nor even realized that fact.

There were several places where entry fees were needed. It was given by the organizer with the expectation that it would be repaid at the end of the tour, it was there already in the terms and condition. The family of 7 denied to pay the sum at the end.

When we were coming back to New Jalpaiguri we had to stop at a road side restaurant for lunch. There was a fresh pomelo tree ( Batabi lebu/ Jambura) at the opposite side of the highway, laden with fruits. The head of the family of 7 went suddenly crossing the highway and plucked 3/4 fruits very fast. The restaurant owner demanded price for the fruit and they refused to pay. It caused a hot argument between them. They did not have any idea that it was an offense to pluck fruits or flowers without the permission of the authority. It was resolved by the interference of another local.

In the evening we reached New Jalpaiguri. I waited at the AC waiting room and had dinner in IRCTC catering service. After that I boarded Darjiling Mail. I got a few good friends in this trip who accompanied me in the jeep. We shared our thoughts and views all along the journey and entertained each other.