Travelstick North West Sikkim India
North West Sikkim
Namchi Sikkim India
Namchi beautiful mountain town
Namchi is the capital of South Sikkim. Located at an altitude of 1,675 m Namchi offers beautiful views of the snow-clad mountains. The name Namchi means 'Sky High' in Sikkimese. The area is dotted with impressive attractions such as the Namchi Monastery, Ralong Monestry and Tedong Hill, all famous Buddhist pilgrimage centres. 8 km from Namchi is Samdrupste Hill where you can find the world's largest statue of the Buddhist Padmasambhava, a great saint of Sikkim, standing 35 m high. A few km from the town lies the Temi Tea Garden, the only tea estate in Sikkim. The tea leaves of Sikkim are renowned the world over for their aroma, taste and good quality.
Pelling Sikkim India
Pelling Pemayangtse Gompa
Located in West Sikkim Pelling offers good views of Kanchenjunga on a clear day. There are good budget places to stay and places to leave luggage while trekking. A 2 km walk from Pelling is the Pemayangtse Gompa, founded in 1705. It is one of the oldest and most important gompas in Sikkim and is the main gompa of the Nyingma-pa (“Red Hat”) order. The monastery has paintings and sculptures on the interior walls and a good collection of thangkas. Pemayangtse means “Perfect Sublime Lotus.” In February during the Tibetan New Year there are chaam dances performed by the monks on the 28th and 29th days of the twelfth lunar month.
Tashiding Sikkim India
Information Tashiding
This town, 40km west of Gezing, may be visited while trekking. You should have your permits endorsed in Gangtok before you visit here. From Tashiding it is possible to trek to Pemayangtse or Legship. The Tashiding Gompa, established in 1716, is considered the second most important gompa in Sikkim, after the Pemayangtse Gompa. It is a 45-minute walk from the village of Tashiding. There are chortens and mani walls surrounding the temple. The Bhumchu Festival is celebrated here on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar (March).
Yuksom Sikkim India
Information Yuksom
38km north of Pemayangtse, Yuksom is the furthest north you are permitted to go by road and is the trailhead for the trek to Dzongri. This is where the three Buddhist lamas arrived from Tibet to establish the Buddhist Nyingma-pa (“Red Hat”) order. It was the first capital of Sikkim and the first chogyal, Phutsog Namgyal, was crowned here. Now it is a small village.
Yumthang Sikkim India
Hot springs Yumthang
This valley, 140km north of Gangtok, is at an elevation of 3600m. The valley can be visited but trekking is not allowed. There are hot springs here located a few minutes walk from the road. The best time to visit the valley is in April and May when the rhododendrons are in bloom. You will need a permit and must arrange your trip through an authorized travel agency with at least four people.