Destinations covered:

Featured activities:

About the Trip:

In the local parlance, this twelve-day journey is an experience into "the heart of Paradise". Legends says that the spirits of Lepchas reach the Mayel Lyang and local communities are full of stories of people taking rebirth after this experience!

One of the areas that this holiday takes you through is northern part of Sikkim, Dzongu, a district that was set up in 1975 and has been reserved for the Lepcha community, the original inhabitants of Sikkim.

We visit some imposing monasteries. The original Phodong monastery has been rebuilt and is today one of the most beautiful monasteries in Sikkim. It contains old mural paintings and houses around 260 monks. The Labrang Monastery is unique as it still retains the original structure, unlike most monasteries which were destroyed by fires. Sikkim oldest monastery, the Tholung Monastery, was built during the first visit of Guru Lhastsun Chempo, and believed to be build by spirits. This monastery is surrounded by hot springs and sacred caves.

We trek to Lingthem village, famous for its spectacular views of the Khangchendzonga Range. The walk uphill is strenuous but as one treads higher into the temperate region, views emerge out of the hidden mountains, mesmerizing the onlooker by the beauty nature has to offer.

Walking through the countryside, we cross terraced paddy fields and cardamom forest. We enjoy the traditional Lepcha lifestyle and have spectacular mountain views of Khangchendzonga.

The charming village of Tingvong is located on a small hillock overlooking the yawning valleys and sun-kissed mountains of Dzongu. Crystal-clear streams flow through the village. It is surrounded by terraced fields of mustard flowers, millets and vegetables.

Kalimpong is the last destination of this impressive trip through Sikkim. Kalimpong used to be an important trading centre in the earlier days, when the trade routes/silk routes between Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim were very much active. It is renowned for its beautiful surroundings and the good weather conditions.

Itinerary:

Day 1

Bagdroga and Gangtok - Arrive in Bagdogra and transfer to Gangtok (4 ½ hours drive). Overnight in a guesthouse.

Day 2

Gangtok and Rumtek - Visit the Handicraft Centre, a flower show and the Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok. Drive to Rumtek, afternoon hike. Visit the old Rumtek monastery belonging to the Kargyudpa sect of Tibetan budhism. Overnight in a guesthouse in Gangtok.

Day 3

Dzongu - The drive to Dzongu in North-Sikkim takes around 3 hours. En-route we stop at Kabi Lungchok, the site of the blood brotherhood treaty between Lepcha's and Bhutia's, and the Phodong and Labrang monasteries. Overnight in homestays.

Day 4

Lingthem - We hike uphill for 2.5 hours to Lingthem Villlage where we have time to explore the village and interact with local people. We visit the handicraft center and monastery of Lingthem. Overnight in a homestay.

Day 5

Tingvong - Hike downhill to Passingdang and drive to Tingvong village. Free time to walk around, visit to the local monastery and meet local people. Overnight in a Homestay.

Day 6

Tingvong - Hike to Kusong village passing through paddy fields and cardamom forests. Observe the spectacular mountain views of Khangchendzonga and get to know the local Lepcha lifestyle. Return to Tingvong village for overnight at your homestay.

Day 7

Bay village - On the way to Bay village we visit the Lingzya monastic school where we can interact with the monks. Today we also visit the mighty Rukshyot waterfalls, the highest in Sikkim. Overnight in a homestay.

Day 8

Bay village - Trek to Tholung Monastery (appr. 4 hours walk). This ancient monastery is believed to be build by spirits. The sacred objects and artifacts are opened for tourists once in every three years. Return to Bay village in the afternoon.

Day 9

Hee Gyathang - Drive to Hee Gyathang and meeting with the local NGO members and understanding their activities. A village walk and Cultural exchange program in the evening will be organized. Overnight in a Homestay.

Day 10

Kalimpong - From Hee Gyathang we drive to Kalimpong via Dikchu and Singtam. In Kalimpong we visit flower nurseries. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 11

Kalimpong - We visit the Lepcha museum and will interact with intellectual Lepchas who have been working for the welfare of this tribal community.

Day 12

Bagdogra - Depart to Bagdogra airport, 2 hours driving by car, for you onward flight.

How this trip will benefit local community and environment:

This trip is rich in its local interaction.

During this impressive trip we often stay in home stays. This promotes village tourism and helps the local communities benefit fully from the economic opportunities of tourism. This also provides the best possible cultural experiences for our guests. The concept of Home stays was introduced in the rural areas of Sikkim with an aim to facilitate alternative source of income directly for the rural people in a sustainable way. The system of Home stay brought in a very efficient way of sharing the income from tourism among several families. Depending on the number of visitors, the hosts have agreed upon a system where they circulate the guests amongst themselves so that everyone benefits out of tourism. A productive way of complementing rather than competing with each other!

Numerous village walks give you a good insight in the traditional life of the Lepchas and Buthias living in North-Sikkim.

Cultural activities in Sikkim are part of all our trips, in order to support and preserve Sikkim's age old culture lively. In Hee Gyathang, a cultural evening program is organized by the locals. Your interest in these performances and the economic benefits of these sharings, prompts the locals to strike a balance between cultural heritage and financial requirements. It encourages young kids to also learn the traditional music and dance arts. Hence ensuring that these cultural treasures are being kept lively in the future as well.

The Sikkimese people especially Lepchas and Bhutias are famous for their weaving and wood carving. Buying these souvenirs will not only give your family back home a special and exclusive presents, you also support the local craftsmen.

The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology we visit is promoting research on the religion, history, language, art and culture of the people of the Tibetan cultural area which includes Sikkim. The NIT's library holds one of the largest collections of Tibetan works in the world outside Tibet as well as a museum of Tibetan iconography and religious art. The library has published the Bulletin of Tibetology since 1964 and numerous books over the years. We ensure contributions towards funds that are used for renovation and maintenance of works and artifacts.

In North Sikkim we work together with a local organisation promoting sustainable tourism. This ecotourism initiative was born from the desire of a group of Lepcha youth who had concerns for the upcoming generation of Dzongu. They were keen to explore alternatives for the educated youth that would help provide opportunities for self employment and in the process help the Lepcha community to protect their vanishing identity.

To begin the work in Dzongu, partnerships were forged with NGOs, local authorities and community representatives. Several community consultations as well as awareness and training programs were conducted for the local residents by our local partners like Eco Tourism and Conservation Society. The extensive community mobilization process has brought about some changes in the thinking of local people and positioned them to conduct tourism that is locally operated and where benefits can accrue to all levels of the community.