Sikkim Travel Guide
Sikkim is situated in the eastern Himalayas. It is the second smallest state in India.Sikkim is famous for Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), the third highest mountain in the world. Sikkim is an orchid lover paradise. Sikkim is in the lap of the Himalayas, sandwiched between Nepal Bhutan and Tibet lies a small strech of rugged land just 40 miles by 70 miles, the erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim - now a state of India. Sikkim provides a wide potential in tourism that has yet largely remained unexploited. The capital of Sikkim, Gangtok, lies at an altitude 1600 meters. It occupies the West side of a long ridge flanking the Ranipool River. Sikkim is the second smallest state in India, only 112km long and 65km wide. It is home to over 600 species of orchids.
Sikkim offers several treks that lead through pine forests, through picturesque valleys, monasteries and to mountain lakes. It is also the base for mountaineering expeditions and the rivers Teesta and Rangeet offer excellent river rafting. Prior permission must be sought from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, by all foreigners wishing to visit Sikkim – though travel formalities are being relaxed gradually.
Cold Winters in the month of November to February with minimum temperatures dipping to 4 centigrade during January - February. It is between the month of March and early May when sunshine is quite abundant. Though summer is officially from May to October, Sikkim is almost always wet due to the heavy monsoons, with rains at times continuing for days on ends. Longest recorded nonstop rain is 11 days. September to October is Autumn.
Fair and festivals of sikkim: Saga Dawa , Lhabab Dhuechen, Drukpa Tsheshi, PhangLhabsol,Losoong,Losar, Bumch, Tshechu, Kalchakra Puja Dasain/ Dusshera, Tihar/ Diwali , Saraswati Puja, Maghe Sakranti, Janmastami, Vishwa Karma Puja, Holi, Ramnavami, Namsoong, Sakewa,Bhanu Jayti, Tendong-Lho-Rum-Faat, Teyongsi Srijunga Sawan Tognam, Christmas, Tamu Lochar, Nyempa Guzom.
The main markets for shopping are Old market, New Market and Lal market. Here one finds shops of all kind which offer good range of items to be purchased. For a tourist there are many attractive items to be bought as carved furniture, the dresses, Lepcha weave bags, Carpets & Durries with intricate designs and colourful decorations. One can also buy wooden and bamboo artifacts. A wide variety of handicrafts is available for the tourist to take back as souvenirs, showpieces and even items of daily use in the Government Institute of cottage Industry and the many curio shops in Gangtok.
Attractions: Do Drul Chorten, Enchey Monastery, Orchid Sanctuary, Tashi Ling, Namgyal Institute, Tsuk la Khang, Weekend Trips/Excursions, Rumtek Monastery, Phodong Monastery, Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary,Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary,Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary
Acess: Nearest Airport is Bagdogra (124 kms). Fare:- Calcutta-Bagdogra Rs.1025. The nearest railway stations are Siliguri 114 kms, New Jalpaiguri (NJP) 125 kms. Good motorable roads connect Gangtok with Siliguri 114 kms, Calcutta 725 kms, Darjeeling 139 kms and Guwahati 589 kms. Regular bus services connect Gangtok with Bagdogra, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Calcutta. Fare:- Calcutta-Gangtok Rs.160. Conducted Tour: The following tours are run by the Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Sikkim, starting from the tourist Information Centre, Mahatma Gandhi Road, only during the season.
India Travel Guides
PURMANDAL
PURMANDAL: About 40 km from Jammu, just off the national highway leading towards Pathankot, is the Purmandal Temple Complex on the banks of the sacred and mostly underground Devak river.
Khajuraho : Getting There
Getting There By Air Indian Airlines/Alliance Air and Jet Airways link Khajuraho with Agra, Delhi and Varanasi. Airport transfer to the hotels by a/c taxi and auto-rickshaw . Jet Airways, Airport. Indian Airlines, Reservations -a 44035, Airport By Rail Jhansi (176 km) is the nearest convenient railway station. It lies on Indian Railways'
Mangalore : By air
Indian airlines and jet air¬ways connect mangalore with bangalore, chennai and mumbai. Indian airlines, poonja arcade, k.s. Road
Bhuj: Ahmedabad
Bhuj: Ahmedabad STD Code: 02832 Bhuj Is An Ancient City That Reflects The Very Essence Of The Region. Always The Seat Of Power And Identity For The Nomadic Tribes Of Kachchh, It Was Embellished With Fine Monuments, Palaces And Gardens In A Windswept Land.
Willingdom Island: Kerala
Deluxe Hotel Malabar, Ph 6 811, Singles 570Rs, Doubles 900Rs Plus 10% Tax, 100 Rooms, 2 Restaurants, Bar, Car Hire. All Rooms Are Airconditioned. The Hotel Lies At The Northern Tip Of The Island, And Has A Beautiful View And A Swimming Pool. Fort Cochin/Mattancherry In The Oldest And Most Picturesque Part Of Cochin There Are
Museums: Ahmedabad
Museums: Ahmedabad Calico Textile Museum, The Retreat, Shahibagh: 12th century block printed fabrics, devotional cloth paintings, 17th century patola silk sarees, 18th century tie-and-dye fabrics, Portuguese-style window curtains, fabric made for the East India Company, weaving machines, antique tap¬estries, textiles made for export to Bali, etc. Gujarat Vidyapith Tribal Museum, Ashram Road:
Lucknow : Getting There by Rail
Getting There by Rail Lucknow is serviced bv the North and North Eastern Railway networks' by express and superfast trains. One of the convenient connections is Shatabdi Express from Delhi. Direct trains connect Lucknow to Guwahati, Varanasi, Puri, Gorakhpur, Dehra Dun, Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Tirupati, etc. Trains from New Delhi are the
Uttar Pradesh : Kanpur
Uttar Pradesh : Kanpur Situated 79 km from Lucknow on the banks of the Ganga, Kanpur is a major industrial town. When the British set up a cantonment here the first tannery was set up at Jajmau in the 19th century which led to a proliferation of tanneries which exist till
Jaisalmer Attractions and Excursion
Jaisalmer Attractions and Excursion Ghadisar had once supplied water to the city; the temples and archways around it have been built by a courtesan. Puppet shows are held here in the evenings. Amar Sagar, 6 km away, has the ruins of a once-beautiful garden on the banks of a lake, which is
Lucknow : Shopping
Lucknow : Shopping Lucknow is famous for chicken embroidery, zari work, zardozi, jewellery, perfumes and metalware items. The embroidery available in dress lengths and readymade garments. The shopping areas are Hazrat-ganj, Aminabad, Chowk, Janpath Market Mahanagar and Nishatganj. Government Emporia Gurjari, Gujarat Handicrafts Emporium, Habibullah Estate, Hazratganj UP Handlooms: Hazratganj Tantuja, West Bengal
