Needed help on Sikkim visit in first week of May

robin312007

Can be done but enquire about the days of visit to nathula.
i think only 3 days are allowed to visit Nathula.

amitmishr

Thanks robin,

Was going through the net and was a bit confused about the visit to Yumthang and Gurudongmar. Is it possible to start from Gangtok on 1st May (morning) and be back to gangtok on 3rd may (evening).
and what should be the itinerary that i should follow.
First go to Lachen stay overnight
Gurudongmar visit in the next morningand reach Lachung late evening.
Go to Yumthang next day morning and reach gangtok by evening.

regds
Amit

robin312007

Nope

It should be like :
1 : Lachung (N)
2 : yumthang......etc & transfer to Lachen. (N)
3 : Gurudongmar....etc and tranfer to Gangtok

Thats it !

amitmishr

thanks robin,

As i would be in gangtok during the peak season, is it advisable to do the North Sikkim tour as well as hotel bookings from here only, or is it advisable to do so once i reach gangtok.
Also, is there any recommended travel operators. I am in touch with Yak and yeti and Potala tours.
Thanks
amit

Brisso

Pelling likely to be overcast and wet at that time of year - there may be no view of the mountain range. Sikkim permit may be obtained in Darjeeling and other places (can someone advise?)

robin312007

Nope,

I would advise you to book the Hotel now if possible. Coz its good not to take any chance during peak season.
Regarding Transportation to North Sikkim, vehicles are available in gangtok. Its better you enquire about the situation with some Travel Agencies. You can also talk @ D.Bhutia of Norling Tours & Travels in Gangtok. They can give you a clear picture.
Ph. no. is 09832027475.
Yak and Yeti is a bit costly travel operator i think. anyway try comparing their costing as well as accomodation.

Good luck.

sabya.ghosh

Hi Amit,
I'll be travelling to SIKKIM from 6th April till 13th April covering the Mentioned areas as part of the Travel planwhat we have prepared.
6th-Reach Gangtok-10Point sight seeing in Evening.
7th-Changu lake,babamandir,Tukla,
8th-To lachung and Stay back there.
9th-Yumthang,Katao,0 Point and Travel to lachen for NIGHT Stay.
10th-Travel to GuruDongmar lake and Thangu back to gangtok for Night Stay.
11th--Way to pelling and Sight seeing in the evening.
12th---Sight seeing in pelling and way to ravangla and Night Stay
13th---Ravangala Sight seeing and Back to NJP.

hi u can contact me here.i will be able to give more information once i return from there.
sabyasachii.ghosh@gmail.com

amitmishr

Hi sabya,
will get in touch with you surely.

Yak and yeti travels has given me a quote of Rs40k for two couples for the stay and travel during the trip.
Day 1: Baghdogra-gangtok. stay at Superview Himalchuli or Mintokling guest house or Hotel Mistree mountain
Day 2 : nathula pass and tsomgo lake. same hotel stay.
Day 3: Drive to lachung. stay at Hotel Apple Valley
Day 4: yumthang valley – lachen. stay at Hotel Hidden hill.
Day 5: visit to gurudongmar lake-back to gangtok. stay at similar hotels.
Day 6: gangtok – Baghdogra.

Just wanted to know whether the pricing is appropriate.

thanks
amit

sabya.ghosh

Hi Amit,
The cost seems just a bit higher.
The 2 Nights + 3 days trip to Lachung-Yumthang-Lachen-Gurudongmar lake costs 20000 for 8 persons ( 1500 per adult)
if u r going in a seperate trip hiring a single car, u'll have to pay something more bcoz u r rentinga car for u'r own.

I know a person in gangtok who have hotels in Gangtok and conducts Tour. he can help u there.
his Hotel is HOTEL NIRVANA in gangtok. Name is Prabir Sen.i'll give u the contact next time as i dont have it with me now.

Speak to him, he might help u in fixing the Tour pgm. Negotiate also the Total cost.
let me know what u think.

U can Contact PRABIR SEN @ 09434024070, 09832087334, 03324123873( this is thier Kolkata office).

tacita

sabya, first, you'll love sikkim and will have a great time no matter what you choose to do. it's too beautiful not to.

as for your time in gangtok, i doubt very much you'll be able to cover a 10-point tour, as your time there seems quite limited. it would be hard to cover 10 points in 2 days, much less and evening. also, many sites may close in the evening. best check to be sure. (i actually was unaware of a 10-point tour; i know only of the 5- and 7-point tours, and that's a full day at least.

if you have the time (and the money) try dinner at the snow lion restaurant at the tibet hotel. i stayed at the hotel, but the restaurand is, of course, open to all. it's reputed to have the very best food in gangtok. of course, without having compared it to many other places--and mostly street food at that--i can't say. but i greatly enjoyed every meal i had there.

you've also cut your time in pelling very short. there's much to see en route there from gangtok, too. i don't have my itinerary from last year readily at hand just now, but will pop back on monday with more info about pelling and its environs. the most com-pelling (!) part of pelling was, for me, the amazing sunrises when the mountains turn from dark blue to orange to yellow and then to white against a robin's-egg-blue sky. the hike up to sangha choeling is well worth the effort, if you have time. there's a small sangha building with lovely frescoes and a school of novoce monks. their teacher (lay) was happy to guide me through the building, with its many butter sculptures--it was losar and things were especially festive, with piles of offerings.

anecdotally, a small puppy followed me up to the top from my hotel and the teacher decided to adopt him! he fed him and then secreted him in a small building, presumably, to keep him from heading back down the hill. i've often wondered if became an official adoptee and whether he ambled back down the mountain to grow into doghood.

great choice of sikkim--have a great trip!

__________________
Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. ~Helen Keller

sabya.ghosh

Thanks Jen.
Actually the Tour of Sikkim cannot be completed in 1 Single Journey.U need to Return atleast once to complete the Whole Country.
This time i'm concentrating on NORTH SIKKIM entirely and Gangtok.
next time, we will sweep pelling,ravangla and other interesting locations.

This time we are focussing entirely on Lachung-Yumthang-0 Point-katao-lachen-Guru Dongmar lake-Tsongo lake.Also include gabgtok's Changu lake-Baba mandir-tukla-Nathula pass.

And THANKS to u specially for the note. I wud love to hear from u when id u visit and how did u plan u'r visit and other details too.

till then BYE.

U also can connect me sabya.ghosh@gmail.com

amitmishr

Hi Sabya,
I enquired with Norling tours, which gave me a quote for 18k for four people for the north sikkim tour with exclusive vehicle with meals and rooms with water heating facilities. In a shared taxi, per head costs would be 2.2k.
For the nathula/changu lake day trip, the rates quoted are 700per head and 7000 for an exclusive trip.
In gangtok she has suggested Mintokling guest house.
Will get in touch with Prabir as well to have a better idea of the same.

sabya.ghosh

Thats gr8 Amit.
It will be easier to Judge based on different views from different travel agency.
Pls do let me know what is the outcome of u'r decision.

north Sikkim Trip of 18k looks decent with all those facilities and i presume wont get much cheaper than what u got.

kernelguy

The travel website ezeego1.com is running a promotion (with cashback offers on payment with ICICI card). Their website has a bunch of tours covering Gangtok, Lachung (no Lachen though), Peling, Darjeeling, etc. The prices are clearly mentioned and can help comparisons.

kernelguy

P Rajesh

Hi, Amit, just happened to see this thread. We (my wife and I) are also planning a 10 day Sikkim trip between 29th Apr and 9th May. We plan to cover Gangtok, North Sikkim and West Sikkim and were hoping to find other travellers with near-similar tour plans to bring down travel costs. Have your plans been finalised?
Regards.