Where best to see Sikkimese plants & animals?

SilverMaple

Can anyone advise us on choosing which of Sikkim’s botanical gardens & parks to visit?
We’re visiting in early November & would like to see orchids - & other local plants. There seem to be at least 4 botanical gardens near Gangtok:
The Flower Show Complex
The Orchid Sanctuary beside the Sikkim Institute of Tibetology
Nehru Botanical Garden near Rumtek
The Saramsa / Ipecac Garden south of Gangtok
It would be really helpful to get feedback whether any of these are particularly worth visiting / not worth visiting.

Likewise for options for seeing animals like red pandas, bears or binturong. Are there wildlife parks, which don’t cage animals, but where you get a reasonable chance of actually seeing animals?
Any feedback on the Himalayan Zoological Park outside Gangtok?
How accessible are the various nature reserves?
Any info much appreciated.

tacita

can help with only part of this. i visited the zoological park outside precisely to see the red pandas and snow leopard, which i did, among other species. the animals are fenced in, but with plenty of room--no cruel cages.

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