DESTINATION SIKKIM
Wrapped amidst endless mists and floating clouds, Sikkim is a lovely state in the heart of eastern Himalayas. A pristine land with plunging valleys, luscious forests and serpentine roads Sikkim is a perfect tour spot for hikers and nature lovers. At Destination Sikkim, you experience nature's bounties at each and every nook and corner to enjoy rejuvenation like never before.
Sikkim is spread below Mount Khangchendzonga (8534 mts.), the third highest mountain in the world, from which this small but beautiful place gets its nickname of the 'Land of the Mighty Khangchendzonga'.
QUICK FACTS
Basic facts about Sikkim to get you acquainted with your Sikkim Tours.
Location:
Located in the unfathomable mountains and abrupt valleys, Sikkim is placed between latitudes of 27° 5' N to 20° 9' N and longitudes of 87° 59' E to 88° 56' E. Positioned in north-east, Sikkim is the second smallest state of India and is sandwiched between Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east, China in the north and West Bengal in the south. The Indian border of Sikkim is shared only with the state of West Bengal.
Oblong in its shape, Sikkim lengthens 100 kms approx. from north to south and broadens 60 kms approx from east to west. Sikkim covers an area of 7,096 km˛ and is highly dominated by mountainous terrain. The land of Sikkim is made fertile by water from rivers like Teesta and Rangeet.
Area: 7096 sq. km.
Capital Town: Gangtok
Currency: Indian Rupee
Language Spoken: Nepali, English, Hindi, Bhutia (Sikkimese), Bhutia (Tibetan), Lepcha, Limboo.
Best Season To Visit: March to June and September to December
Climate:
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 non-stop rain is 11 days. September to October is Autumn.
A peculiar feature of Sikkim weather is that though there is a classification of sorts of the various seasons. One actually experiences a cold winter from end of November to February and monsoons throughout the year with a little respite during May - June and October - November. Even the winter months can be irritatingly wet and damp with the unpredictable showers.
Nearest Railway Station:
The closest Railhead is at New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, 148 km away, and Siliguri, both of which are connected to Calcutta, New Delhi, Guwahati and other major Indian cities.
Nearest Airport:
The closest Indian Airport is at a distance of 124 kms from Gangtok at Bagdogra in Siliguri in West Bengal with scheduled flights operating from Kolkata(Calcutta), Delhi and Guwahati and connecting flights onwards. Travel time from the airport to Gangtok is 4 hours.
From Kathmandu you can fly to Bhadrapur in the east Nepal(1 hour), then drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border, 35 kms), to Siliguri(37 kms) and to Gangtok (110 kms, 4 hrs). Or fly to Biratnagar also in the east.
Helicopter Service:
The Bagdogra airport is connected to Gangtok by a helicopter service which takes approx. 30 minutes to reach Gangtok. Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation(+91-3592-222634) operates this service daily at 11:00 AM from Gangtok to Bagdogra and at 2:00 PM from Bagdogra to Gangtok at a price of Rs.1500/- per person. It is a five seater chopper and mountain flights and other such tours to North Sikkim are conducted.
GANGTOK
Literally meaning 'hilltop', Gangtok is a bewitching hill-station located amidst the multi-hued mountains of Sikkim. Being the capital, Gangtok is the hub of all political and legal activities of Sikkim, where natural beauty and cultural heritage can be seen simultaneously. Perched at an altitude of 1,870m, Gangtok is certainly a perfect tourist destination that offers ample places to see inside, as well as around, the city.
ROAD: Gangtok is well connected by road to Siliguri (114 kms, 4Hrs), which functions as the major transit point for the North and North Eastern sections of the Indian Sub-continent. Gangtok is further well connected by road with Darjeeling (4Hrs), Kalimpong and with Bhutan, Phuntsholing (6 Hrs).
