Yes we really enjoyed our trip to Sikkim. Our unusual needs were well met but our guide Anand. He was able to introduce us to ordinary village people. We also visited three schools which was very interesting. We did manage to meet disabled people and their families and talk about their way of life. There was a range of home…
Sikkim Village walking tour
Walking tour that delves deeper into village life.
A few can claim to be a short trip but it’s good enough to cover some of pleasantly old fashioned yet charming villages in east and southern Sikkim with Sikkim Village walking tour. This 5 nights/ 6 days trip is specially curated so that we can delve deeper into life sustained in villages combined with adequate amount of walking as the title itself suggest. Arguably, through setting pace of walk of our own, it can be best way to feel the pulse of life in village. We can make a spirited effort to be part of system, ambience and daily life of villages by striking chord with friendly locales through greater interaction, school visit, cooking and learning the art of making local cuisine, home stay etc.
Also, we have incorporated excursion visit to bustling & youthful capital – Gangtok and not to miss attractions and sights. Temi Tea Garden is the only tea garden in Sikkim that just not only boast of bio – organic tea but also great weather. Watch tea workers in action -plucking fresh leaves and also making of tea in factory. Visit villages that revolve on tea garden for the living, etc.
Sikkim Village walking tour Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Upper Martam Village (4500 feet)
Pick up could be from Bhutan/India border, Bagdogra airport or NJP train station in Siliguri. Meet guide & Driver and arrive in upper Martam village (East Sikkim). Toward evening take a gentle walk to visit Martam village which is close by. This will be first introduction to village life in Sikkim. Overnight in Hotel
Day 2: In Martam
Today, embark on a scenic hike to visit next village. It takes around 2 hours one way and hike is a mixture of forest and terraced rice field trail walk. It traverses rich sub tropical forest, traditional houses with granary, vast expanse of rice field. Traditional lunch in local home. After, visit Hindu Krishna Temple and village tour. On the way back, we’ll take different route that end near the school. School and village visit.
Overnight in Hotel
Day 3: Excursion to Gangtok. (5250 feet/36 km/ 1 – 2 hours)
Gangtok is the exuberant capital of Sikkim. After breakfast, drive to Gangtok. Visit prominent attractions such as Directorate of Handloom and Handicraft, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Enchey Monastery, Flower Exhibition Centre, Do Drul Chorten, vibrant Lal Bazar Market. On the way back, visit Rumtex Monastery – main seat for Karma Kagyu lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism. After, take a short hike of 1 -2 hours to cover 6 km stretch to reach the hotel. Its on paved road but with very less vehicular traffic. Overnight in Hotel.
Day 4: Drive to Temi Tea Garden (6900 feet/98 km/ 3- 4 hours)
After breakfast drive to organic Temi Tea Garden. The drive profile are it’s a brief descent and on relatively flat road for almost 30 km, after as you ascend there is distinct changes in vegetation, gradually sub tropical vegetation give way to temperate, such as pines, conifers, fir Hemlock combined with perennial clear white clouds add to mystical allure. Stop at Ravangla and visit Buddha Park. Upon arrival, take a walk in beautiful tea estate. Overnight in Hotel (Option of Home Stay)
Day 5: In Temi.
Full day in Temi Tea Garden Hotel is idyllically located on the top overlooking lush green tea garden and mountain ranges. After breakfast, we will visit village, which is nearby to hotel. Interact with villagers, delve into their daily life. Later visit School, Tea factory, walk in Tea garden and interaction with Tea worker. Overnight in Hotel. (Option of Home Stay)
Day 6: Transfer to Bagdogra airport (4- 5 hrs)
Ideally, we start early to cover traffic congestion nearby airport, if any.
Optional:
We can arrange local cultural show in evening.
Meeting & interaction with some literally figure such as one who has published books on Sikkim (Subject to availability).
Learn and cook the local cuisine.
Trip highlights
- Explore Upper Martam, Temi Tea Garden village and smaller one along the roadside whilst driving
- Visit attractions and sights in Gangtok
- Interaction with villagers, school Visit, scenic moderate village hike.
- Visit factory in Temi Tea Garden, interaction with Tea workers, walk in Tea garden.
6-day trip, from 550 per person. Tell us your dates and group size and we will price it exactly.
Included
- Accommodation on twin sharing basis in tourist standard hotel.
- All meals
- All transfer and sightseeing in good quality vehicle.
- English Speaking guide.
Not included
- International Airfare
- Any aspect that is not enlisted in Included Section
Anand Thapa
Anand Thapa grew up in Jaigaon, a small border town next to Phuentsholing, Bhutan. He attended school in Bhutan before moving to Darjeeling for further studies. Surrounded by lush tea gardens, colonial-era churches, and views of Mount Kanchenjunga, he developed a lasting fascination with travel. After his studies, Anand lived…
Nima Dhondup Bhutia
Nima Dhondup Bhutia is the senior most guide for Darjeeling, Sikkim and Doars Tour. From past political turmoil to changing tourism scenario in the region, he has seen it all from close quarter. His career as guide started from 1980, and going great gun still. His experience along with amicable…
Dawa Lama
Dawa Lama hails from queen of hills - Darjeeling. He is well versed in cultural aspects but his love for mountains, wilderness of Trek is more profound. For his love for the trek, he treaded many paths less travelled. He feels at peace and at home in mountains and he…
What travelers most often ask us before a trip to India & Sikkim.
As Sikkim and Darjeeling Border with Nepal, China Bhutan and close-by to Bangladesh. How safe is it?
Sikkim is the safest state in India.As there had been no record of political turmoil, anti social or anti national activities even though it shares border with Nepal, China & Bhutan. On other hand, Darjeeling had seen some internal
political turmoil in past, but tourists were never bothered on these grounds. Now, things are much better from tourism perspective and back to normal even after Covid lockdown.
Is it mandatory to hire local English speaking guide if I book one of your tour for Indian Tourists? Do the drivers speak Hindi in Darjeeling and Sikkim?
No, hiring guide on tour for Domestic Indian Tourist is totally on their own preference. As your driver will be communicating with you in Hindi, he can easily provide you all the information which you want to know.However we recommend to have a guide for they are well trained in their trade, linguists and indept local knowledge.
There are certain monuments which remains closed on Monday i.e. Red Fort, Lotus Temple, Akshardham Temple, National Museum and Gandhi Smriti (Birla House or Birla Bhawan).
Existing guidelines require that nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar can be given Inner Line Permits only after approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi. Further all Bhutan nationals are exempt from the requirement of obtaining ILPs. They do not require to obtain permits to enter Sikkim. Permits to foreign diplomats and members of United Nations and International Organisations holding diplomatic/official passports are issued only at Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs.
You can provide any of the following documents:
1.Pass Port 2- Ration Card 3 – Voter Card 4 Adhar Cards and 4 pass port size photos is required. For Children Birth Certificate and 4 pass port size photo is required.
Yes, night view is allowed between 20:30 to 00:30 hour only and the duration of visit is 30 minutes. The maximum no. of people allowed are 400, divided in 8 batches of 50 people each.
Foreigners need a permit to enter Sikkim, however we take care of your all the permit when you travel with us. Indian Tourist traveling to North Sikkim and Tsangu lake need to avail permit which is taken care by our organization.